Method and apparatus for restoring access to digital assets

• US 10,547,441 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Conio, Inc.
• Inventors: Di Nicola, Vincenzo, Dassori, Guido
• Primary Examiner(s): Kanaan, Simon P
• Application Number:
  US15/690,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20180069697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

A method and apparatus may include receiving a request to restore access to digital assets of a digital wallet. The digital assets are accessed via M-number of cryptographic keys. Access to at least N-out-of-M keys is necessary in order to access the digital assets at a given time. N is a number less than M. The M-number of keys include at least a first key, a second key, and a third key. One of the M keys is stored on a first server. One of the M keys is stored on a second server. The key stored on the first server corresponds to the second key. The key stored on the second server corresponds to the third key. The second server is separated from the first server. With certain embodiments, the second server is totally disconnected from any network.

Claims

1. A method for restoring access to a digital asset, the method comprising:

receiving at a first server a request to restore access to a digital asset of a digital wallet, the digital wallet having had a first cryptographic key that is no longer available;

generating at the first server a first representation of the request to restore access to the digital asset, the first server having a second cryptographic key;

presenting the first representation to a second server having a third cryptographic key, the third cryptographic key cryptographically signing the first representation if a condition is met;

if the condition is met, retrieving a second representation from the second server;

determining if the second representation meets a condition on the first server;

if the condition is met, the second cryptographic key cryptographically signing the second representation;

generating an indication that the request is cryptographically approved; and

using the indication to restore access to the digital asset of the digital wallet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital asset is a cryptocurrency.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the first server on a network that does not include the second server.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising disconnecting the second server from any network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first representation including a first quick response code.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the first quick response code including a representation of an unsigned digital asset.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the first representation including binary data carried on a physical memory support.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the binary data carried on the physical memory support including a representation of an unsigned digital asset.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a correspondence of the third cryptographic key with the second cryptographic key.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the digital asset into a new digital wallet.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising making the second cryptographic key a different key than the first cryptographic key.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising a correspondence of the third cryptographic key with the second cryptographic key and the first cryptographic key.

13. A method for restoring access to a digital asset, the method comprising:

receiving at a third server a request to restore access to a digital asset of a digital wallet, the receiving from the digital wallet having a first cryptographic key, the first cryptographic key previously used with a second private cryptographic key that was on a first server to access the digital asset and now the second private cryptographic key is no longer available on the first server and the digital asset is no longer accessible;

generating at the third server a first representation of the request to restore access to the digital asset, the third server having a copy of a second public cryptographic key that was available on the first server and a copy of a third public cryptographic key that is available on the second server;

presenting the first representation to the digital wallet having the first cryptographic key, the first cryptographic key cryptographically signing the first representation;

generating at the digital wallet a second representation with the content resulting from the step above;

presenting a second representation to the third server, the third server determining if the second representation meets a condition of the first cryptographic key;

if the condition is met, presenting the second representation to the second server, and having its third public cryptographic key cryptographically sign the second representation;

generating an indication that the request is cryptographically approved; and

using the indication to restore access to the digital asset of the digital wallet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the digital asset is a cryptocurrency.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first representation comprises a first quick response code.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first representation comprises binary data carried on a physical memory support.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising moving the digital asset into a new digital wallet.