New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. This week's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of blockchain (distributed ledger, smart contracts) and digital rights management broadly construed. Assigned to IBM, the first patent addresses techniques for smart contracts that are included in a ledger. Assigned to Archemy, the second patent addresses techniques for active adaptation of networked compute devices using vetted reusable software components.
10,341,121, "System, method, and computer program product for privacy-preserving transaction validation mechanisms for smart contracts that are included in a ledger," assigned to IBM.
Abstract
The system, method, and computer program product described herein may provide the capability to handle a variety of types of transactions, not just payment transactions. In addition, system, method, and computer program product described herein may provide the capability for users to be able to control the confidentiality of their transactions, for the system to control access to transactions, for the system to be capable of auditing transactions, and to provide accountability of the validating entities.
10,338,913, "Active adaptation of networked compute devices using vetted reusable software components," assigned to Archemy, Inc.
Abstract
A method includes receiving a text description of a system capability request, and converting the text description into a normalized description of the system capability request. A repository is then queried, based on the normalized description and using a search algorithm, to identify multiple candidate application software units (ASUs). The candidate ASUs are displayed to a user for selection. The user-selected ASU is then deployed, either locally or to at least one remote compute device, in response to receiving the user selection. Deployment can include the user-selected candidate ASU being integrated into a local or remote software package, thus defining a modified software package that is configured to provide the system capability.
