New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of blockchain (distributed ledger, smart contracts) and digital rights management broadly construed. Assigned to Monegraph, the first patent addresses techniques for rights transfers using block chain transactions. Assigned to Blockchain ASICs, the second patent addresses techniques for a transform-enabled integrated circuit with a combined transformation/hashing block, such as for cryptographic proof-of-work systemsl
10,380,702, "Rights transfers using block chain transactions," assigned to Monegraph, Inc.
Abstract
Systems and methods for managing media, such as digital content, using block chain technology are described. In some embodiments, the systems and methods perform multiple digital currency transfers between address nodes to register a collection of rights to a digital content item to a block chain, and perform a digital currency transfer transaction between address nodes to register the collection of rights to the block chain.
10,372,943, "Cryptographic ASIC with combined transformation and one-way functions," assigned to Blockchain ASICs LLC.
Abstract
A transform-enabled integrated circuit is provided with a combined transformation/hashing block, such as for cryptographic proof-of-work systems. The transform-enabled integrated circuit embeds components for a transformation function among hashing function components within the cryptographic datapath of the transform-enabled integrated circuit. The combined transformation/hashing block may be configured after the manufacture of the integrated circuit to embody as circuitry any one of a plurality of mathematical transformation functions, thus enabling a user to systemically modify the cryptographic operations performed by the integrated circuit while retaining the high performance and efficiency characteristics of application specific integrated circuits. Embodiments modify the internal intermediate state variables of the hashing function to transform and hash an input message. Method and computer program product embodiments are also provided. The technology flexibly enables the deployment of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) within blockchain systems, digital rights management, secure token, and other cryptography-related fields.
