Systems and method for tracking enterprise events using hybrid public-private blockchain ledgers

• US 10,402,792 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toronto-Dominion Bank
• Original Assignee: Toronto-Dominion Bank
• Inventors: Lin, Jenny, Haldenby, Perry, Lee, John Jong Suk, Chan, Paul Mon-Wah, Del Vecchio, Orin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ravetti, Dante
• Application Number:
  US14/928,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20170046651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 705 16, 705 21, 705 59, 705 71, 380 44, 380262, 380278, 380279
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0655 e-cash managed centrally
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/10 Usage protection of distributed data files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2230/00 Voting or election arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/128 : Check-book balancing, updating or printing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 : Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 : Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 : Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 : Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 : for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 : for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 : Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 : Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 : Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 : Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 : Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 : using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91342 : the copy protection signal being an authentication signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 : Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments include computerized systems and methods for generating secured blockchain-based ledger data structures that track occurrences of events across fragmented and geographically dispersed lines-of-business of an enterprise. In one instance, an apparatus associated with a rules authority of the secured blockchain-based ledger may detect an occurrence of a triggering event, and may access and decrypt a set of rules hashed into the secured blockchain-based ledger using a confidentially-held master cryptographic key. The apparatus may identify a rule associated with the detected event, and perform one or more operations consistent with the rule, including a disbursement of various rewards to employees in response to customer-specific interactions with the enterprise. The disclosed embodiments provide a rules process for aggregating mutually incompatible enterprise data that specifies the events, and for tracking the events in uniform data structures accessible across the enterprise.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform the steps of;

accessing data corresponding to at least one blockchain ledger;

determining an occurrence of an event within the blockchain ledger data;

based on the determination of the occurrence of the event within the blockchain ledger data, decrypting (i) a first encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data using a first cryptographic key and (ii) a second encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data using a second cryptographic key, wherein the first cryptographic key comprises a private cryptographic key associated with the detected event, the decrypted first data portion identifies a plurality of triggering events, the second cryptographic key comprises comprising a master cryptographic key associated with a rules authority, and the decrypted second data portion identifies a plurality of rules associated with the rules authority;

determining, based on the decrypted first data portion, that the detected event corresponds to at least one of the triggering events;

based on the determination that the detected event corresponds to at least one of the triggering events, identifying, based on the decrypted second data portion, at least one of the rules that exhibits a relationship with the detected event; and

generating an electronic command to perform one or more operations consistent with the at least one identified rule;

generating a data block of the block chain ledger, the generated data block comprising event data associated with the detected event, the first encrypted portion, and the second encrypted portion; and

storing the generated data block in a secure data repository.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the detected event comprises at least one of a referral of a customer from a first line-of-business of an enterprise to a second line-of-business of the enterprise or an activity of the customer involving the second line-of-business in response to the referral;

the at least one rule specifies at least one of a referral reward or a sales reward corresponding to the detected event; and

the executed instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the step of generating an electronic command that initiates a disbursement of at least one of the referral reward to a first employee of the first line-of-business or the sales reward to a second employee of the second line of business.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the detected second data portion further comprises correlation data that maps one or more characteristics of the detected event to at least one of a reward type or a reward value; and

the executed instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of;

based on the determination that the detected event corresponds to at least one of the triggering events, extracting information specifying the one or more detected event characteristics from the blockchain ledger data;

determining the at least one reward type or value based on a comparison of at least a portion of the correlation data and the extracted information; and

generating the electronic command that initiates the disbursement of the at least one referral or sales reward in accordance with the determined at least one reward type or value.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the detected event characteristics comprise at least one of an identifier of the first line-of-business, an identifier of the second line-of-business, and identifier of the first employee, an identifier of the second employee, a lead value associated with the referral, an actual value associated with the activity, a time stamp, an identifier of a first device that generated the referral, or an identifier of a second device that realized the activity; and

the at least one referral or sales reward comprises at least one of a financial benefit or a non-financial benefit.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the executed instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of:

receiving a portion of the event data from at least one of a first device associated with the first employee or a second device associated with the second employee, the event data comprising at least one of;

first data captured by the first device and specifying characteristics of the referral of the customer;

or

second data captured by the second device and specifying characteristics of the activity of the customer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the event data comprises at least one of a lead value associated with the referral or an actual value associated with the customer activity; and

the at least one generated data block comprises a value block corresponding to the event, the value block specifying at least one of the lead value, the actual value, or a difference between the lead and actual values.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the accessed blockchain ledger data comprises:

first blockchain ledger data tracking a plurality of generated referrals and realized activities that involve the customer;

or

second blockchain ledger data tracking a plurality of generated customer referrals and realized customer activities that involve at least one of the first employee or the second employee.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the accessed blockchain ledger data further comprises third blockchain ledger data that tracks an interaction between the customer, at least one of the first or second employees, and the first and second lines-of-business; and

the executed instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the step of validating at least a portion of the first or second blockchain ledger data based on a corresponding portion of the third blockchain ledger data.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the private cryptographic key is associated with a device operated by at least one of the customer, the first employee, or the second employee; and

the executed instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of;

obtaining trigger-event data identifying the plurality of candidate triggering events; and

encrypting the trigger-event data using the private cryptographic key, the encrypted trigger-event data corresponding to the first encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the executed instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of:

generating the master cryptographic key;

storing the generated master cryptographic key in a portion of a secure data repository; and

establishing at least one access permission for the stored master cryptographic key, the at least one established access permission preventing at least one of the customer, the first employee, or the second employee from accessing the stored master cryptographic key.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the executed instructions further cause the at least one processor to perform the steps of:

obtaining rules data specifying the plurality of rules associated with the rules authority; and

encrypting the rules data using the master cryptographic key, the encrypted rules information corresponding to the second encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data.

12. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

accessing, by at least one processor, data corresponding to at least one blockchain ledger;

determining, by the at least one processor, an occurrence of an event within the blockchain ledger data;

based on a determination, by the at least one processor, of the occurrence of the event within the blockchain ledger data, decrypting (i) a first encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data using a first cryptographic key and (ii) a second encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data using a second cryptographic key, wherein the first cryptographic key comprises a private cryptographic key associated with the detected event, the decrypted first data portion identifies a plurality of triggering events, the second cryptographic key comprises a master cryptographic key associated with a rules authority, and the decrypted second data portion identifies a plurality of rules associated with the rules authority;

determining, by the at least one processor, that the detected event corresponds to at least one of the triggering events;

based on a determination, by the at least one processor, that the detected event corresponds to the at least one of the triggering events, identifying by the at least one processor, and based on the detected second data portion, at least one of the rules that exhibits a relationship with the detected event;

generating, by the at least one processor, an electronic command to perform one or more operations consistent with the at least one identified rule;

generating, by the at least one processor, a data block of the block chain ledger, wherein the generated data block comprises event data identifying the detected event, the first encrypted portion, and the second encrypted portion; and

storing, by the at least one processor, the generated at least one data block in a secure data repository.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the detected event comprises at least one of a referral of a customer from a first line-of-business of an enterprise to a second line-of-business of the enterprise or an activity of the customer involving the second line-of-business in response to the referral;

the at least one rule specifies at least one of a referral reward or a sales reward corresponding to the detected event; and

the method further comprises generating an electronic command that initiates a disbursement of at least one of the referral reward to a first employee of the first line-of-business or the sales reward to a second employee of the second line of business.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the detected second data portion further comprises correlation data that maps one or more characteristics of the detected event to at least one of a reward type or a reward value; and

the method further comprises;

based on the determination, by the at least one processor, that the detected event corresponds to the at least one of the triggering events, extracting information specifying the one or more detected event characteristics from the blockchain ledger data;

determining, by the at least one processor, the at least one reward type or value based on a comparison of at least a portion of the correlation data and the extracted information; and

generating, by the at least one processor, the electronic command that initiates the disbursement of the at least one referral or sales reward in accordance with the determined at least one reward type or value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the detected event characteristics comprise at least one of an identifier of the first line-of-business, an identifier of the second line-of-business, and identifier of the first employee, an identifier of the second employee, a lead value associated with the referral, an actual value associated with the activity, a time stamp, an identifier of a first device that generated the referral, or an identifier of a second device that realized the activity; and

the at least one referral or sales reward comprises at least one of a financial benefit or a non-financial benefit.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a portion of the event data from at least one of a first device associated with the first employee or a second device associated with the second employee, the event data comprising at least one of;

first data captured by the first device and specifying characteristics of the referral of the customer;

or

second data captured by the second device and specifying characteristics of the activity of the customer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the event data comprises at least one of a lead value associated with the referral or an actual value associated with the customer activity; and

the at least one generated data block comprises a value block corresponding to the event, the value block specifying at least one of the lead value, the actual value, or a difference between the lead and actual values.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the accessed blockchain ledger data comprises:

first blockchain ledger data tracking a plurality of generated referrals and realized activities that involve the customer;

or

second blockchain ledger data tracking a plurality of generated customer referrals and realized customer activities that involve at least one of the first employee or the second employee.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

validating, by the at least one processor, at least a portion of the first or second blockchain ledger data based on a corresponding portion of the third blockchain ledger data; and

wherein the accessed blockchain ledger data further comprises third blockchain ledger data that tracks an interaction between the customer, at least one of the first or second employees, and the first and second lines-of-business.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the private cryptographic key is associated with a device operated by at least one of the customer, the first employee, or the second employee; and

the method further comprises;

obtaining, by the at least one processor, trigger-event data identifying the plurality of candidate triggering events; and

encrypting, by the at least one processor, the trigger-event data using the private cryptographic key, the encrypted trigger-event data corresponding to the first encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating by the at least one processor, the master cryptographic key;

storing, by the at least one processor, the generated master cryptographic key in a portion of a secure data repository; and

establishing, by the at least one processor, at least one access permission for the stored master cryptographic key, the at least one established access permission preventing at least one of the customer, the first employee, or the second employee from accessing the stored master cryptographic key.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

obtaining, by the at least one processor, rules data specifying the plurality of rules associated with the rules authority; and

encrypting, by the at least one processor, the rules data using the master cryptographic key, the encrypted rules information corresponding to the second encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data.

23. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method comprising:

accessing data corresponding to at least one blockchain ledger;

detecting an occurrence of an event within the blockchain ledger data;

based on the determination of the occurrence of the event within the blockchain ledger data, decrypting (i) a first encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data using a first cryptographic key and (ii) a second encrypted portion of the blockchain ledger data using a second cryptographic key, wherein the first cryptographic key comprises a private cryptographic key associated with the detected event, the decrypted first data portion identifies a plurality of triggering events, the second cryptographic key comprises a master cryptographic key associated with a rules authority, and the decrypted second data portion identifies a plurality of rules associated with the rules authority;

determining that the detected event corresponds to at least one of the triggering events;

based on a determination that the detected event corresponds to at least one of the triggering events, identifying, based on the detected second data portion, at least one of the rules that exhibits a causal relationship with the detected event;

generating an electronic command that performs one or more operations consistent with the at least one identified rule;

generating a data block of the block chain ledger, the generated data block comprising event data associated with the detected event, the first encrypted portion, and the second encrypted portion; and

storing the generated data block in a secure data repository.