Patent Issued for Systems And Methods For Blockchain Validation Of User Identity And Authority (USPTO 10,554,649)

2020 FEB 17 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Fields, Brian Mark (Normal, IL); Assam, Lee Marvin John (El Paso, IL), filed on May 22, 2017, was published online on February 17, 2020.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 10,554,649, is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Conventional systems and methods use centralized databases or storage mechanisms to store user information and that can be used to identify users. This centralized database scheme typically allows updates and transactions to occur only in a synchronous fashion, where transactions stored in the database are serialized to occur one at a time. Such transactions are typically controlled and accessed by a single entity, for example, a company or private institution that controls the centralized database or storage mechanism.

“The single entity control paradigm can create issues where the user information can be useful for other purposes because the user information is typically precluded from use in other applications even where the user is willing and able to give permission to use such information. Moreover, the single entity that controls and accesses the user may be reluctant to share the user information with other parties for a variety of privacy or business concerns.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The systems and methods described herein relate to user information as determined from blockchain-based transactions. In various embodiments, a blockchain may be a type of decentralized database network that keeps records of blockchain transactions, which are a type of digital transactions. Rather than having a single entity control a traditional database, a blockchain-based network can include a network of replicated databases that can be synchronized via a public network (e.g., the Internet), and, therefore visible to anyone within the network. Blockchain networks can also, however, be private with restricted membership similar to an intranet.

“As described herein, when a blockchain transaction is executed, it can be grouped together into a cryptographically protected block with other blockchain transactions. In some embodiments, the block of blockchain transactions may be for transactions that occurred within a specific time period, such as within the last 10 minutes, and that are sent to the entire network for updating and storage in the replicated blockchain-based network. Members of the network, including computing nodes as described herein, can compete to validate the blockchain transactions for the network. In various embodiments, the validated transactions may then be added to the blockchain with a timestamp in chronological order. In this way, new blocks of validated transactions can be linked to older blocks, making a chain of blocks that make up the blockchain and show every transaction made in the history of that blockchain. The blockchain can be updated at every node in the blockchain network such that the blockchain is replicated at every node, giving users of the blockchain network the ability to reconcile the transactions of any node against any other node at any given time.

“The blockchain-based network’s decentralized, open, and cryptographic nature allows users to trust each other and execute blockchain transactions in a peer-to-peer fashion, making the need for a single control entity obsolete. The blockchain-based network also provides enhanced security benefits, including discoursing and preventing hacking attacks that commonly impact single control entities such as banks. For example, if a hacker targeted a particular block in a blockchain, the hacker would not only need to hack into that specific block, but all of the proceeding blocks linked to that blockchain spanning the entire history of the blockchain. Moreover, the attacker would also need to perform the same hack on every blockchain in the network, which could be millions, simultaneously, therefore making hacking a blockchain infeasible.

“Accordingly, as described herein, systems and methods are disclosed for validating a user of blockchain-based networks services, including the identification and authority of such a user, based on one or more of user’s blockchain accounts, profiles, or blockchain transactions. The disclosed systems and methods can aggregate various transactions from one or more of a the user’s blockchains and analyze those transactions to identify any number of validation events (e.g., trigger events or red flags) for various use cases, for example, using a blockchain-based transactions or information therein to determine to withhold an insurance claim check to a spouse of user where the user’s blockchain transactions indicate that the user was recently divorced.

“In various embodiments, blockchain-based systems and methods are disclosed for performing blockchain validation of user identity and authority, where one or more processors can receive a first blockchain ID and a second blockchain ID, and where each of the first blockchain ID and the second blockchain ID is associated with a user. In some embodiments, the first blockchain ID can be a first public key associated with a first private key, and the second blockchain ID can be a second public key associated with a second private key. As described herein, public and private keys are cryptographic keys that typically are generated in a public-private key pairs and are used in blockchain-based networks to identify a user and protect a user’s resources on a blockchain-based network.

“In some embodiments, the first blockchain ID can be associated with a first blockchain and the second blockchain ID can be associated with a second blockchain. In various embodiments, the first blockchain and/or the second blockchain can also be associated certain blockchain types including, for example, any of a bank-based blockchain, a bitcoin-based blockchain, an insurance-based blockchain, a public blockchain, or a private blockchain. Each blockchain type may have different characteristics or attributes that may cause the blockchain-based validation system and methods to operate according to the blockchain type. For example, where a blockchain is a private blockchain, and at least in one embodiment, the blockchain-based validation system and methods may receive an indication from the user as to whether a private transaction associated with the user may be accessed.

“In some embodiments, a plurality of blockchain transactions may be aggregated where the plurality of blockchain transactions can include at least a first blockchain transaction associated with the first blockchain and a second blockchain transaction associated with the second blockchain. Based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, a first validation event providing a first indication of validity for the user may be identified. In some embodiments, the indication of validity can be used to authorize the user for an activity as further describe herein.

