METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CREATING AND USING MASSLESS CURRENCY

• US 20150193744A1
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elementum LLC
• Original Assignee: Elementum LLC
• Inventors: ADLEMAN, Leonard M.
• Granted Patent: US 11,245,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/381 Currency conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• 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 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 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 9/302 involving the integer factorization problem, e.g. RSA or quadratic sieve [QS] schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3066 involving algebraic varieties, e.g. elliptic or hyper-elliptic curves
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage mediums are described for effecting practical use of a dual currency which is a currency that can be electronically created and stored, and further for which there is a secret key (e.g., the secret key of a public key/secret key pair as used in public key cryptography) such that: an entity that does not possess the secret key cannot, in practice, create notes of the currency; and an entity that does possess the secret key can, in practice, create notes of the currency without assistance from entities that do not possess the secret key.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented process for creating a dual currency note, said process comprising:

machine-generating, on a configured computing device, a data string defining a note content of a dual currency;

machine-encrypting, on a configured computing device with access to a secret key of a cryptosystem, at least a portion of the data string with the secret key to generate the dual currency note; and

machine-outputting the generated dual currency note to a memory or to a communication device.

2. The machine-implemented process according to claim 1, wherein the data string has a face value encoded therein.

3. The machine-implemented process according to claim 1, wherein the data string has a face value encoded therein in plaintext.

4. The machine-implemented process according to claim 1, wherein the data string has encoded therein, at least one of:

(a) an identification of an issuer of the dual currency note,

(b) a sequence number,

(c) an identification of a user of the dual currency note,

(d) a time associated with the date of the creation of the dual currency note, and

(e) a time when the dual currency note expires.

5. The machine-implemented process according to claim 1, wherein the cryptosystem is a public key cryptosystem.

6. The machine-implemented process according to claim 1, wherein the cryptosystem is an RSA (Rivest Shamir Adleman) public key cryptosystem.

7. The machine-implemented process according to claim 1, wherein the cryptosystem is a digital signature cryptosystem.

8. The machine-implemented process according to claim 1, wherein the cryptosystem is at least one of:

(a) a public key cryptosystem,

(b) a digital signature cryptosystem,

(c) Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) cryptosystem,

(d) Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC),

(e) El Gamal encryption,

(f) digital signature algorithm (DSA),

(g) elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA),

(h) El Gamal signature algorithm,

(i) Schnorr signature algorithm,

(j) Rabin signature algorithm,

(k) GMR (Goldwasser-Micali-Rivest) signature algorithm,

(l) Pointcheval-Stern signature algorithm,

(m) Chaum'"'"'s undeniable signatures,

(n) pairing based digital signature schemes,

(o) Merkle signature scheme, and

(p) BLS (Boneh-Lynn-Shacham) signature scheme.

9. A machine-implemented process for distributing notes of a dual currency, said machine-implemented process comprising:

machine-accessing, in a memory, a secret key of a cryptographic system;

machine-generating a dual currency note content;

machine-encrypting at least a portion of the generated note content using the secret key to generate a first dual currency note; and

machine-providing the first dual currency note to a first user.

10. The machine-implemented process according to claim 9, further comprising machine-recording at least a portion of the machine-generated dual currency note content in a list of created note content.

11. The machine-implemented process according to claim 9, wherein the machine-generated note content comprises a data string in which a first face value is encoded.

12. The machine-implemented process according to claim 9, wherein the machine-generated dual currency note content comprises a data string in which a first face value is encoded therein in plaintext in the data string.

13. The machine-implemented process according to claim 9, wherein the machine-generated note content comprises a data string in which is encoded, at least one of:

(a) an identification of an issuer of the dual currency note,

(b) a sequence number,

(c) an identification of a dual currency user,

(d) a time associated with the date of the creation of the note, and

(e) a time when the note expires.

14. The machine-implemented process according to claim 9, wherein the cryptographic system is machine-generated by a public key cryptosystem.

15. The machine-implemented process according to claim 14, wherein the public key cryptosystem is an RSA (Rivest Shamir Adleman) public key cryptosystem.

