Method and apparatus for providing a universal deterministically reproducible cryptographic key-pair representation for all SKUs, shipping cartons, and items

• US 10,547,446 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skuchain, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Skuchain, Inc.
• Inventors: Sriram, Srinivasan, Manian, Zaki N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherkat, Arezoo
• Application Number:
  US15/583,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20170237553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/06 the encryption apparatus using shift registers or memories for block-wise or stream coding, e.g. DES systems or RC4; Hash functions; Pseudorandom sequence generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0869 involving random numbers or seeds
• 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 9/30 Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3066 involving algebraic varieties, e.g. elliptic or hyper-elliptic curves
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC

Abstract

A cryptographic representation of value is adapted to goods in production and products at various stages through a supply chain as represented by their stock keeping units or SKU'"'"'s that refer to a unique identifier or code for the particular stock keeping unit. Embodiments of the invention disclose the generation of a universal unique, yet deterministic, key-pair for all SKUs, shipping cartons, and items, i.e. for every single SKU, shipping carton and item on the globe.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for deterministically reproducible, cryptographic key-pair representation for all associated items in a lot of items throughout a distribution chain, comprising:

generating a sequential set of private proof of provenance codes (“

popcodes”

) for said all associated items, each of said private popcodes generated by hashing a concatenation of a trusted party public key, trusted party security data, and a serial number;

deterministically generating a corresponding sequential set of public popcodes for said all associated items, each of said public popcodes generated by applying an elliptic curve addition with a concatenation of a customer public key and said trusted party security data to said private popcode;

applying a corresponding one of said public popcodes to each of said all associated items in said lot of items;

a first computing device requesting a popcode label from a provenance management system or an agent thereof when a first company prepares to deliver a first quantity of goods to its various customers;

said popcode label encoding a private popcode key used to cryptographically sign a logistic transaction record;

said provenance management system storing a public popcode key corresponding to the private popcode key in a trusted storage;

said provenance management system establishing proof-of-possession by verifying a signature made by the private popcode key;

said first computing device requesting a batch of popcode labels to label said first quantity of goods; and

said first computing device reporting a logistic transaction record that assigns a second quantity of goods to a popcode address onto a public ledger database;

wherein said second quantity of goods overlaps at least partially with the first quantity of goods.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

provenance management system storing the popcode key pair in said trusted storage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said popcode label comprises a barcode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

representing a public ledger database as a block chain;

using said block chain to keep track of multiple logistic transactions;

a consumer or company using a popcode label to access said block chain to verify provenance associated with a set of items.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein any popcode label consistent with said provenance management system can be scanned to check against the public ledger database represented by said block chain.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deriving popcodes from a sequence of identifiers, where physical popcodes that encode cryptographic information are manufactured by a provider, the provider generating private cryptographic information to facilitate bulk operations against a range within the sequence of identifiers.