ACCESS TO TELECOM BLOCKCHAIN-BASED SERVICES WITH DIGITAL PASSPORT

• US 20200137045A1
• Filed: 10/26/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: AIELLO, FABIO, MENEGHIN, LAURA, FORESTA, SABATINO
• Granted Patent: US 11,310,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• 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 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/40 Security arrangements using identity modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/45 using multiple identity modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

The disclosure relates to user-centric access to blockchain-based services accessed through a telecom network. User devices may each include a Digital Passport Application (“DPA”), which may be stored at an eSIM of the user device. The DPA may be directed to and anchor to an Edge Digital Gate (“EDG”) entitled to provide access to blockchain-based services. The DPA may store a digital persona that digitally represents an entity such as a user or machine so that the DPA may access and interact with blockchain-based services on behalf of the entity. For instance, the digital persona may bind a physical identity of the entity with a digital identity through a private key of the entity. The private key may be used to digitally signed the access token. The digital persona may further link the digital identity with one or more (typically multiple) virtual identities each associated with a blockchain-based service.

Claims

1. A user device, comprising:

an embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) that stores one or more Mobile Network Operator (MNO) profiles, at least one of which is an active MNO profile, and stores and executes an eSIM component of a digital passport application that acts on behalf of an entity;

a memory device that stores an interface component of the digital passport application;

a physical processor programmed with the interface component to;

obtain the active MNO profile from the eSIM;

receive, from the entity, a request to obtain a listing of one or more blockchain-based services available through an MNO associated with the active MNO profile;

receive, from the MNO, a redirection to an edge digital gate that is entitled to provide access to the one or more blockchain-based services; and

connect to the edge digital gate based on the redirection.

2. The user device of claim 1, wherein the physical processor is further programmed with the interface component to:

receive, from the edge digital gate, the listing of the one or more blockchain-based services;

receive, from the entity, a selection of at least a first blockchain-based service from among the one or more blockchain-based services;

transmit a request to enroll in the first blockchain-based service, the request including a first virtual identifier linked to the entity and corresponding to the first blockchain-based service;

receive an access token from the edge digital gate, the access token being indicative of an authorization to access the first blockchain-based service; and

digitally sign the access token and store the digitally signed access token via the eSIM component for accessing the first blockchain-based service.

3. The user device of claim 2, wherein the digital passport application uses a digital persona comprising a physical identifier of the entity, a digital identifier bound to the physical identifier, and one or more virtual identifiers, including the first virtual identifier, each linked with the digital identifier and each associated with a corresponding blockchain-based service.

4. The user device of claim 3, wherein the digital passport application binds the physical identifier to the digital identifier via a private key of the entity and links the digital identifier with each of the one or more virtual identifiers via a public key of the entity.

5. The user device of claim 2, wherein the interface component further programs the processor to:

transmit the digitally signed access token to the edge digital gate for accessing the first blockchain-based service; and

receive an indication that a transaction associated with accessing the first blockchain-based service has been closed.

6. The user device of claim 1, wherein the eSIM stores the eSIM component at a first MNO profile so that the eSIM component is accessible only when the first MNO profile is active.

7. The user device of claim 1, wherein the eSIM stores the eSIM component at a third party security domain of the eSIM and is accessible by any active MNO profile.

8. A method, comprising:

storing, at an embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM), one or more Mobile Network Operator (MNO) profiles, at least one of which is an active MNO profile;

storing, at the eSIM, an eSIM component of a digital passport application that acts on behalf of an entity;

obtaining, by the physical processor, the active MNO profile from the eSIM;

receiving, by the physical processor, from the entity, a request to obtain a listing of one or more blockchain-based services available through an MNO associated with the active MNO profile;

receiving, by the physical processor, from the MNO, a redirection to an edge digital gate that is entitled to provide access to the one or more blockchain-based services; and

connect to the edge digital gate based on the redirection.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from the edge digital gate, the listing of the one or more blockchain-based services;

receiving, from the entity, a selection of at least a first blockchain-based service from among the one or more blockchain-based services;

transmitting a request to enroll in the first blockchain-based service, the request including a first virtual identifier linked to the entity and corresponding to the first blockchain-based service;

receiving an access token from the edge digital gate, the access token being indicative of an authorization to access the first blockchain-based service; and

digitally signing the access token and store the digitally signed access token via the eSIM component for accessing the first blockchain-based service.

10. The method claim 9, wherein the digital passport application uses a digital persona comprising a physical identifier of the entity, a digital identifier bound to the physical identifier, and one or more virtual identifiers, including the first virtual identifier, each linked with the digital identifier and each associated with a corresponding blockchain-based service.

11. The method of claim 10, the method further comprising:

binding, by the digital passport application, the physical identifier to the digital identifier via a private key of the entity and links the digital identifier with each of the one or more virtual identifiers via a public key of the entity.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting the digitally signed access token to the edge digital gate for accessing the first blockchain-based service; and

receiving an indication that a transaction associated with accessing the first blockchain-based service has been closed.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing, at the eSIM, the eSIM component at a first MNO profile so that the eSIM component is accessible only when the first MNO profile is active.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing, at the eSIM, the eSIM component at a third party security domain of the eSIM so that the eSIM component is accessible by any active MNO profile.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the eSIM stores the eSIM component at a first MNO profile so that the eSIM component is accessible only when the first MNO profile is active.

15. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, when executed on a user device, programs the user device to:

obtain an active Mobile Network Operator (MNO) profile from an embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM);

receiving, from an entity, a request to obtain a listing of one or more blockchain-based services available through an MNO associated with the active MNO profile;

receiving, from the MNO, a redirection to an edge digital gate that is entitled to provide access to the one or more blockchain-based services; and

connecting to the edge digital gate based on the redirection.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further programming the user device to:

receive, from the edge digital gate, the listing of the one or more blockchain-based services;

receive, from the entity, a selection of at least a first blockchain-based service from among the one or more blockchain-based services;

transmit a request to enroll in the first blockchain-based service, the request including a first virtual identifier linked to the entity and corresponding to the first blockchain-based service;

receive an access token from the edge digital gate, the access token being indicative of an authorization to access the first blockchain-based service; and

digitally sign the access token and store the digitally signed access token via the eSIM component for accessing the first blockchain-based service.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the digital passport application uses a digital persona comprising a physical identifier of the entity, a digital identifier bound to the physical identifier, and one or more virtual identifiers, including the first virtual identifier, each linked with the digital identifier and each associated with a corresponding blockchain-based service.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the digital passport application binds the physical identifier to the digital identifier via a private key of the entity and links the digital identifier with each of the one or more virtual identifiers via a public key of the entity.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further programming the user device to:

transmit the digitally signed access token to the edge digital gate for accessing the first blockchain-based service; and

receive an indication that a transaction associated with accessing the first blockchain-based service has been closed.