Method and system blockchain variant using digital signatures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10171248-B2
Application number	US-201815935455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Dec 21, 2015
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A method for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions includes: generating a domain key pair comprising a domain private key and a domain public key, wherein the domain public key is signed after generation; receiving a plurality of member public keys, wherein each member public key is received from an associated member of a blockchain network and is a public key in a key pair comprising the member public key and a member private key corresponding to the associated member; signing each member public key using the domain private key; receiving a transaction block from a specific member of the blockchain network, wherein the transaction block includes a plurality of blockchain transaction values and a hash signed using the member private key corresponding to the specific member; signing the received transaction block using the domain private key; and transmitting the signed transaction block.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions, comprising:
generating, by a generation module of a processing server, a domain key pair comprising a domain private key and a domain public key, wherein the domain public key is signed after generation;
receiving, by a receiving device of the processing server, a plurality of member public keys, wherein each member public key is a public key in a key pair comprising the member public key and a member private key corresponding to an associated member;
signing, by a signing module of the processing server, each member public key of the plurality of member public keys using the domain private key;
receiving, by the receiving device of the processing server, a transaction block from a specific member of the blockchain network, wherein the transaction block includes a hash signed using the member private key corresponding to the specific member;
electronically transmitting, by the transmitting device of the processing server, each signed member public key to one or more members of the blockchain network;
receiving, by the receiving device of the processing server, a new transaction block and a signed second hash value from the specific member of the blockchain network;
signing, by the signing module of the processing server, the received new transaction block using the domain private key; and
electronically transmitting, by the transmitting device of the processing server, the signed new transaction block for validation of the blockchain transactions by a member of the blockchain network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the domain public key is signed by a public authority.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the domain public key is signed by the signing module of the processing server.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the receiving device of the processing server, authentication information from each member of the blockchain network; and
authenticating, by an authentication module of the processing server, each member of the blockchain network using the received authentication information prior to signing the associated member public key.

5. A system for using digital signatures for signing blockchain transactions, comprising:
a transmitting device of a processing server;
a generation module of the processing server configured to generate a domain key pair comprising a domain private key and a domain public key, wherein the domain public key is signed after generation;
a receiving device of the processing server configured to receive a plurality of member public keys, wherein each member public key is a public key in a key pair comprising the member public key and a member private key corresponding to an associated member; and
a signing module of the processing server configured to sign each member public key of the plurality of member public keys using the domain private key, wherein the receiving device of the processing server is further configured to receive a transaction block from a specific member of the blockchain network, wherein the transaction block includes a hash signed using the member private key corresponding to the specific member,
the transmitting device of the processing server is further configured to electronically transmit each signed member public key to one or more members of the blockchain network, the receiving device of the processing server is further configured to receive a new transaction block and a signed second hash value from the specific member of the blockchain network,
the signing module of the processing server is further configured to sign the received new transaction block using the domain private key, and
the transmitting device of the processing server is further configured to electronically transmit the signed new transaction block for validation of the blockchain transactions by a member of the blockchain network.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the domain public key is signed by a public authority.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the domain public key is signed by the signing module of the processing server.

8. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
an authentication module of the processing server, wherein
the receiving device of the processing server is further configured to receive authentication information from each member of the blockchain network; and
the authentication module of the processing server is configured to authenticate each member of the blockchain network using the received authentication information prior to signing the associated member public key.

Assignees

• Mastercard International Inc

Inventors

• King David J

Classifications

• H04L9/3239

  involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD · CPC title

• H04L9/3268

  using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL] · CPC title

• H04L63/045

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14) · CPC title

• H04L63/0853

  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 title

• H04L9/3247 Primary

  involving digital signatures · CPC title