IP Library Granted Patent US 10,454,878
Granted Patent B2
US 10,454,878 · App. 16/150,790 · Granted Oct 22, 2019

System and method for identity resolution across disparate distributed immutable ledger networks

Inventors: Saleem Khan (Jersey City, NJ); Jacob Caleb Gostylo (Austin, TX)
Assignee: THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
H04L61/103G06F16/1805G06F16/27G06Q20/382H04L9/0643H04L9/0825H04L9/3239H04L9/3247H04L2209/38
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,454,878
App. No.
16/150,790
Filed
Oct 3, 2018
Granted
Oct 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2446
USPC
709/245
Abstract

A system and method for identifying previously unknown counterparties by registering distributed ledger public keys and/or addresses associated with specific business entities and/or individuals. The system and method are configured to provide tools for administering public facing distributed ledger identifiers using cryptographic proof messaging and transactions made on the Distributed Ledger. It also provides queries and lookups to discover public keys associated with entities and allows users to link identifiers on competing Distributed Ledgers to a disambiguated entity, thereby enabling cross Ledger transactions to occur.

Claims (105)

1. A method comprising, for a platform host:

generating a datastore and Entity ID for an entity;

linking, in the datastore, a plurality of public key distributed ledger addresses to each Entity ID;

linking, in the datastore, each of the public key distributed ledger addresses to their respective distributed ledger network;

providing a hub server connected to an ID resolution server, the ID resolution server comprising an identity resolution database lookup table;

storing a plurality of the datastores in the identity resolution database lookup table; and

connecting a plurality of distributed ledger network platform nodes on each of a respective plurality of the distributed ledger networks to the hub server;

wherein the ID resolution server is configured to perform identity resolution for a single entity on a plurality of distributed ledger networks.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

embedding the plurality of the distributed ledger network platform nodes on a respective plurality of the distributed ledger networks.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the hub server is connected to a business information database server.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at one of the distributed ledger network platform nodes on one of the distributed ledger networks, a request for business information for a counterparty to a transaction on the distributed ledger network;

sending the request from the distributed ledger network platform node to the hub server; and

identifying the Entity ID for the counterparty at the ID resolution server.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

automatically executing, by the distributed ledger network platform node, a transaction to the distributed ledger network.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

routing the request from the hub server to a business information database server;

obtaining business entity firmographic information about the counterparty from the business information database server; and

outputting the business entity firmographic information to the distributed ledger network platform node.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the business entity firmographic information includes business linkage information.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

automatically executing, by the distributed ledger network platform node, a transaction to the distributed ledger network.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying, by the hub server, that a plurality of entities that are counter-parties to a contract on the first distributed ledger are counter-parties to a contract on another distributed ledger network.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving, from a distributed ledger network platform node on a first distributed ledger network, a request to verify that the plurality of entities that are counter-parties to the contract on the first distributed ledger network are counter-parties to the contract on another distributed ledger network;

associating, at the hub server, the contract on the first distributed ledger network with the contract on the other distributed ledger network;

receiving, at a platform node on the other distributed ledger network, a transaction message to resolve the Entity IDs for the counter-parties to the contract on the other distributed ledger network,

receiving, from the distributed ledger network platform node on the other distributed ledger network, a transaction message with instructions to resolve the Entity IDs;

resolving, at the ID resolution server, the Entity IDs for the counter-parties to the contract on the other distributed ledger network;

receiving a transaction message at the distributed ledger network platform node on the other distributed ledger network that the contract has executed;

sending a resolve message to the hub server confirming the contract on the other distributed ledger network has executed;

resolving, by the hub server, the request from the distributed ledger network platform node on the first distributed ledger network to verify that the plurality of entities that are counter-parties to the contract on the first distributed ledger are counter-parties to the contract on the other distributed ledger network, and

sending the verification message to the distributed ledger network platform node on the first distributed ledger network.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

obtaining, by the hub server, business entity firmographic information about the counterparties from the business information database server; and

outputting the business entity firmographic information to the platform node on the other distributed ledger network.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the business entity firmographic information includes business linkage information.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises:

verifying an entity to the platform;

storing a Verified Network ID for the entity in the entity datastore; and

sending a Verified private key to the entity.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising:

receiving a message including information for a New Network ID for a Distributed Ledger Network, wherein the message is signed with a new private key; and

wherein the message has appended a Verified Network ID message detailing a Verified Network ID and a signature for the Verified Network ID message with a corresponding Verified private key;

the platform host verifies the signature of the Verified private key;

the platform host verifies the signature of the new key;

the platform host verifies a checksum of the new ID with the Distributed Ledger Network identified in the New Network ID; and

the platform host adds a new Network ID to the ID resolution datastore the entity.