“In other embodiments, the blockchain-based validation system and methods may be further configured to identify a second validation event based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, where the second validation event provides a second indication of validity for the user, such that the blockchain-based validation system and methods may determine an updated indication of validity for the user based upon the first validation event and the second validation event.

“As described further herein, each of the first validation event and/or the second validation event can be associated with various event types including, for example, a property purchase event, a vehicle purchase event, a user-life event, a frequency-of-occurrence event, a significant financial event, a location event, or a disputed transaction event.

“In some embodiments, the blockchain-based validation system and methods may be further configured to receive a security-based indicator for the user (e.g., a biometrics security indicator such as a digital finger print), and provide an enhanced indication of validity for the user based on the security-based indicator for the user and the first validation event.

“In various embodiments, systems and methods are disclosed for generating a blockchain-based user profile. For example, a blockchain-based user profile can be associated with a particular user (e.g., an insurance customer who is a user of the blockchain-based network) and can be updated based on one or more of the user’s blockchain transactions. As described herein, in one embodiment, the profile may be used as a customer service tool where a customer service representative use the blockchain-based user profile to authenticate or validate the user, therefore, requiring less authentication/validation for users or customers with positive profiles, such as a blockchain-based user profile that has little or no negative validation events. In other embodiments, the user profiles may be used to provide benefits and incentives (e.g., insurance discounts or other benefits) to customers with positive profiles. In other embodiments, premiums may be adjusted, for example, increased, for user’s having profiles with negative blockchain validation events.

“In various embodiments, blockchain-based systems and methods are disclosed for generating a blockchain-based user profile. In various aspects, one or more blockchain IDs associated with a user may be received by one or more processors. Each blockchain ID can be associated with a corresponding blockchain in a blockchain-based network. One or more blockchain transactions may be identified that are associated with the one or more blockchain IDs such that a trust profile for the user can be generated based on the one or more blockchain transactions. In some embodiments, the trust profile can be generated also based on non-blockchain transactions, as further described herein. The trust profile can include user information determined from the one or more blockchain transactions or from the non-blockchain transactions. In some embodiments, the user information can include, for example, user tax records, user bills, user social media information, or one or more photos of the user.

“In some embodiments, the blockchain-based systems and methods may further be configured to receive a session blockchain ID from a remote computing device, where the session blockchain ID can be associated with the user. The session blockchain ID may be used to facilitate a chat session, wherein the chat session is operable to receive one or more messages from the remote computing device and to transmit one or more messages to the remote computing device. In some embodiment, the session blockchain ID can be a blockchain ID from one or more blockchain IDs associated with the user. In another embodiment, the session ID and the trust profile can be used to authorize the remote computing device to receive the user information. In still a further embodiment, the blockchain-based system may be configured to request additional user information of the user from the remote computing device.

“In other embodiments, the blockchain-based system may be further configured to receive an additional blockchain ID associated with the user, where the additional blockchain ID is associated with an additional blockchain, and where one or more additional blockchain transactions are identified that are associated with the additional blockchain ID. The trust profile may be updated for the user based on the one or more additional blockchain transactions, such that the trust profile is enhanced and includes additional user information determined from the one or more additional blockchain transactions.

“In some embodiments, the trust profile can be used to determine one or more loyalty benefits for the user. In other embodiments, the blockchain-based system can update one or more accounts of the user based on the trust profile as described herein.

“Advantages will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the present embodiments may be capable of other and different embodiments, and their details are capable of modification in various respects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A blockchain-based validation system configured to perform blockchain validation of user identity and authority, the blockchain-based validation system comprising: a block-chain based computing node communicatively coupled, via a blockchain network, to one or more additional block-chain based computing nodes; a program memory communicatively coupled to the block-chain based computing node; and program instructions stored in the program memory that when executed by the block-chain based computing node, cause the block-chain based computing node to: receive, at the block-chain based computing node via the blockchain network, a first blockchain ID and a second blockchain ID, wherein each of the first blockchain ID and the second blockchain ID is associated with a user, the user being a same user of each of the first blockchain ID and the second blockchain ID, and wherein the first blockchain ID is associated with a first blockchain and the where second blockchain ID is associated with a second blockchain, aggregate, at the block-chain based computing node, a plurality of blockchain transactions, the plurality of blockchain transactions including at least a first blockchain transaction associated with the first blockchain and a second blockchain transaction associated with the second blockchain, identify, at the block-chain based computing node, an existing first validation event based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, wherein each of the first blockchain transaction and the second blockchain transaction is an existing transaction of the blockchain network that occurred prior to the existing first validation event, and provide, via the block-chain based computing node during an online session, a first indication of validity for the user based on the existing first validation event.

“2. The blockchain-based validation system of claim 1 further configured to: identify a second validation event based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, the second validation event providing a second indication of validity for the user; and determine an updated indication of validity for the user based upon the existing first validation event and the second validation event.

