IP Library › Granted Patent US 12681669
Granted Patent B2
US 12681669 · App. 17/972,977 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Data management apparatus and data management method

Inventors: Naoki Yamamuro (Nagoya, JP); Wataru Fukatsu (Tokyo, JP)
Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA; SCALAR, INC.
G06F3/067G06F3/0604G06F3/0655
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12681669
App. No.
17/972,977
Filed
Oct 25, 2022
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Examiner
SAIN, GAUTAM
Art Unit
2135
USPC
711/154
Abstract

As a record RA 1 is stored in a first distributed ledger, a controller of a client server obtains a time stamp token T 0 for a record hash value RH 1 thereof and has a record RB 0 including the time stamp token T 0 stored in a second distributed ledger. Then, as a record RA 2 is stored in the first distributed ledger, the controller obtains a time stamp token T 1 for a record hash value RH 2 of the record RA 2 . Then, the controller has a record RB 2 including the time stamp token T 1 and a record hash value of the record RB 0 stored in the second distributed ledger.

Claims (42)

1 . A data management apparatus that manages data based on a distributed ledger technology, the data management apparatus comprising:

a storage device where a distributed ledger set is stored;

a controller that updates the distributed ledger set; and

a communication apparatus configured to communicate with a time stamp authority that provides a time stamp token, wherein:

the distributed ledger set includes

a first distributed ledger where a record including information on the data is stored in a time-series manner, and

a second distributed ledger that is separate and distinct from the first distributed ledger and where a record including the time stamp token is stored in a time-series manner, and

the controller

obtains, from the time stamp authority through the communication apparatus, a first time stamp token for a time at which the controller accesses the first distributed ledger to generate a hash value from a most recent terminal record stored in the first distributed ledger, and

stores, in the second distributed ledger, a record including (i) the first time stamp token verifying the time at which the controller accessed the first distributed ledger, (ii) the hash value generated from the most recent terminal record in the first distributed ledger, and (iii) a hash value of a previous record stored in the second distributed ledger.

2 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller obtains, from the time stamp authority, the first time stamp token in accordance with an operation by a user onto the data management apparatus.

3 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

when a record is added to the first distributed ledger, the controller obtains, from the time stamp authority, the first time stamp token for the time at which the controller accesses the first distributed ledger to generate the hash value from the most recent terminal record which is the added record in the first distributed ledger.

4 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller

obtains, from the time stamp authority through the communication apparatus, a second time stamp token for a time at which the controller accesses the second distributed ledger to generate a hash value of a terminal record stored in the second distributed ledger, and

stores, in the second distributed ledger, a record including the second time stamp token.

5 . The data management apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the controller obtains the second time stamp token in accordance with an operation by a user onto the data management apparatus.

6 . The data management apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein

the controller obtains the second time stamp token as a prescribed time period elapses from a time point of previous obtainment of another time stamp token.

7 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the communication apparatus is further configured to communicate with an external server different from the data management apparatus, and

the controller transmits to the external server through the communication apparatus, a hash value on a terminal record in the second distributed ledger at a prescribed time point.

8 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second distributed ledger that is separate and distinct from the first distributed ledger, stores a chain of records, each record in the chain including a respective time stamp token along with a hash value of a respective terminal record in the first distributed ledger at each time point corresponding to the respective time stamp token.

9 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller accesses the first distributed ledger to generate the hash value from the most recent terminal record in the first distributed ledger each time a new record is added to the first distributed ledger.

10 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller accesses the first distributed ledger to generate the hash value from the most recent terminal record in the first distributed ledger every prescribed times of addition of a record to the first distributed ledger.

11 . The data management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller accesses the first distributed ledger to generate the hash value from the most recent terminal record in the first distributed ledger after lapse of a first prescribed time period since the controller accessed the first distributed ledger previously.

12 . A data management method by using a data management apparatus that manages data based on a distributed ledger technology,

the data management apparatus including

a storage device where a distributed ledger set is stored,

a controller that updates the distributed ledger set, and

a communication apparatus configured to communicate with a time stamp authority that provides a time stamp token,

the distributed ledger set including

a first distributed ledger where a record including information on the data is stored in a time-series manner, and

a second distributed ledger that is separate and distinct from the first distributed ledger and where a record including the time stamp token is stored in a time-series manner, the data management method comprising:

obtaining, from the time stamp authority through the communication apparatus, a first time stamp token for a time at which the data management apparatus accesses the first distributed ledger to generate a hash value from a most recent terminal record stored in the first distributed ledger; and

storing, in the second distributed ledger, a record including (i) the first time stamp token verifying the time at which the controller accessed the first distributed ledger, (ii) the hash value generated from the most recent terminal record in the first distributed ledger, and (iii) a hash value of a previous record stored in the second distributed ledger.

13 . The data management method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

obtaining from the time stamp authority through the communication apparatus, a second time stamp token for a time at which the data management apparatus accesses the second distributed ledger to generate a hash value of a terminal record stored in the second distributed ledger; and

storing, in the second distributed ledger, a record including the second time stamp token.