New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. Both of today's Spotlight Patents concern aspects of blockchain (distributed ledgers, smart contracts) and rights management broadly construed. Assigned to Cambridge Blockchain, the first patent addresses techniques for managing relationships among digital identities. Assigned to Labyrinth Research, the second patent addresses techniques for unified control of privacy-impacting devices.
10,454,927, "Systems and methods for managing relationships among digital identities," assigned to Cambridge Blockchain.
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for performing access control for a first entity. The method comprises using a pointer associated with a second entity to access, from a distributed ledger system, at least one attestation for at least one attribute of the second entity, wherein the at least one attestation is movable between at least two states in the distributed ledger system, the at least two states comprising a VERIFIED state and allowing the second entity to access the first entity in response to determining that the at least one attestation is in the VERIFIED state, that the third entity is to be trusted for verifying the at least one attestation, that the cryptographic proof is a valid proof of the at least one privilege label, and that the one or more access rules are satisfied.
10,452,863, "Unified control of privacy-impacting devices," assigned to Labyrinth Research LLC.
Abstract
Systems and techniques, including a privacy service, facilitate selecting, defining, controlling, verifying, and auditing privacy-impacting behaviors of devices in alignment with the privacy behavior expectations of individuals and other entities. Techniques and systems are presented to facilitate controlling and verifying the privacy behaviors of privacy-impacting devices. Techniques and systems for defining and sharing individualized privacy behavior preferences are described. Techniques and systems are disclosed for privacy preference resolution protocols that allow for the automated or interactive resolution of conflicts that arise between individuals in multi-actor environments or ambiguous contexts. Accountability and audit mechanisms assist in verifying the control state of devices with respect to their privacy behavior preference inputs. A trust-enhancing and technically transparent system architecture includes a distributed application network, distributed ledger technology, smart contracts, and/or blockchain technology.