16. The machine-implemented process according to claim 9, wherein the cryptosystem uses at least one of:

(a) a public key cryptosystem,

(b) a digital signature cryptosystem,

(c) Rivest Shamir Adlemen (RSA),

(d) Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC),

(e) El Gamal encryption

(f) digital signature algorithm (DSA),

(g) elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA),

(h) El Gamal signature algorithm,

(i) Schnorr signature algorithm,

(j) Rabin signature algorithm,

(k) GMR (Goldwasser-Micali-Rivest) signature algorithm,

(l) Pointcheval-Stern signature algorithm,

(m) Chaum'"'"'s undeniable signatures,

(n) pairing based digital signature schemes,

(o) Merkle signature scheme, and

(p) BLS (Boneh-Lynn-Shacham) signature scheme.

17. A machine-implemented process for enabling transactions using a dual currency for which notes are generated by an authority, said machine-implemented process comprising:

machine-receiving on a first user'"'"'s configured computing device a first unique data string defining a first note of the dual currency, the first note having a first face value;

machine-storing on the first user'"'"'s configured computing device the received first note; and

machine-transmitting from the first user'"'"'s configured computing device to a configured computing device of the authority, a replacement-request including the stored first note and a request for the authority'"'"'s configured computing device to transmit to a second user'"'"'s configured computing device, a second note of the dual currency having a second face value.

18. The machine-implemented process according to claim 17, wherein the first note is machine-generated on a configured computing device by machine-encrypting, using a secret key of a cryptographic system, at least a portion of a data string defining a note content of the dual currency.

19. The machine-implemented process according to claim 18, wherein the note content comprises a data string in which the first face value is encoded therein.

20. The machine-implemented process according to claim 18, wherein the note content comprises a data string in which is encoded therein at least one of:

(a) an identification of an issuer of the first note,

(b) a sequence number,

(c) an identification of a user,

(d) a time associated with the date of the creation of the first note, and

(e) a time when the first note expires.

21. The machine-implemented process according to claim 17, further comprising transmitting from the authority'"'"'s configured computing device to the second user'"'"'s configured computing device the second note having the second face value.

22. The machine-implemented process according to claim 17, further comprising:

machine-transmitting from the authority'"'"'s configured computing device to the first user'"'"'s configured computing device a third note of the dual currency having a third face value equal to the first face value minus the second face value.

23. The machine-implemented process according to claim 18, wherein the cryptographic system is a public key cryptosystem.

24. The machine-implemented process according to claim 23, wherein the cryptographic system is an RSA (Rivest Shamir Adleman) crypto system.

25. The machine-implemented process according to claim 18, wherein the cryptographic system is a signature cryptosystem.

26. The machine-implemented process according to claim 18, wherein the cryptographic system uses at least one of:

(a) a public key cryptosystem,

(b) a digital signature cryptosystem,

(c) a Rivest Shamir Adlemen crypo system (RSA),

(d) Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC),

(e) El Gamal encryption,

(f) digital signature algorithm (DSA),

(g) elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA),

(h) El Gamal signature algorithm,

(i) Schnorr signature algorithm,

(j) Rabin signature algorithm,

(k) GMR (Goldwasser-Micali-Rivest) signature algorithm,

(l) Pointcheval-Stern signature algorithm,

(m) Chaum'"'"'s undeniable signatures,

(n) pairing based digital signature schemes,

(o) Merkle signature scheme, and

(p) BLS (Boneh-Lynn-Shacham) signature scheme.

27. A machine-implemented process for enabling transactions using a dual currency, said machine-implemented process comprising:

machine-receiving on a second user'"'"'s configured computing device, from a first user'"'"'s configured computing device, a first data string;

machine-authenticating on the second user'"'"'s configured computing device that the first data string defines a first note of the dual currency, the first note not previously destroyed;

machine-evaluating on the second user'"'"'s configured computing device a first face value of the first note;

machine-determining on the second user'"'"'s configured computing device to accept the first note as payment for goods and/or services and/or other items of value; and

machine-storing the first note in a memory.

28. The machine-implemented process according to claim 27, wherein said machine-authenticating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device, using a public key of a cryptographic system, at least a portion of the first data string to obtain a second data string;

machine-determining that the second data string is on a list of note contents of previously machine-generated notes of the dual currency; and

machine-determining that the second data string is not on a list of note contents of previously machine-destroyed notes of the dual currency.

29. The machine-implemented process according to claim 27, wherein said machine-authenticating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device, using a public key of a cryptographic system, at least a portion of the first data string to obtain a second data string;

machine-determining that the second data string has a structure required of a note content of the dual currency; and

machine-determining that the second data string is not on a list of note contents of previously machine-destroyed notes of the dual currency.

