New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. Both of today's Spotlight Patents continue our theme of blockchain (distributed ledger, smart contracts) and digital rights management broadly construed. Assigned to Akiri, the first patent addresses techniques for trust based access to records via encrypted protocol communications with authentication system. Assigned to Blockchain ASICs, the second patent addresses techniques for a cryptographic ASIC and method for enforcing a derivative key hierarchy for managing an information stream.
10,255,458, "Trust based access to records via encrypted protocol communications with authentication system," assigned to Akiri, Inc.
Abstract
Systems and techniques are disclosed for trust based access to records via encrypted protocol communications with an authentication system. An example system is configured to authorize and provide selective and secured access to sensitive medical information according to one or more trusted relationships. The system is configured to receive a request for access to a patient's health record from an outside entity. Authentication information associated with the outside entity is determined. Whether the outside entity is authorized to access the requested data is determined. The determination is based on existence of a trust relationship being established between the outside entity and the patient, the trust relationship established by an action of the patient or a patient's representative. Access to the patient's health record is enabled based on a positive determination.
10,256,974, "Cryptographic ASIC for key hierarchy enforcement," assigned to Blockchain ASICs LLC.
Abstract
A cryptographic ASIC and method for enforcing a derivative key hierarchy for managing an information stream. A programming user provides a user passphrase that is used to generate a transform key and is then deleted. The transform key is inaccessibly, invisibly, and indelibly generated and stored in a one-time programmable memory with externally generated programming pulses during or after manufacture, without being reported out to the user who provided the user passphrase. A transform-enabled cryptographic circuit or method customized with the transform key processes a predetermined input message to obtain a predetermined output message indicating an identity of a particular information stream. Other input messages may also be processed, such as for verifying a blockchain, but replication requires knowledge of the transform key. Only a programming user with knowledge of the user passphrase is capable of creating an information stream, such as a blockchain.
