Cryptographically protecting data transferred between spatially distributed computing devices using an intermediary database

• US 10,812,457 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2019
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Ramirez, Philip Peter, McNichol, Jr., Michael J., Chen, Tao, Quigley, Vincent, Rice, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarrineh, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US16/413,867
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 713159
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• 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 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• 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 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a system and method for cryptographically protecting data transferred between spatially distributed computing devices. An intermediary database may be used to facilitate the protected data transfer and/or record the data transfers. A first computing device may transfer, to the intermediary database, encrypted data that may be securely transferred to other computing devices. A second computing device may generate a GUI used to view data available from the intermediary database. Once data is selected by the second device, the second device may transfer a key (or other encryption mechanism) to the first device. The first computing device may encrypt the data using the received key and transmit the encrypted data to the intermediary database. The intermediary database may transmit the encrypted data to the second computing device, and the second computing device may decrypt and use the data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first computing device and from a plurality of sensors, sensor data;

validating, by the first computing device and based on types of the plurality of sensors, a source of the sensor data;

processing, by the first computing device, the sensor data to generate processed data, wherein the processing comprises generating a textual description indicating that the source of the sensor data is validated;

generating, by the first computing device, first encrypted data by encrypting the processed data by a first encryption key associated with the first computing device, wherein the first encrypted data indicates a driving score associated with a user;

transmitting, by the first computing device and to an intermediary database, the first encrypted data;

receiving, by the first computing device, via the intermediary database, and from a second computing device, a selection of the first encrypted data and indication of exchange data exchanging for the first encrypted data, wherein the exchange data comprises an insurance discount;

based on an indication of accepting the exchange data, receiving, by the first computing device and from the intermediary database, the first encrypted data;

decrypting, by the first computing device and using the first encryption key, the first encrypted data received from the intermediary database to generate decrypted data;

encrypting, by the first computing device and using a second encryption key associated with the second computing device, the decrypted data to generate second encrypted data; and

transmitting, by the first computing device, via the intermediary database, and to the second computing device, the second encrypted data for the second computing device to decrypt and use.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the exchange data comprises an encrypted incentive encrypted using a public key associated with the first computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

decrypting, by the first computing device and using a private key associated with the first computing device, the encrypted incentive.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first encryption key comprises a private key associated with the first computing device, and the second encryption key comprises a public key associated with the second computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the validating is further based on manufacturers of the plurality of sensors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the validating is further based on models of the plurality of sensors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediary database comprises a block chain.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive, from a plurality of sensors, sensor data;

validate, based on types of the plurality of sensors, a source of the sensor data;

process the sensor data to generate processed data, wherein the processing comprises generating a textual description indicating that the source of the sensor data is validated;

generate first encrypted data by encrypting the processed data by a first encryption key associated with the apparatus, wherein the first encrypted data indicates a driving score associated with a user;

transmit, to an intermediary database, the first encrypted data;

receive, via the intermediary database and from a second apparatus, a selection of the first encrypted data and indication of exchange data exchanging for the first encrypted data, wherein the exchange data comprises an insurance discount;

based on an indication of accepting the exchange data, receive, from the intermediary database, the first encrypted data;

decrypt, using the first encryption key, the first encrypted data received from the intermediary database to generate decrypted data;

encrypt, using a second encryption key associated with the second apparatus, the decrypted data to generate second encrypted data; and

transmit, via the intermediary database and to the second apparatus, the second encrypted data for the second apparatus to decrypt and use.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the exchange data comprises an encrypted incentive encrypted using a public key associated with the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:

decrypt, using a private key associated with the apparatus, the encrypted incentive.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first encryption key comprises a private key associated with the apparatus, and the second encryption key comprises a public key associated with the second apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to:

validate the source of the sensor data based on manufacturers of the plurality of sensors.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, further cause the apparatus to:

validate the source of the sensor data based on models of the plurality of sensors.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the intermediary database comprises a block chain.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when read by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive, from a plurality of sensors, sensor data;

validate, based on types of the plurality of sensors, a source of the sensor data;

process the sensor data to generate processed data, wherein the processing comprises generating a textual description indicating that the source of the sensor data is validated;

generate first encrypted data by encrypting the processed data by a first encryption key associated with the computing device, wherein the first encrypted data indicates a driving score associated with a user;

transmit, to an intermediary database, the first encrypted data;

receive, via the intermediary database and from a second computing device, a selection of the first encrypted data and indication of exchange data exchanging for the first encrypted data, wherein the exchange data comprises an insurance discount;

based on an indication of accepting the exchange data, receive, from the intermediary database, the first encrypted data;

decrypt, using the first encryption key, the first encrypted data received from the intermediary database to generate decrypted data;

encrypt, using a second encryption key associated with the second computing device, the decrypted data to generate second encrypted data; and

transmit, via the intermediary database and to the second computing device, the second encrypted data for the second computing device to decrypt and use.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the exchange data comprises an encrypted incentive encrypted using a public key associated with the computing device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, storing instructions that, when read by the computing device, cause the computing device to:

decrypt, using a private key associated with the computing device, the encrypted incentive.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first encryption key comprises a private key associated with the computing device, and the second encryption key comprises a public key associated with the second computing device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, storing instructions that, when read by the computing device, further cause the computing device to:

validate the source of the sensor data based on manufacturers of the plurality of sensors.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, storing instructions that, when read by the computing device, further cause the computing device to:

validate the source of the sensor data based on models of the plurality of sensors.