Smart contracts, (blockchains, distributed ledgers) and rights management broadly construed are the themes of today's Spotlight Patents. Assigned to Züs, the first patent addresses techniques for self-administered protocols on a blockchain platform. Assigned to Red Hat, the second patent addresses techniques for providing smart contracts including secrets encrypted with oracle-provided encryption keys.
11593321, “Systems and methods of self-administered protocols on a blockchain platform,” assigned to Züs (formerly 0Chain)
Abstract
The present invention is systems and methods of self-administering protocols on a blockchain platform. A system and method of self-administered protocols on a blockchain platform, comprising: self-administering one or more of the following actions: consensus, governance, self-forking, view change or finality of transactions on the blockchain platform; operating without a hierarchical structure to make decisions; validating the decision to avoid rogue decisions or attacks; setting of a time period to lapse to finalize the decision; allowing the set time period to lapse; finalizing the decision by saving the state on the blockchain platform. Self-administering also includes the capability of the blockchain platform to prune the state of the smart contracts and the global state of the blockchain platform.
11593493, “Providing smart contracts including secrets encrypted with oracle-provided encryption keys,” assigned to Red Hat, Inc.
Abstract
Providing smart contracts including secrets encrypted with oracle-provided encryption keys is disclosed. In one example, a contract creator encrypts sensitive data necessary for executing a smart contract into ciphertext using a symmetric cryptographic key K, and also encrypts the symmetric cryptographic key K into a wrapper using a public cryptographic key e of a contract executor. The contract creator then generates an envelope using a public cryptographic key o of a contract oracle, where the envelope includes the wrapper encrypted using the public cryptographic key o and a policy that includes condition(s) precedent and is digitally authenticated. The smart contract, including the envelope and the ciphertext, is deployed to the contract executor. The sensitive data thus may be provided within the smart contract itself, while being protected from unauthorized access in the event the smart contract is malicious or is compromised.
