Method and system for secure digital documentation of subjects using hash chains

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11003653-B2
Application number	US-201815994866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for documenting subjects using hash chains. The method includes receiving a subject data write request including one or more subject attribute values, generating a fingerprint from a current last block of a hash chain, and generating a payload from the subject data, the payload including the one or more subject attribute values and one or more keys identifying the one or more subject attribute values. The method further includes appending a block to the hash chain. The appended block includes the payload and the fingerprint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for documenting a subject, the method comprising:
receiving a subject data write request comprising subject data specific to the subject to be documented and a subject ID, wherein the subject data comprise at least one subject attribute value;
writing the at least one subject attribute value to an object database;
generating at least one pointer to the at least one subject attribute value in the object database;
generating a fingerprint from a current last block of a hash chain;
generating a payload from (i) the at least one pointer or at least one subject attribute value and (ii) at least one key identifying the at least one subject attribute value, wherein the payload comprises the subject ID;
appending a block to the hash chain, wherein the appended block comprises the payload and the fingerprint;
receiving a read request for subject data, wherein the read request specifies a read request key;
identifying, from the at least one key of the payload, the key that matches the read request key;
identifying the pointer associated with the key that matches the read request key;
obtaining, from the object database, the requested subject data comprising the subject attribute value associated with the identified pointer; and
returning the requested subject data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to generating the fingerprint from the current last block of the hash chain:
based on the subject, identifying from a plurality of hash chains, the hash chain.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash chain is specific to the subject.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hash chain is configured to store subject data associated with a plurality of subjects.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to returning the requested subject data:
making a determination that the subject attribute value associated with the identified pointer is an adjustment, and based on the determination:
obtaining additional subject data from the hash chain; and

combining the additional subject data with the subject data to obtain the subject data to be returned.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a cumulative history of the subject is provided by an entirety of subject attribute values stored in a plurality of blocks of the hash chain.

7. A method for documenting financial transactions using hash chains, the method comprising:
receiving a financial transaction data write request comprising at least one subject attribute value;
generating a fingerprint from a current last block of a hash chain;
generating a payload from the financial transaction data, the payload comprising the at least one subject attribute value and at least one key identifying the at least one subject attribute value;
appending a block to the hash chain, wherein the appended block comprises the payload and the fingerprint;
receiving a read request for financial transaction data, wherein the read request specifies a read request key;
identifying, from the at least one key of the payload, the key that matches the read request key;
obtaining the requested financial transaction data from the appended block of the hash chain by retrieving, from the at least one subject attribute value, the subject attribute value associated with the key that matches the read request key; and
returning the requested financial transaction data.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one subject attribute value comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a constant, a variable, and an adjustment modifying a previously stored subject attribute value.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising, prior to returning the requested financial transaction data:
making a determination that the subject attribute value associated with the read request key is an adjustment, and based on the determination:
obtaining additional financial transaction data from the hash chain; and
combining the additional financial transaction data with the financial transaction data to obtain the financial transaction data to be returned.

10. A system for documenting a subject using hash chains, the system comprising:
a hardware processor;
a communication interface executing on the hardware processor configured to receive a subject data write request comprising subject data specific to the subject to be documented and a subject ID;
an object database configured to receive an entry comprising at least one subject attribute value;
a hash chain processing engine configured to:
generate at least one pointer to the at least one subject attribute value in the object database;
generate a fingerprint from a current last block of a hash chain;
generate a payload from (i) the at least one pointer or at least one subject attribute value and (ii) at least one key identifying the at least one subject attribute value, wherein the payload comprises the subject ID; and
append a block to the hash chain stored in a hash chain repository, wherein the appended block comprises the payload and the fingerprint,

wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive a request for subject data, wherein the read request specifies a read request key; and
wherein the hash chain processing engine is further configured to:
identify, from the at least one key of the payload, the key that matches the read request key;
identify, from the at least one pointer in the appended block of the hash chain, the pointer associated with the key that matches the read request key;
obtain, from the object database, the requested subject data comprising the subject attribute value associated with the identified pointer; and
return the requested subject data, via the communication interface.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the hash chain processing engine is further configured to
make a determination that the subject attribute value associated with the identified pointer is an adjustment, and based on the determination:
obtain additional subject data from the hash chain; and
combine the additional subject data with the subject data to obtain the object data to be returned.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code for causing a computer system to:
receive a subject data write request comprising subject data specific to the subject to be documented, wherein the subject data comprise at least one subject attribute value;
write the at least one subject attribute value to an object database;
generate at least one pointer to the at least one subject attribute value in the object database;
generate a fingerprint from a current last block of a hash chain;
generate a payload from the at least one pointer and at least one key identifying the at least one subject attribute value;
append a block to the hash chain, wherein the appended block comprises the payload and the fingerprint;
receive a read request for subject data, wherein the read request specifies a read request key;
identify, from the at least one key of the payload, the key that matches the read request key;
identify the pointer associated with the key that matches the read request key;
obtain, from the object database, the requested subject data comprising the subject attribute value associated with the identified pointer; and
return the requested subject data.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the computer readable program code further causes the computer system to, prior to generating the fingerprint from the current last block of the hash chain:
based on the subject, identify the hash chain from a plur

Assignees

• Scott Glenn
• Meike Roger
• Gabriel Michael
• Panchevre Ian
• Eftekhari Amir
• Pentland Ian
• Intuit Inc

Inventors

• Scott Glenn
• Meike Roger
• Gabriel Michael
• Panchevre Ian
• Eftekhari Amir
• Pentland Ian

Classifications

• H04L9/50

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title

• G06F16/235 Primary

  Update request formulation · CPC title

• H04L9/3239

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

• H04L9/0637

  Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM] · CPC title

• G06F16/9024 Primary

  Graphs; Linked lists (G06F16/9027 takes precedence) · CPC title