Escrowing digital property in a secure information vault
First Claim
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1. A method for escrowing digital data, comprising:
- receiving escrow parameters at a secure vault, the escrow parameters including at least one condition for releasing the digital data;
creating an escrow contract, the escrow contract based upon specified escrow parameters of the escrow parameters;
creating a handle that identifies the digital data using a processor;
storing the digital data in a storage device of the secure vault;
storing a mapping between the handle that identifies the digital data and a location of the digital data in the secure vault;
retrieving the digital data from the secure vault using the mapping between the handle that identifies the digital data and the location of the digital data in the secure vault when the digital data can be released; and
releasing the digital data to a recipient after retrieving the digital data based on the escrow parameters; and
wherein the at least one condition comprises receipt of a required payment and the escrow parameters include an escrow recipient including;
receiving an instruction from a payor to execute a payment sum;
determining whether the payment sum satisfies the required payment; and
instructing a financial institution to debit an account of the payor and credit an account of a payment target, wherein the digital data is retrieved and released from the secure vault to the escrow recipient after the account of the payment target is credited.
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Abstract
Digital data can be escrowed by receiving escrow parameters including a condition(s) for releasing the escrowed data, and an escrow recipient. An escrow contract is then created based upon the specified escrow parameters. The escrowing further includes storing the digital data in a secure information vault, and storing the escrow contract, along with a pointer to the stored data, in a database. When the condition has been satisfied, the data is released to the escrow recipient. The condition(s) for release can be a payment sum, a date, an indication from a depositor, a trustee or a vault administrator, and/or fulfillment of another escrow contract.
44 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for escrowing digital data, comprising:
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receiving escrow parameters at a secure vault, the escrow parameters including at least one condition for releasing the digital data; creating an escrow contract, the escrow contract based upon specified escrow parameters of the escrow parameters; creating a handle that identifies the digital data using a processor; storing the digital data in a storage device of the secure vault; storing a mapping between the handle that identifies the digital data and a location of the digital data in the secure vault; retrieving the digital data from the secure vault using the mapping between the handle that identifies the digital data and the location of the digital data in the secure vault when the digital data can be released; and releasing the digital data to a recipient after retrieving the digital data based on the escrow parameters; and wherein the at least one condition comprises receipt of a required payment and the escrow parameters include an escrow recipient including; receiving an instruction from a payor to execute a payment sum; determining whether the payment sum satisfies the required payment; and instructing a financial institution to debit an account of the payor and credit an account of a payment target, wherein the digital data is retrieved and released from the secure vault to the escrow recipient after the account of the payment target is credited. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for escrowing digital data, comprising:
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a processor and a storage device providing secure vault services, the processor configured to; receive escrow parameters, the escrow parameters including at least one condition for releasing the digital data; creating an escrow contract, the escrow contract based upon specified escrow parameters of the escrow parameters; create a handle that identifies the digital data; store the digital data in a secure vault defined by the storage device; store a mapping between the handle that identifies the digital data and a location of the digital data in the secure vault using a processor; retrieve the digital data from the secure vault using the mapping between the handle that identifies the digital data and the location of the digital data in the secure vault when the digital data can be released; and release the digital data to a recipient after retrieving the digital data based on the escrow parameters; and wherein the at least one condition comprises includes receipt of a required payment including; receiving an indication that a payment sum has been received; receiving an instruction to release the digital data when the payment sum satisfies the required payment; and instructing a financial institution to credit an account of a payment target. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification