SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT ACCESS AND DISTRIBUTION CONTROL

• US 20200134221A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: SU, William, ZHANG, Jia
• Application Number:
  US16/170,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20200134221A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0637 Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• 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 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

A system and method for blockchain document access and distribution control includes a processor, associated memory and a network interface for data communication with a server system. An interface receives a query for access to an electronic document associated with a blockchain ledger, which query is routed to the server system via the network interface. The processor receives the identified electronic document from a storage location when access permission is granted and a corresponding update of the blockchain ledger is made.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a network interface configured for data communication with a server system comprised of at least one associated networked server;

an interface configured to receive a query for access to an electronic document associated with a blockchain ledger; and

a processor and associated memory,

the processor configured to route a received query to the server system via the network interface,

the processor further configured to send an access request to the server system for access to the identified electronic document,

the processor further configured to receive the identified electronic document from a storage location when access permission is obtained from the server system, and

the processor further configured to commence an update of the blockchain ledger relative to access to the received electronic document.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the identified electronic document is digitally signed.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the identified electronic document is encrypted.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to decrypt the electronic document in accordance with one or more decryption keys.

5. The system of claim 4 further wherein the processor is further configured to receive at least one decryption key via the network interface.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

an input configured to receive an incoming electronic document, and

wherein the processor is further configured to commence an indexing of content in the incoming electronic document,

wherein the processor is further configured to commence generation of an encryption key for the incoming electronic document,

wherein the processor is further configured to store the incoming electronic document, and

wherein the processor is further configured to commence an update of the blockchain ledger relative to the incoming electronic document.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to store a generated index and a generated encryption key in the server system via the network interface.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a query for access to an identified electronic document associated with a blockchain ledger;

routing a received query to a server system via a network interface;

sending an access request to the server system for access to the identified electronic document;

receiving the identified electronic document from a storage location when access permission is obtained from the server system; and

commencing an update of the blockchain ledger relative to access to the received electronic document.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the identified electronic document is digitally signed.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the identified electronic document is encrypted.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising decrypting the electronic document in accordance with one or more decryption keys.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving at least one decryption key via the network interface.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving an incoming electronic document;

commencing an indexing of content in the incoming electronic document;

commencing generation of an encryption key for the incoming electronic document;

storing the incoming electronic document; and

commencing an update of the blockchain ledger relative to the incoming electronic document.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising storing a generated index and a generated encryption key in the server system via the network interface.

15. A document server system comprising:

a memory storing a blockchain corresponding to a plurality of encrypted and signed electronic documents,

the memory further storing keyword data associatively with each of the electronic documents, and

the memory further storing at least one decryption key for the electronic documents;

a network interface configured to receive search query from an associated data device; and

a processor,

the processor configured to identify at least one of the electronic documents responsive to a received query,

the processor configured to output a document permission request for access to an identified electronic document, and

the processor further configured to commence an update of the blockchain relative to access to the identified document.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to access a decryption key corresponding to the identified document responsive to the query.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor is further configured to pre-certify the associated data device with permission to access at least a portion of the electronic documents.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the processor is further configured to pre-certify a plurality of associated data devices disposed at a common location.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the processor is further configured to pre-certify the plurality of associated data devices disposed on a common subnet.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising the processor configured to complete the update of the blockchain in accordance with a block received from an associated block miner.