Decentralized network for secure distribution of digital documents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11044258-B2
Application number	US-201816112553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2018
Priority date	Aug 24, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for distributing documents are provided. A source node can determine a map for a document, where the map can include information about a number of portions of the document and a corresponding number of distribution nodes. The source node can, for each portion of the number of portions of the document, send the portion of the document to the corresponding distribution node. The source node can record, at a distributed storage system, a first transaction that records information related to the map for the document using the source node. The source node can determine to distribute the document. After determining to distribute the document, the source node can: record a second transaction related to a distribution identifier associated with the map for the document at the distributed storage system and can send a distribution notification that comprises the map for the document and the distribution identifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining a map for a document using a source node, the map for the document comprising information about portions of the document, including hash sums calculated by the source node for each of the portions of the document, and a corresponding number of distribution nodes;
for each of the portions of the document:
selecting a distribution node based on a trust value associated with the distribution node, and wherein the distribution node is eligible for selection to store one of the portions of the document if the trust value is larger than a trust-value threshold, and
sending the portion of the document from the source node to the selected distribution node;

recording, via a mediator node, a first transaction at a distributed storage system to record information related to the map for the document using the source node;
determining, at the source node, to distribute the document; and
after determining to distribute the document, the source node:
recording, via the mediator node, a second transaction at the distributed storage system, the second transaction related to a distribution identifier associated with the map for the document, and
sending a distribution notification that comprises the map for the document and the distribution identifier;

receiving, via a destination node, each of the portions of the document from each of the selected distribution nodes;
calculating, via the destination node, hash sums of each of the received portions of the document;
comparing, via the destination node, the calculated hash sum for each received portion of the document with the corresponding hash sum in the map for the document calculated by the source node for each of the portions of the document; and
if the compared hash sums are the same,
(i) determining, via the destination node, that an assembled copy of the document is accurate,
(ii) sending, via the destination node, a trust value transaction to the mediator node to increase the trust value of each of the selected distribution nodes, and
(iii) recording, via the mediator node, the trust value transaction at the distributed storage system;

if the compared hash sums are different,
(i) determining, via the destination node, that an assembled copy of the document is inaccurate,
(ii) sending, via the destination node, a trust value transaction to the mediator node to decrease the trust value of each of the selected distribution nodes, and
(iii) recording, via the mediator node, the trust value transaction at the distributed storage system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information about the number of portions of the document and the corresponding number of distribution nodes comprises:
information about a location of the document associated with a particular portion of the portions of the document; and
information about a distribution node storing the particular portion of the portions of the document.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second transaction comprises the map for the document and the distribution identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the map for the document using the source node comprises:
determining a number of portions of the document;
for each portion of the document of the number of portions of the document, determining a location within the document for the portion of the document; and
determining the map for the document, wherein the map for the document includes an identifier for the document, the number of portions of the document, information about locations within the document for the number of portions of the document, and information about the number of distribution nodes.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein recording, via the mediator node, the first transaction at the distributed storage system comprises storing, via the mediator node, a copy of the map for the document at the distributed storage system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source node, the number of distribution nodes, and the mediator node are arranged in a peer-to-peer network.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating an output of the source node related to the document.

8. A method, comprising:
receiving, at a destination node, a distribution notification that comprises a map for a document and a distribution identifier, the map for the document comprising information about a portions of the document, including hash sums calculated by the source node for each of the portions of the document, and a corresponding number of distribution nodes;
for each of the portions of the document, the destination node sending a request for the portion of the document to the corresponding distribution node, wherein the request comprises the distribution identifier and a search index;
the corresponding distribution nodes each determining whether the search index is valid;
if the search index is determined to be invalid, the corresponding distribution nodes each sending at least one mediator node an indication that the request for the portion of the document is invalid, the at least one mediator node decreasing a trust value associated with the destination node, and the at least one mediator node determining if the trust value of the destination node is below a trust-value threshold such that the destination node is prohibited from sending document requests;
if the search index is determined to be valid, receiving a document at the destination node by receiving at least one portion of the portions of the document;
calculating, via the destination node, hash sums of each of the received portions of the document;
comparing, via the destination node, the calculated hash sum for each received portion of the document with the corresponding hash sum in the map for the document; and
if the compared hash sums are the same,
(i) determining, via the destination node, that an assembled copy of the document is accurate, and
(ii) sending, via the destination node, a trust value transaction to the mediator node to increase the trust value of each of the selected distribution nodes;

if the compared hash sums are different,
(i) determining, via the destination node, that an assembled copy of the document is inaccurate, and
(ii) sending, via the destination node, a trust value transaction to the mediator node to decrease the trust value of each of the selected distribution nodes.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein for each portion of the number of portions of the document, the destination node sending a request for the portion of the document to the corresponding distribution node comprises sending a first request for a first portion of the document to a first distribution node of the number of distribution nodes; and
wherein receiving the document at the destination node comprises:
querying, by the first distribution node, the at least one mediator node to determine whether the first request is valid; and
after determining that the first request is valid, the first distribution node sending the first portion of the document to the destination node.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein for each portion of the number of portions of the document, the destination node sending a request for the portion of the document to the corresponding distribution node comprises sending a first request for a first portion of the document to a first distribution node of the number of distribution nodes; and
wherein receiving the document at the destination node comprises:
querying, by the first distribution node, the at least one mediator node to determine whether the first request is not valid; and
after determining that the first request is not valid, the first di

Assignees

• Kyocera Document Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Zakharov Oleg Y
• Shigenobu Dai
• Shiozawa Yoshihiro
• Manabe Hiroshi
• Mokricki Robert M
• Sahagun Aaron

Classifications

• H04L67/561

  Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata · CPC title

• H04L67/1097 Primary

  for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS] · CPC title

• H04L9/3236

  using cryptographic hash functions · CPC title

• H04L63/18

  using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215) · CPC title

• H04L63/123 Primary

  received data contents, e.g. message integrity · CPC title