30. The machine-implemented process according to claim 27, wherein said machine-evaluating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device, using a public key of a cryptographic system, at least a portion of the first note to obtain a second data string defining a first note content of the dual currency; and

machine-reading the face value encoded in the first note content.

31. The machine-implemented process according to claim 27, wherein said machine-evaluating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device, using a public key of a cryptographic system, at least a portion of the first note to obtain a second data string defining a first note content of the dual currency; and

machine-determining the first face value in accordance with a structure of the first note content.

32. A machine-implemented process enabling transactions using a dual currency, said machine-implemented process comprising:

machine-receiving on an authority'"'"'s configured computing device, from a first user'"'"'s configured computing device, a replacement-request including a first data string and a request for the authority'"'"'s configured computing device to transmit to a second user'"'"'s configured computing device, a second dual currency note having a second face value;

machine-authenticating on the authority'"'"'s configured computing device that the first data string defines a first dual currency note that has not previously been destroyed;

machine-evaluating on the authority'"'"'s configured computing device a first face value of the first dual currency note;

machine-determining on the authority'"'"'s configured computing device whether the first face value is greater than or equal to the second face value;

machine-destroying on the authority'"'"'s configured computing device the first dual currency note;

machine-creating on the authority'"'"'s configured computing device a second dual currency note, the second dual currency note having the second face value, said second dual currency note being generated by machine-encrypting at least portions of a second note content; and

machine-transmitting the second dual currency note from the authority'"'"'s configured computing device to the second user'"'"'s computing device.

33. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein said machine-authenticating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device using a public key of a cryptographic system at least a portion of the first data string to obtain a second data string;

machine-determining that the second data string is found on a list of dual currency note contents of machine-created dual currency notes; and

machine-determining that the second data string is not found on a list of dual currency note contents of machine-destroyed dual currency notes.

34. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein said machine-authenticating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device using a public key of a cryptographic system at least a portion of the first data string to obtain a second data string;

machine-determining that the second data string has the structure required of a dual currency note content; and

machine-determining that the second data string is not found on a list of dual currency note contents of machine-destroyed dual currency notes.

35. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein said machine-evaluating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device using a public key of a cryptographic system at least a portion of the first dual currency note to obtain a second data string defining a first dual currency note content; and

machine-reading the face value encoded in the first dual currency note content.

36. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein said machine-evaluating comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device using a public key of a cryptographic system at least a portion of the first dual currency note to obtain a second data string defining a first dual currency note content; and

machine-determining from the structure of the first dual currency note content the face value.

37. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein said machine-destroying comprises:

machine-decrypting on a configured computing device using a public key of a cryptographic system at least a portion of the first dual currency note to obtain a second data string defining a first dual currency note content; and

machine-adding at least a portion of the first dual currency note content to a list of portions of dual currency note contents of machine-destroyed dual currency notes.

38. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein the machine-authenticating and the machine-creating is performed using a public key cryptosystem.

39. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein the machine-authenticating and the machine-creating is performed using an RSA cryptosystem.

40. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein the machine-authenticating and the machine-creating is performed using a signature cryptosystem.

41. The machine-implemented process according to claim 32, wherein the machine-authenticating and the machine-creating uses cryptosystem including at least one of:

(a) a public key cryptosystem,

(b) a digital signature cryptosystem,

(c) Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) cryptosystem,

(d) Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem (ECC),

(e) El Gamal encryption,

(f) digital signature algorithm (DSA),

(g) elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA),

(h) El Gamal signature algorithm,

(i) Schnorr signature algorithm,

(j) Rabin signature algorithm,

(k) GMR (Goldwasser-Micali-Rivest) signature algorithm,

(l) Pointcheval-Stern signature algorithm,

(m) Chaum'"'"'s undeniable signatures,

(n) pairing based digital signature schemes,

(o) Merkle signature scheme, and

(p) BLS (Boneh-Lynn-Shacham) signature scheme.

41-1. A system of one or more machines configured to create a dual currency note, said system of machines comprising:

a memory storing a secret key of a cryptosystem; and

at least one computing device processor configured to perform operations including;

generating, on a configured computing device, a data string defining a note content of the dual currency;

encrypting at least a portion of the data string with the secret key to generate the note; and

outputting the generated note to a memory or to a communication interface.