15. A system for verifying entities on a plurality of distributed immutable ledgers comprising a network computer comprising:

a hub server;

an ID resolution server comprising an identity resolution database lookup table;

a memory for storing a database and program instructions; and

a processor device that is operative to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

generating, for each of a plurality of entities, a datastore and Entity ID for an entity;

linking, in the datastore, a plurality of public key distributed ledger addresses to each Entity ID;

linking, in the datastore, each of the public key distributed ledger addresses to the distributed ledger network to which they belong;

storing the datastore in the identity resolution database lookup table, the identity resolution database lookup table comprising a plurality of the datastores; and

connecting a plurality of distributed ledger network platform nodes on each of a respective plurality of the distributed ledger networks to the hub server;

wherein the system is configured to perform identity resolution for a single entity on a plurality of distributed ledger networks.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

embedding a plurality of the distributed ledger network platform nodes on a respective plurality of the distributed ledger networks.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the hub server is connected to a business information database server.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

receiving, at one of the platform nodes on one of the distributed ledger networks, a request for business information for a counter-party to a transaction on the distributed ledger network;

sending the request from the platform node to the hub server; and

identifying the Entity ID for the counterparty at the ID resolution server.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

automatically executing, by the distributed ledger network platform node, a transaction to the distributed immutable ledger.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

routing the request from the hub server to a business information database server;

obtaining business entity firmographic information about the counterparty from the business information database server; and

outputting the business entity firmographic information to the distributed ledger network platform node.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the business entity firmographic information includes business linkage information.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

automatically executing, by the platform node, a transaction to the distributed immutable ledger.

23. The system of claim 15 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

verifying, by the hub server, that a plurality of entities that are counter-parties to a contract on the first distributed ledger are counter-parties to a contract on another distributed ledger network.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

receiving, from the distributed ledger network platform node on a first distributed ledger network, a request to verify that the plurality of entities that are counter-parties to the contract on the first distributed ledger are counter-parties to the contract on another distributed ledger network;

associating, at the hub server, the contract on the first distributed ledger network with the contract on the other distributed ledger network;

receiving, at a platform node on the other distributed ledger network, a transaction message to resolve the Entity IDs for the counterparties to the contract on the other distributed ledger network,

receiving, from the distributed ledger network platform node on the other distributed ledger network, a transaction message with instructions to resolve the Entity IDs;

resolving, at the ID resolution server, the Entity IDs for the counter-parties to the contract on the other distributed ledger network;

receiving a transaction message at the distributed ledger network platform node on the other distributed ledger network that the contract has executed;

sending a resolve message to the hub server confirming the contract on the other distributed ledger network has executed;

resolving, by the hub server, the request from the distributed ledger network platform node on the first distributed ledger network to verify that the plurality of entities that are counter-parties to the contract on the first distributed ledger are counter-parties to the contract on the other distributed ledger network; and

sending the verification message to the distributed ledger network platform node on the first distributed ledger network.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

obtaining, by the hub server, business entity firmographic information about the counterparties from the business information database server; and

outputting the business entity firmographic information to the distributed ledger network platform node on the other distributed ledger network.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the business entity firmographic information includes business linkage information.

27. The system of claim 15 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

verifying an entity to the platform;

storing a Verified Network ID for the entity in the entity datastore; and

sending a Verified private key to the entity.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the system is further configured to execute program instructions that enable actions, comprising:

receiving a message including information for a New Network ID for a Distributed Ledger Network, wherein the message is signed with a new private key; and

wherein the message has appended a Verified Network ID message detailing a Verified Network ID and a signature for the Verified Network ID message with a corresponding Verified private key;

the platform host verifies the signature of the Verified private key;

the platform host verifies the signature of the new key;

the platform host verifies a checksum of the new ID with the Distributed Ledger Network identified in the New Network ID; and

the platform host adds a new Network ID to the ID resolution datastore the entity.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. AS AGENT
To: THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION; DUN & BRADSTREET EMERGING BUSINESSES CORP.; DUN & BRADSTREET, INC.; HOOVER’S, INC.; LATTICE ENGINES, INC.
Reel/Frame 072591/0843 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2025
From: DUN & BRADSTREET EMERGING BUSINESSES CORP.; DUN & BRADSTREET, INC.; LATTICE ENGINES, INC.; THE DUN AND BRADSTREET CORPORATION
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072643/0196 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RELEASE AND TERMINATION Recorded Jan 18, 2022
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058925/0814 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2020
From: THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 051946/0180 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2020
From: THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051785/0849 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2018
From: KHAN, SALEEM; GOSTYLO, JACOB CALEB
To: THE DUN & BRADSTREET CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047062/0668 →
Cited By (17)
US 12,235,979 US 12,327,285 US 12,327,290 US 12,346,976 US 12,380,232 US 12,386,989 US 12,406,312 US 12,469,088 US 12,548,080 US 12,566,871 US 12,579,585 US 12,602,729 US 12,620,035 US 12,657,585 US 12,667,178 US 12,675,827 US 12,711,556