Systems and methods for controlled access to policy data on blockchain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12380232-B2
Application number	US-202418593371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2024
Priority date	Jan 25, 2017
Publication date	Aug 5, 2025
Grant date	Aug 5, 2025

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to share policy information. The policy information may be associated with a smart contract. Accordingly, the policy information may be encrypted using a public key for the smart contract and compiled into a block of the blockchain. In response to a request to provide access to the information to a particular node, the private key for the smart contract may be encrypted using the public key for the particular node and compiled into a block of the blockchain.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computer-implemented method of providing access to confidential data stored in a blockchain, the blockchain relating to a plurality of smart contracts, the method comprising:
detecting, by the one or more processors, a request from a requesting node to provide a particular node access to encrypted data associated with a smart contract in the plurality of smart contracts, the request indicating the particular node, wherein the encrypted data associated with the smart contract is encrypted using a public key corresponding to a private key for the smart contract;
determining, by the one or more processors, that a permission level associated with the particular node indicates that the particular node is permitted to access information associated with an insurance policy and/or that a permission level associated with the requesting node indicates that the requesting node is permitted to request that other nodes receive access to information associated with an insurance policy;
in response to the determination, performing one of:
in response to the determining that the permission levels permit the access to the information and/or the request for access to the information:
generating, by the one or more processors, a transaction indicating (i) the private key for the smart contract, the private key for the smart contract being encrypted using a public key for the particular node, and (ii) an identity of the particular node; and
establishing, by the one or more processors via a consensus protocol, a consensus to update the blockchain to include the transaction, or

in response to the determining that the permission levels do not permit the access to the information and/or the request for access to the information:
discarding, by the one or more processors, the request.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , data associated with the smart contract includes information associated with an electronic medical record.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , data associated with the smart contract includes information associated with at least one of an insurance policy, a lab result, a form, or a confidential communication.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the particular node is associated with an attorney or an estate planner.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the request to provide access to the data further comprises:
generating, by the one or more processors, the request to provide access to the data associated upon being directed by the smart contract.

6. A computer system for providing access to confidential data stored in a blockchain, the blockchain relating to a plurality of smart contracts, the computer system comprising:
one or more processors and a memory;
one or more transceivers adapted to communicate with a plurality of nodes;
a non-transitory program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to:
detect a request from a requesting node to provide a particular node access to encrypted data associated with a smart contract in the plurality of smart contracts, the request indicating the particular node, wherein the encrypted data associated with the smart contract is encrypted using a public key corresponding to a private key for the smart contract;
determine that a permission level associated with the particular node indicates that the particular node is permitted to access information associated with an insurance policy and/or that a permission level associated with the requesting node indicates that the requesting node is permitted to request that other nodes receive access to information associated with an insurance policy;

in response to the determination, perform one of:
in response to the determining that the permission levels permit the access to the information and/or the request for access to the information:
generate a transaction indicating (i) the private key for the smart contract, the private key for the smart contract being encrypted using a public key for the particular node, and (ii) an identity of the particular node; and
establish, via a consensus protocol, a consensus to update the blockchain to include the transaction, or

in response to the determining that the permission levels do not permit the access to the information and/or the request for access to the information:
discard the request.

7. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein data associated with the smart contract includes an electronic medical record.

8. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein data associated with the smart contract includes at least one of an insurance policy, a lab result, a form, or a confidential communication.

9. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein the particular node is associated with an attorney or an estate planner.

10. The computer system of claim 6 , wherein to detect the request to provide access to the data, the instructions, when executed, cause the computer system to:
generate the request to provide access to the data upon being directed by the smart contract.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions, that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
detect a request from a requesting node to provide a particular node access to encrypted data associated with a smart contract, the request indicating the particular node, wherein the encrypted data associated with the smart contract is encrypted using a public key corresponding to a private key for the smart contract;
determine that a permission level associated with the particular node indicates that the particular node is permitted to access information associated with an insurance policy and/or that a permission level associated with the requesting node indicates that the requesting node is permitted to request that other nodes receive access to information associated with an insurance policy;
in response to the determination, perform one of:
in response to the determining that the permission levels permit the access to the information and/or the request for access to the information:
generate a transaction indicating (i) the private key for the smart contract, the private key for the smart contract being encrypted using a public key for the particular node, and (ii) an identity of the particular node; and
establish, via a consensus protocol, a consensus to update the blockchain to include the transaction, or

in response to the determining that the permission levels do not permit the access to the information and/or the request for access to the information:
discard the request.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein data associated with the smart contract includes an electronic medical record.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein data associated with the smart contract includes at least one of an insurance policy, a lab result, a form, or a confidential communication.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the particular node is associated with an attorney or an estate planner.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein to detect the request to provide access to the data, the instructions, when executed, cause the computer system to:
generate the request to provide access to the data upon being directed by the smart contract.

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

Inventors

• Magerkurth Melinda Teresa
• Bellas Eric
• Skaggs Jaime
• Call Shawn M
• Moore Eric R
• King Vicki
• Floyd Burton J
• Turrentine David
• Olson Steven T
• Wells Timothy Caleb
• Chapman Corin Rebekah
• Breitweiser Edward W
• Gomez Robert
• Smith Shelia Cummings

Classifications

• G06F21/64 Primary

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title

• G06Q20/10

  specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems · CPC title

• H04L9/50

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

• H04L2209/56

  Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash · CPC title

• G06Q20/401

  Transaction verification · CPC title