“3. The blockchain-based validation system of claim 2, wherein each of the existing first validation event and the second validation event is associated with any of the following: a property purchase event, a vehicle purchase event, a user-life event, a frequency-of-occurrence event, a significant financial event, a location event, or a disputed transaction event.

“4. The blockchain-based validation system of claim 1 further configured to authorize the user for an activity based on the indication of validity.

“5. The blockchain-based validation system of claim 1 further configured to: receive a security-based indicator for the user; and provide an enhanced indication of validity for the user based on the security-based indicator for the user and the existing first validation event.

“6. The blockchain-based validation system of claim 1, wherein the first blockchain ID is a first public key associated with a first private key, and wherein the second blockchain ID is a second public key associated with a second private key.

“7. The blockchain-based validation system of claim 1, wherein either of the first blockchain or the second blockchain are associated with any of one or more of the following: a bank-based blockchain, a bitcoin-based blockchain, an insurance-based blockchain, a public blockchain, or a private blockchain.

“8. The blockchain-based validation system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first blockchain or the second location is a private blockchain, the blockchain-based validation system further configured to: receive an indication from the user as to whether a private transaction associated with the private blockchain may be accessed.

“9. A blockchain-based validation method of performing blockchain validation of user identity and authority at one or more block-chain based computing nodes, the blockchain-based validation method comprising: receiving a first blockchain ID and a second blockchain ID, wherein each of the first blockchain ID and the second blockchain ID is associated with a user, the user being a same user of each of the first blockchain ID and the second blockchain ID, and wherein the first blockchain ID is associated with a first blockchain and the second blockchain ID is associated with a second blockchain; aggregating a plurality of blockchain transactions, the plurality of blockchain transactions including at least a first blockchain transaction associated with the first blockchain and a second blockchain transaction associated with the second blockchain; identifying an existing first validation event based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, wherein each of the first blockchain transaction and the second blockchain transaction is an existing transaction of the blockchain network that occurred prior to the existing first validation event; and; providing, during an online session, a first indication of validity for the user based on the existing first validation event.

“10. The blockchain-based validation method of claim 9 further configured to: identify a second validation event based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, the second validation event providing a second indication of validity for the user; and determine an updated indication of validity for the user based upon the existing first validation event and the second validation event.

“11. The blockchain-based validation method of claim 10, wherein each of the existing first validation event and the second validation event is associated with any of the following: a property purchase event, a vehicle purchase event, a user-life event, a frequency-of-occurrence event, a significant financial event, a location event, or a disputed transaction event.

“12. The blockchain-based validation method of claim 9 further configured to authorize the user for an activity based on the indication of validity.

“13. The blockchain-based validation method of claim 9 further configured to: receive a security-based indicator for the user; and provide an enhanced indication of validity for the user based on the security-based indicator for the user and the existing first validation event.

“14. The blockchain-based validation method of claim 9, wherein the first blockchain ID is a first public key associated with a first private key, and wherein the second blockchain ID is a second public key associated with a second private key.

“15. The blockchain-based validation method of claim 9, wherein either of the first blockchain or the second blockchain are associated with any of one or more of the following: a bank-based blockchain, a bitcoin-based blockchain, an insurance-based blockchain, a public blockchain, or a private blockchain.

“16. The blockchain-based validation method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first blockchain or the second location is a private blockchain, the blockchain-based validation system further configured to: receive an indication from the user as to whether a private transaction associated with the private blockchain may be accessed.

“17. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for performing blockchain validation of user identity and authority, when executed by one or more processors of a first computing device, cause the first computing device to: receive a first blockchain ID and a second blockchain ID from a second computing device, wherein each of the first blockchain ID and the second blockchain ID is associated with a user, the user being a same user of each of the first blockchain ID and the second blockchain ID, and wherein the first blockchain ID is associated with a first blockchain and the second blockchain ID is associated with a second blockchain; aggregate a plurality of blockchain transactions, the plurality of blockchain transactions including at least a first blockchain transaction associated with the first blockchain and a second blockchain transaction associated with the second blockchain; and identify an existing first validation event based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, wherein each of the first blockchain transaction and the second blockchain transaction is an existing transaction of the blockchain network that occurred prior to the existing first validation event; and provide, during an online session, a first indication of validity for the user based on the first validation event.

“18. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to: identify a second validation event based on the first blockchain transaction or the second blockchain transaction, the second validation event providing a second indication of validity for the user; and determine an updated indication of validity for the user based upon the existing first validation event and the second validation event.

“19. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to: generate a new blockchain transaction of the user based on the first indication of validity for the user; and update the first blockchain with the new blockchain transaction.

“20. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to: update the second blockchain with the new blockchain transaction.”

For more information, see this patent: Fields, Brian Mark; Assam, Lee Marvin John. Systems And Methods For Blockchain Validation Of User Identity And Authority. U.S. Patent Number 10,554,649, filed May 22, 2017, and published online on February 17, 2020. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,554,649.PN.&OS=PN/10,554,649RS=PN/10,554,649

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