System and method for user authentication using crypto-currency transactions as access tokens

• US 20160162897A1
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Filing Cabinet LLC
• Original Assignee: The Filing Cabinet LLC
• Inventors: Feeney, Patrick Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/958,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20160162897A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/065 using e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/00 Business processing using cryptography
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

A method for crypto-currency transaction authentication includes receiving, by a computing device, from a data storage device associated with a first entity, an authentication information demonstrating possession of a private key, retrieving, by the computing device, from an audit chain, at least one crypto-currency transaction to an address associated with a public key corresponding to the private key, and authenticating, by the computing device, based on the retrieved crypto-currency transaction, the first entity.

Claims

1. A method for crypto-currency transaction authentication, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, from a data storage device associated with a first entity, authentication information demonstrating possession of a private key;

retrieving, by the computing device, from an audit chain, at least one crypto-currency transaction to an address associated with a public key corresponding to the private key;

authenticating, by the computing device, based on the retrieved crypto-currency transaction, the first entity.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises receiving the public key.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises receiving a digital signature signed with the private key.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises:

transmitting, by the computing device, a challenge datum to the data storage device; and

receiving a digital signature signing the challenge datum from the data storage device.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises:

transmitting, by the computing device, to the data storage device, a message encrypted using the public key; and

receiving, by the computing device, from the data storage device, a decrypted version of the message.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein retrieving further comprises retrieving a transaction from a second entity to the first entity.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein authenticating further comprises:

authenticating the second entity; and

determining that the at least one crypto-currency transaction represents an act of authentication of the first entity by the second entity.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transaction from the first second entity to the first entity further comprises a transaction granting access rights to the first entity.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein authenticating further comprises determining a reputation based on the at least one crypto-currency transaction.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein authenticating further comprises determining the commercial nature of the at least one crypto-currency transaction.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein authenticating further comprises determining a financial value of the at least one crypto-currency transaction.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein authenticating further comprises determining an identity of the first entity.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein authenticating further comprises determining at least one access right of the first entity

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein determining the at least one access right further comprises:

determining that the second entity possesses at least one access right; and

determining that the at least one crypto-currency transaction represents a transfer of the at least one access right possessed by the second entity to the first entity.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein determining the at least one access right further comprises:

identifying the first entity; and

retrieving an access right previously associated with the first entity.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit chain comprises a secured audit chain.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit chain comprises a cryptographically secured audit chain.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the audit chain comprises a block chain.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising filing, by the computing device, the at least one crypto-currency transaction.

20. A system for crypto-currency transaction authentication, the system comprising:

a data storage device associated with a first entity;

a computing device configured to receive, from the data storage device, authentication information demonstrating possession of a private key, to retrieve, from an audit chain, at least one crypto-currency transaction to an address associated with a public key corresponding to the private key, and to authenticate, based on the retrieved crypto-currency transaction, the first entity.