New patent applications are published by the USPTO on Thursdays. Today's Spotlight Applications continue our theme of blockchains (smart contracts, distributed ledgers) and rights management broadly construed. Assigned to Rovi, the first application discloses techniques for metadata distribution and management via transactional blockchain technology. Assigned to IBM, the second application discloses techniques for dynamic entitlement for blockchain data.
20200204876, "Metadata distribution and management via transactional blockchain technology," assigned to Rovi Guides, Inc.
Abstract
Systems and methods are described for securely distributing metadata using a block chain. The system generates a block for a distributed blockchain ledger such that the block includes an encrypted metadata item of a media asset. The system, at a first time, transmits the block for storage in the distributed blockchain ledger such that a copy of the distributed blockchain ledger is stored by the first computing device and a second computing device. The system generates a smart contract that includes a decryption key for the encrypted metadata item and an identifier of the second computing device. The system transmits the smart contract for storage in the distributed blockchain ledger. The smart contract is configured to be automatically executed at the execution time that is later than the first time, to provide the second computing device with the decryption key for the encrypted metadata item.
20200202021, "Dynamic entitlement for blockchain data," assigned to IBM.
Abstract
An example operation may include one or more of receiving a data file submitted by a node, the data file comprising information about an event-driven process for a chain of nodes, retrieving an entitlement mode of the data file from a data block that is stored among a hash-linked chain of data blocks on a distributed ledger, determining access rights of the data file with respect to another node in the chain of nodes based on the retrieved entitlement mode of the data file, and transmitting information about the event-driven process to the other node based on the determined access rights of the other node.
