Generation, management, and tracking of digital credentials

• US 10,033,536 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Credly, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Credly, Inc.
• Inventors: Mercury, Mark Thomas, Schmidt, Kurt Jarin
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrishamkar, Kaveh
• Application Number:
  US15/081,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20170279614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications

Abstract

Techniques described herein relate to generating and managing digital credentials using a digital credential platform in communication with various digital credential template owners and digital credential issuers. In some embodiments, a digital credential platform server may receive and coordinate requests and responses between the digital credential template owners and a set of digital credential issuers, to determine which digital credential issuers are authorized to issue digital credential based on which digital credential templates. The digital credential platform server may provide the authorized issuers with access to particular digital credential templates and the functionality to issue digital credentials to users based on any of the particular digital credential templates. Additional techniques described herein relate to tracking, analyzing, and reporting data metrics for issued digital credentials.

Claims

1. A digital credential issuance system comprising:

a digital credential template owner device, comprising;

a processing unit comprising one or more processors;

one or more network interfaces configured to transmit secure data to a digital credential platform server; and

memory coupled with and readable by the processing unit and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential template owner device to;

transmit one or more digital credential templates to the digital credential platform server;

receive requests from the digital credential platform server to confirm authorized issuers of digital credentials based on one or more of the digital credential templates; and

in response to said requests, transmit secure data confirming one or more digital credential issuers as authorized issuers of digital credentials based on one or more of the digital credential templates;

a digital credential issuer device, comprising;

a processing unit comprising one or more processors;

one or more network interfaces configured to transmit secure data to the digital credential platform server; and

memory coupled with and readable by the processing unit and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential issuer device to;

transmit requests to the digital credential platform server to request permission to issue digital credentials based on one or more of the digital credential templates associated with one or more digital credential template owners;

receive responses to said requests from the digital credential platform server, said responses confirming a digital credential issuer associated with the digital credential issuer device as an authorized issuer of digital credentials based on one or more of the digital credential templates associated with one or more digital credential template owners;

access, from the digital credential platform server, a first digital credential template for which the digital credential issuer is authorized to issue digital credentials;

determine that a first credential receiver is eligible to receive a digital credential based on the first digital credential template;

receive user data for the first credential receiver;

generate a first digital credential based on the first digital credential template and the received user data; and

transmit data confirming the issuance of the first digital credential to the first credential receiver, to the digital credential platform server; and

a digital credential platform server, comprising;

a processing unit comprising one or more processors;

one or more network interfaces configured to transmit secure data to the digital credential platform server; and

memory coupled with and readable by the processing unit and storing therein a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to;

receive one or more digital credential templates, including the first digital credential template, from the digital credential template owner device associated with a digital credential template owner, the first digital credential template corresponding to an educational or training certification defined by the digital credential template owner;

store the received one or more digital credential templates in a secure storage of the digital credential platform server;

receive a first request from the digital credential issuer device associated with the digital credential issuer, the first request requesting to issue digital credentials based on the first digital credential template;

transmit, to the digital credential template owner device, a request corresponding to the first request from the digital credential issuer to issue digital credentials based on the first digital credential template;

receive, in response to said transmitted request, from the digital credential template owner device, authorization data permitting the digital credential issuer to issue digital credentials based on the first digital credential template;

in response to the received authorization data, grant the digital credential issuer device access to the first digital credential template;

receive, from the digital credential issuer device, the data confirming the issuance of the first digital credential to the first credential receiver, the first digital credential representing completion of the educational certification or training course by the first credential receiver;

transmit a communication to a first receiver device associated with the first credential receiver, in response to receiving the data from the digital credential issuer device confirming the issuance of the first digital credential;

output a user interface during a network session with the first credential receiver device, the user interface including at least a first option to accept the first digital credential and a second option to reject the first digital credential;

receive, during the network session with the first credential receiver device, a selection of the first credential receiver, either of the first option to accept the first digital credential or the second option to reject the first digital credential; and

store the data corresponding to the first digital credential, including data indicating either the acceptance or the rejection of the first digital credential by the first credential receiver, in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server.

2. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

receive, from the digital credential template owner device, additional authorization data permitting the digital credential issuer to be named as a providing entity within digital credentials issued by the digital credential issuer based on the first digital credential template;

store, in association with the first digital credential, data indicating that the digital credential issuer was the provider of the first digital credential;

receive a request for the first digital credential from a client device; and

retrieve and output the data corresponding to the first digital credential, including the data indicating that the digital credential issuer was the provider of the first digital credential, in response to the request.

3. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

receive, from a credential endorser device, additional authorization data permitting a first a credential endorser to be named as an endorsing entity for digital credentials issued based on the first digital credential template;

store, in association with the first digital credential, data indicating that the endorsing entity endorses the first digital credential;

receive a request for the first digital credential from a client device; and

retrieve and output the data corresponding to the first digital credential, including the data indicating that the endorsing entity endorses the first digital credential, in response to the request.

4. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, wherein the received selection of the first credential receiver is a selection to accept the first digital credential, and wherein the memory of the digital credential platform server stores further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

in response to the acceptance of the first digital credential by the first credential receiver, generate a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the first digital credential.

5. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, wherein the digital credential platform server receives a plurality of digital credential templates from the digital credential template owner device, including the first digital credential template and a second digital credential template, and wherein the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

receive, from the digital credential template owner device, second authorization data denying permission to the digital credential issuer to issue digital credentials based on the second digital credential template; and

in response to the received authorization data and second authorization data, grant the digital credential issuer device access to the first digital credential template but prevent the digital credential issuer device from accessing the second digital credential template.

6. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

receive, from the digital credential issuer device, additional data confirming an issuance of a second digital credential based on a second digital credential template, wherein the first and the second digital credentials are received from the same digital credential issuer device, but wherein the first digital credential template is associated with a different digital credential template owner than the second digital credential template.

7. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

identify a particular flag within the data received from the digital credential issuer device, confirming the issuance of the first digital credential to the first credential receiver;

in response to the identification of the particular flag, generate a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the first digital credential, wherein the URL is generated without receiving an indication of acceptance of the first digital credential by the first credential receiver; and

transmit the generated URL associated with the first digital credential to the digital credential issuer device.

8. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

receive, from the digital credential template owner device, a template update for the first digital credential template; and

update the data corresponding to the first digital credential in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server, based on the template update received for the first digital credential template.

9. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, wherein storing the data corresponding to the first digital credential comprises storing an expiration date associated with the first digital credential, and wherein the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

monitor the expiration date associated with the first digital credential; and

in response to determining that the expiration date has passed, update the data corresponding to the first digital credential in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server to indicate that the first digital credential is expired.

10. The digital credential issuance system of claim 1, the memory of the digital credential platform server storing therein further instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the digital credential platform server to:

receive, from a client device associated with an endorsing entity, an update to an endorsement of the first digital credential template; and

update the data corresponding to the first digital credential in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server, based on the update to the endorsement of the first digital credential template.

11. A method of authorizing issuers of digital credentials, comprising:

receiving, by a digital credential platform server, one or more digital credential templates, including a first digital credential template, from a digital credential template owner device associated with a digital credential template owner, the first digital credential template corresponding to an educational or training certification defined by the digital credential template owner;

storing the received one or more digital credential templates in a secure storage of the digital credential platform server;

receiving, by the digital credential platform server, a first request from a digital credential issuer device associated with a digital credential issuer, requesting to issue digital credentials based on the first digital credential template;

transmitting, by the digital credential platform server and to the digital credential template owner device, a request corresponding to the first request from the digital credential issuer to issue digit credentials based on the first digital credential template;

receiving, by the digital credential platform server, in response to said transmitted request, authorization data from the digital credential template owner permitting the digital credential issuer to issue digital credentials based on the first digital credential template;

granting, by the digital credential platform server, the digital credential issuer device access to the first digital credential template, in response to the received authorization data;

receiving, by the digital credential platform server, from the digital credential issuer device, data confirming issuance of a first digital credential to a first credential receiver, the first digital credential representing completion of the educational certification or training course by the first credential receiver;

in response to receiving the data from the digital credential issuer device confirming the issuance of the first digital credential, transmitting, by the digital credential platform server, a communication to a first receiver device associated with the first credential receiver;

outputting a user interface during a network session with the first credential receiver device, the user interface including at least a first option to accept the first digital credential and a second option to reject the first digital credential;

receiving, during the network session, a selection of the first credential receiver, either of the first option to accept the first digital credential or the second option to reject the first digital credential; and

storing the data corresponding to the first digital credential, including data indicating either the acceptance or the rejection of the first digital credential by the first credential receiver, in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from the digital credential template owner device, additional authorization data permitting the digital credential issuer to be named as a providing entity within digital credentials issued by the digital credential issuer based on the first digital credential template;

storing, in association with the first digital credential, data indicating that the digital credential issuer was the provider of the first digital credential;

receiving a request for the first digital credential from a client device; and

retrieving and outputting the data corresponding to the first digital credential, including the data indicating that the digital credential issuer was the provider of the first digital credential, in response to the request.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from a credential endorser device, additional authorization data permitting a first a credential endorser to be named as an endorsing entity for digital credentials issued based on the first digital credential template;

storing, in association with the first digital credential, data indicating that the endorsing entity endorses the first digital credential;

receiving a request for the first digital credential from a client device; and

retrieving and outputting the data corresponding to the first digital credential, including the data indicating that the endorsing entity endorses the first digital credential, in response to the request.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the received selection of the first credential receiver is a selection to accept the first digital credential, the method further comprising:

generating a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the first digital credential, in response to the acceptance of the first digital credential by the first credential receiver.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital credential platform server receives a plurality of digital credential templates from the digital credential template owner device, including the first digital credential template and a second digital credential template, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the digital credential template owner device, second authorization data denying permission to the digital credential issuer to issue digital credentials based on the second digital credential template; and

in response to the received authorization data and second authorization data, granting the digital credential issuer device access to the first digital credential template but preventing the digital credential issuer device from accessing the second digital credential template.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from the digital credential issuer device, additional data confirming an issuance of a second digital credential based on a second digital credential template, wherein the first and the second digital credentials are received from the same digital credential issuer device, but wherein the first digital credential template is associated with a different digital credential template owner than the second digital credential template.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying a particular flag within the data received from the digital credential issuer device, confirming the issuance of the first digital credential to the first credential receiver;

in response to the identification of the particular flag, generating a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with the first digital credential, wherein the URL is generated without receiving an indication of acceptance of the first digital credential by the first credential receiver; and

transmitting the generated URL associated with the first digital credential to the digital credential issuer device.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from the digital credential template owner device, a template update for the first digital credential template; and

updating the data corresponding to the first digital credential in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server, based on the template update received for the first digital credential template.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein storing the data corresponding to the first digital credential comprises storing an expiration date associated with the first digital credential, and wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring the expiration date associated with the first digital credential; and

in response to determining that the expiration date has passed, updating the data corresponding to the first digital credential in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server to indicate that the first digital credential is expired.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from a client device associated with an endorsing entity, an update to an endorsement of the first digital credential template; and

updating the data corresponding to the first digital credential in the secure storage of the digital credential platform server, based on the update to the endorsement of the first digital credential template.