System and method for blockchain ledger over multifunction peripheral network

• US 10,645,235 B1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sabandith, Milong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas D
• Application Number:
  US16/170,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20200137238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/223 based on the use of peer-to-peer networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography postage metering system using cryptography G06Q2250/05
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00206 Transmitting or receiving computer data via an image communication device, e.g. a facsimile transceiver H04N1/00236 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for distributed multifunction peripheral blockchain ledgering includes a group of networked MFPs, each having a document processing engine, a network interface and an intelligent controller with a processor and memory. An electronic blockchain ledger is stored in memory, along with licensing data designating the multifunction peripheral as trusted. Transaction data is received via the network interface and validated. MFPs poll other trusted, networked multifunction peripherals to validate received transaction data, and update the blockchain ledger in accordance with validated transactions.

Claims

1. A system comprising a plurality of networked multifunction peripherals, each multifunction peripheral including:

a document processing engine;

a network interface; and

an intelligent controller comprised of a processor and associated memory,

the memory including an electronic blockchain ledger,

the memory further including licensing data designating the multifunction peripheral as trusted,

the processor configured to receive transaction data via the network interface,

the processor further configured to validate received transaction data,

the processor further configured to poll other trusted networked multifunction peripherals to validate received transaction data, and

the processor further configured to update the electronic blockchain ledger in accordance with transaction data validated by a plurality of the trusted networked multifunction peripherals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the networked multifunction peripherals are configured to share data via a private network.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein each trusted networked multifunction peripheral is configured with read/write permission relative to the electronic blockchain ledger.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic blockchain ledger is comprised of a product inventory and wherein the processor is further configured to receive transaction data comprised of an inventory change.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic blockchain ledger is comprised of a financial ledger and wherein the processor is further configured to receive transaction data comprised of a financial transaction.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to update the electronic blockchain ledger in accordance with transaction data validated by a majority of the trusted networked multifunction peripherals.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to update the electronic blockchain ledger in accordance with transaction data validated by each of the trusted networked multifunction peripherals.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one untrusted electronic data device that stores the electronic blockchain ledger.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one untrusted electronic data device is comprised of a network database server.

10. A method comprising:

storing a copy of an electronic blockchain ledger in a memory of each of a plurality of networked multifunction peripherals;

storing licensing data designating at least two of the networked multifunction peripherals as trusted;

receiving transaction data into each trusted networked multifunction peripheral via an associated network interface;

validating received transaction data in the at least two trusted networked multifunction peripherals;

polling, by each of the trusted networked multifunction peripherals, at least one other trusted networked multifunction peripheral to validate received transaction data, and

updating the electronic blockchain ledger in accordance with transaction data validated by a plurality of the trusted networked multifunction peripherals.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising communicating data among the networked multifunction peripherals via a private network.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising assigning blockchain read/write privileges to the trusted networked multifunction peripherals.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the blockchain ledger is comprised of a product inventory and further comprising receiving the transaction data comprised of an inventory change.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the blockchain ledger is comprised of a financial ledger and further comprising receiving the transaction data comprised of a financial transaction.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising updating the electronic blockchain ledger in accordance with transaction data validated by a majority of the trusted networked multifunction peripherals.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising updating the electronic blockchain ledger in accordance with transaction data validated by each of the trusted networked multifunction peripherals.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising storing the electronic blockchain ledger on at least one untrusted networked electronic data device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one untrusted networked data device is comprised of a network database server.

19. A distributed electronic ledger system comprising:

a plurality of multifunction peripherals in network data communication,

wherein each multifunction peripheral includes

an intelligent controller including a processor and associated memory running a common blockchain node application and consensus algorithm,

a blockchain ledger stored in the memory,

a document processing engine, and

a monitor configured to monitor operation of the document processing engine,

wherein each intelligent controller is configured to receive transaction input corresponding to monitored operations of each of the multifunction peripherals,

wherein a plurality of intelligent controllers are configured to verify received transaction input,

wherein each intelligent controller is further configured to update the blockchain ledger in accordance with monitored operations, and

wherein a plurality of intelligent controllers are configured to verify an updated blockchain ledger.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the transaction input includes data corresponding to document processing operations completed via the document processing engine.