METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR BLOCKCHAIN VARIANT USING DIGITAL SIGNATURES

• US 20170180134A1
• Filed: 12/21/2015
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: KING, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,948,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• 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 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• 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 9/3239 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 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

A method for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions includes: generating a domain key pair comprising a domain private key and a domain public key, wherein the domain public key is signed after generation; receiving a plurality of member public keys, wherein each member public key is received from an associated member of a blockchain network and is a public key in a key pair comprising the member public key and a member private key corresponding to the associated member; signing each member public key using the domain private key; receiving a transaction block from a specific member of the blockchain network, wherein the transaction block includes a plurality of blockchain transaction values and a hash signed using the member private key corresponding to the specific member; signing the received transaction block using the domain private key; and transmitting the signed transaction block.

Claims

1. A method for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions, comprising:

generating, by a generation module of a processing server, a domain key pair comprising a domain private key and a domain public key, wherein the domain public key is signed after generation;

receiving, by a receiving device of the processing server, a plurality of member public keys, wherein each member public key is received from an associated member of a blockchain network and is a public key in a key pair comprising the member public key and a member private key corresponding to the associated member;

signing, by a signing module of the processing server, each member public key of the plurality of member public keys using the domain private key;

receiving, by the receiving device of the processing server, a transaction block from a specific member of the blockchain network, wherein the transaction block includes a plurality of blockchain transaction values and a hash signed using the member private key corresponding to the specific member;

signing, by the signing module of the processing server, the received transaction block using the domain private key; and

electronically transmitting, by a transmitting device of the processing server, the signed transaction block.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electronically transmitting, by the transmitting device of the processing server, each signed member public key to one or more members of the blockchain network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the domain public key is signed by a public authority.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the domain public key is signed by the signing module of the processing server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the receiving device of the processing server, authentication information from each member of the blockchain network; and

authenticating, by an authentication module of the processing server, each member of the blockchain network using the received authentication information prior to signing the associated member public key.

6. A method for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions, comprising:

storing, in a memory of a processing server, a blockchain, wherein the blockchain includes a plurality of transaction blocks, each transaction block including at least a plurality of blockchain transaction values;

generating, by a generation module of the processing server, a member key pair comprising a member private key and a member public key;

electronically transmitting, by a transmitting device of the processing server, the generated member public key to a signing authority associated with a blockchain network;

receiving, by a receiving device of the processing server, a plurality of blockchain transaction values comprising a new transaction block;

hashing, by a hashing module of the processing server;

a first hash value via application of one or more hashing algorithms to a specific block of the plurality of transaction blocks included in the blockchain;

generating, by the generation module of the processing server, a second hash value, wherein the second hash value corresponds to the first hash value;

signing, by a signing module of the processing server, the generated second hash value using the generated member private key; and

electronically transmitting, by the transmitting device of the processing server, the new transaction block and signed second hash value to the signing authority.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second hash value is generated via application of the one or more hashing algorithms to the received new transaction block.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

electronically transmitting, by the transmitting device of the processing server, authentication information to the signing authority.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, by the receiving device of the processing server, a signed transaction block and signed domain public key from the signing authority, wherein the signed transaction block includes the new transaction block and signed second hash value and is signed using a domain private key corresponding to the signed domain public key; and

validating, by a validation module of the processing server, the signed transaction block using the member public key and signed domain public key.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein validating the signed transaction block includes:

applying the signed domain public key to the signed transaction block to yield the new transaction block and signed second hash value;

applying the member public key to the signed second hash value to yield the second hash value; and

validating the yielded second hash value as corresponding to the generated second hash value.

11. A system for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions, comprising:

a transmitting device of a processing server;

a generation module of the processing server configured to generate a domain key pair comprising a domain private key and a domain public key, wherein the domain public key is signed after generation;

a receiving device of the processing server configured to receive a plurality of member public keys, wherein each member public key is received from an associated member of a blockchain network and is a public key in a key pair comprising the member public key and a member private key corresponding to the associated member; and

a signing module of the processing server configured to sign each member public key of the plurality of member public keys using the domain private key, wherein

the receiving device of the processing server is further configured to receive a transaction block from a specific member of the blockchain network, wherein the transaction block includes a plurality of blockchain transaction values and a hash signed using the member private key corresponding to the specific member,

the signing module of the processing server is further configured to sign the received transaction block using the domain private key; and

the transmitting device of the processing server is further configured to electronically transmit the signed transaction block.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the transmitting device of the processing server is further configured to electronically transmit each signed member public key to one or more members of the blockchain network.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the domain public key is signed by a public authority.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the domain public key is signed by the signing module of the processing server.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an authentication module of the processing server, wherein

the receiving device of the processing server is further configured to receive authentication information from each member of the blockchain network; and

the authentication module of the processing server is configured to authenticate each member of the blockchain network using the received authentication information prior to signing the associated member public key.

16. A system for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions, comprising:

a signing module of a processing server;

a memory of the processing server configured to store a blockchain, wherein the blockchain includes a plurality of transaction blocks, each transaction block including at least a plurality of blockchain transaction values;

a generation module of the processing server configured to generate a member key pair comprising a member private key and a member public key;

a transmitting device of the processing server configured to electronically transmit the generated member public key to a signing authority associated with a blockchain network;

a receiving device of the processing server configured to receive a plurality of blockchain transaction values comprising a new transaction block; and

a hashing module of the processing server configured to generate a first hash value via application of one or more hashing algorithms to a specific block of the plurality of transaction blocks included in the blockchain, wherein

the generation module of the processing server is further configured to generate a second hash value, wherein the second hash value corresponds to the first hash value,

the signing module of the processing server is configured to sign the generated second hash value using the generated member private key, and

the transmitting device of the processing server is configured to electronically transmit the new transaction block and signed second hash value to the signing authority.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second hash value is generated via application of the one or more hashing algorithms to the received new transaction block.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the transmitting device of the processing server is further configured to electronically transmit authentication information to the signing authority.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a validation module of the processing server, wherein

the receiving device of the processing server is further configured to receive a signed transaction block and signed domain public key from the signing authority, wherein the signed transaction block includes the new transaction block and signed second hash value and is signed using a domain private key corresponding to the signed domain public key, and

the validation module of the processing server is configured to validate the signed transaction block using the member public key and signed domain public key.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein validating the signed transaction block includes:

applying the signed domain public key to the signed transaction block to yield the new transaction block and signed second hash value;

applying the member public key to the signed second hash value to yield the second hash value; and

validating the yielded second hash value as corresponding to the generated second hash value.