42. A system of one or more machines configured to distribute notes of a dual currency, said system of machines comprising:

a memory storing a secret key of a cryptographic key pair comprising the secret key and a public key, wherein the secret key and the public key can each be used by a configured computing device to decrypt data encrypted by the other; and

at least one computing device processor configured to perform operations including;

accessing the secret key in the memory;

generating a note content of the dual currency, the note content representing a first face value;

encrypting at least a portion of the generated note content using the secret key to generate a first note of the dual currency; and

providing the first note to a first user.

43. A system of one or more machines configured to enable transactions using a dual currency for which notes are generated by an authority, said system of machines comprising:

a memory; and

at least one computing device processor configured to perform operations including;

receiving a first unique data string defining a first note of the dual currency note, the first note having a first face value;

storing in the memory the received first note; and

transmitting from the first user'"'"'s configured computing device to a configured computing device of the authority, a replacement-request including the stored first note and a request for the authority'"'"'s configured computing device to transmit to a second user'"'"'s configured computing device, a second note of the dual currency having a second face value.

44. A system of one or more machines configured to enable transactions using a dual currency, said system of machines comprising:

a memory; and

at least one computing device processor configured to perform operations including;

receiving from a first user'"'"'s configured computing device, a first data string;

authenticating that the first data string defines a first note of the dual currency, the first note not previously being destroyed;

evaluating a first face value of the first note;

determining to accept the first note as payment for goods and/or services and/or other items of value; and

storing the first note in the memory.

45. A system of one or more machines configured enable transactions using a dual currency, said system of machines comprising:

a memory; and

at least one computing device processor configured to perform operations including;

receiving from a first user'"'"'s configured computing device, a replacement-request including a first data string and a request to transmit to a second user'"'"'s configured computing device, a second note of the dual currency having a second face value;

authenticating that the first data string defines a first note that has not previously been destroyed;

evaluating a first face value of the first note;

determining whether the first face value is greater than or equal to the second face value;

destroying the first note by storing a record of such in a list of destroyed notes;

encrypting at least portions of a second note content having encoded the second face value to generate the second note; and

transmitting the second note to the second user'"'"'s computing device.

46. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program code structure including executable computer program instructions, which, when executed by at least one computing device processor of a system for creating a dual currency note, causes the system to perform operations comprising:

generating, on a configured computing device, a data string defining a note content of the dual currency;

encrypting, on a configured computing device with access to a secret key of a cryptosystem, at least a portion of the data string with the secret key to generate the dual currency note; and

outputting the generated dual currency note to a memory or to a communication interface.

47. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program code structure including executable computer program instructions, which, when executed by at least one computing device processor of a system for distributing notes of a dual currency, causes the system to perform operations comprising:

accessing, in a memory, a secret key of a cryptographic key pair comprising the secret key and a public key, wherein the secret key and the public key can each be used by a configured computing device to decrypt data encrypted by the other;

generating a note content of the dual currency, the note content representing a first face value;

encrypting at least a portion of the generated note content using the secret key to generate a first note of the dual currency; and

providing the first note to a first user.

48. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program code structure including executable computer program instructions, which, when executed by at least one computing device processor of a system for enabling transactions using a dual currency for which notes are generated by an authority, causes the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first unique data string defining a first note of the dual currency note, the first note having a first face value;

storing in a memory the received first note; and

transmitting from the first user'"'"'s configured computing device to a configured computing device of the authority, a replacement-request including the stored first note and a request for the authority'"'"'s configured computing device to transmit to a second user'"'"'s configured computing device, a second note of the dual currency having a second face value.

49. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program code structure including executable computer program instructions, which, when executed by at least one computing device processor of a system for enabling transactions using a dual currency for which notes are generated by an authority, causes the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a first user'"'"'s configured computing device, a first data string;

authenticating that the first data string defines a first note of the dual currency, the first note not previously being destroyed;

evaluating a first face value of the first note;

determining to accept the first note as payment for goods and/or services and/or other items of value; and

storing the first note in a memory.

50. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program code structure including executable computer program instructions, which, when executed by at least one computing device processor of a system for enabling transactions using a dual currency, causes the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a first user'"'"'s configured computing device, a replacement-request including a first data string and a request to transmit to a second user'"'"'s configured computing device, a second note of the dual currency having a second face value;

authenticating that the first data string defines a note that has not previously been destroyed;

evaluating a first face value of the first note;

determining whether the first face value is greater than or equal to the second face value;

destroying the first note by storing a record of such in a list of destroyed notes;

encrypting at least portions of a second note content having encoded the second face value to generate the second note; and

transmitting the second note to the second user'"'"'s computing device.