Authenticating an exchange item in an exchange item marketplace network
A method begins with obtaining, by a retailing computing device of an exchange item marketplace network from a buyer device of the exchange item marketplace network in accordance with a securely passing process, control over a secure exchange item package for use of an exchange item, where only a device possessing control over the secure exchange item package may modify the secure exchange item package. The method continues by executing, by the retailing computing device, the use of the exchange item by updating the value of the exchange item to produce an updated value, generating an updated secure exchange item package to include identity of the exchange item, identity of the retailing computing device, identity of the buyer device, and the updated value of the exchange item, and securely passing, by the retailing computing device to the buyer device, control over the updated secure exchange item package.
1. A method comprises:
obtaining, by a retailing computing device of an exchange item marketplace network from a buyer device of the exchange item marketplace network in accordance with a securely passing process, control over a secure exchange item package for use of an exchange item, wherein the secure exchange item package includes identity of the exchange item, identity of the buyer device, identity of the retailing computing device, and an authenticated value of the exchange item, and wherein only a device possessing control over the secure exchange item package may modify the secure exchange item package;
executing, by the retailing computing device, the use of the exchange item by:
updating the authenticated value of the exchange item to produce an updated value of the exchange item;
generating an updated secure exchange item package, wherein the updated secure exchange item package includes identity of the exchange item, identity of the retailing computing device, identity of the buyer device, and the updated value of the exchange item; and
securely passing, by the retailing computing device to the buyer device, control over the updated secure exchange item package.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
authenticating, by a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network, a value of the exchange item via a communication with a brand server of the exchange item marketplace network to produce the authenticated value of the exchange item;
generating, by the marketplace server, the secure exchange item package; and
obtaining, by the marketplace server, control over the secure exchange item package as a result of being an originator of the secure exchange item package.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
authenticating, by a seller device of the exchange item marketplace network a value of the exchange item via a communication with a brand server of the exchange item marketplace network to produce the authenticated value of the exchange item;
generating, by the seller device, the secure exchange item package; and
securely passing, by the seller device to a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network, control over the secure exchange item package such that the marketplace server obtains the control over the secure exchange item package.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
receiving, by a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network from a seller device of the exchange item marketplace network, a request to sell the exchange item; and
in response to valid processing of the request to sell, securely passing, by the seller device to the marketplace server, control over the secure exchange item package.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
receiving, by a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network from the buyer device, a request to purchase the exchange item; and
in response to valid processing of the request to purchase the exchange item, securely passing, by the marketplace server to the buyer device, control over the secure exchange item package.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the securely passing comprises:
updating a transaction section of the secure exchange item package by:
including a public key of a recipient device of the secure exchange item package; and
signing the secure exchange item package by a transferring device of the secure exchange item package.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprises:
for a second use of the exchange item, securely passing, by the buyer device to a second retailing computing device, control over the updated secure exchange item package;
executing, by the second retailing computing device, the second use of the exchange item by:
updating the updated value of the exchange item to produce a second updated value of the exchange item;
generating a second updated secure exchange item package, wherein the second updated secure exchange item package includes identity of the exchange item, identity of the second retailing computing device, identity of the buyer device, and the second updated value of the exchange item; and
securely passing, by the second retailing computing device to the buyer device, control over the second updated secure exchange item package.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure exchange item package comprises:
a header section that includes:
a nonce;
a hash of a preceding block of the secure exchange item package, wherein the preceding block was under control of a preceding device in a chain of control of the secure exchange item package; and
a hash of a current block of the secure exchange item package, wherein the current block is under control of a current device in the chain of control of the secure exchange item package; and
a transaction section that includes:
a public key of the current device;
a signature of the preceding device;
payment information regarding a change of control from the preceding device to the current device; and
exchange item information that includes at least some of the identity of the exchange item, a brand of the exchange item, time restrictions of the exchange item, a digital image of the exchange item, the authenticated value, and use restrictions of the exchange item.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exchange item comprises one of:
a closed loop financial instrument; and
a digital good.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retailing computing device is one of:
a merchant server;
point-of-sale (POS) equipment; and
a retail server.
11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises:
a first memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of an exchange item marketplace network causes the one or more computing devices to:
obtain, by a retailing computing device of an exchange item marketplace network from a buyer device of the exchange item marketplace network in accordance with a securely passing process, control over a secure exchange item package for use of an exchange item, wherein the secure exchange item package includes identity of the exchange item, identity of the buyer device, identity of the retailing computing device, and an authenticated value of the exchange item, and wherein only a device possessing control over the secure exchange item package may modify the secure exchange item package; and
a second memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules of the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network, causes the one or more computing devices to:
execute, by the retailing computing device, the use of the exchange item by:
updating the authenticated value of the exchange item to produce an updated value of the exchange item;
generating an updated secure exchange item package, wherein the updated secure exchange item package includes identity of the exchange item, identity of the retailing computing device, identity of the buyer device, and the updated value of the exchange item; and
securely passing, by the retailing computing device to the buyer device, control over the updated secure exchange item package.
12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 further comprises:
a third memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules of the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network, causes the one or more computing devices to:
authenticate, by a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network, a value of the exchange item via a communication with a brand server of the exchange item marketplace network to produce the authenticated value of the exchange item;
generate, by the marketplace server, the secure exchange item package; and
obtain, by the marketplace server, control over the secure exchange item package as a result of being an originator of the secure exchange item package.
13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 further comprises:
a third memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules of the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network, causes the one or more computing devices to:
authenticate, by a seller device of the exchange item marketplace network a value of the exchange item via a communication with a brand server of the exchange item marketplace network to produce the authenticated value of the exchange item;
generate, by the seller device, the secure exchange item package; and
securely pass, by the seller device to a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network, control over the secure exchange item package such that the marketplace server obtains the control over the secure exchange item package.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 further comprises:
a third memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules of the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network, causes the one or more computing devices to:
receive, by a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network from a seller device of the exchange item marketplace network, a request to sell the exchange item; and
a fourth memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules of the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network, causes the one or more computing devices to:
in response to valid processing of the request to sell, securely passing, by the seller device to the marketplace server, control over the secure exchange item package.
15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 further comprises:
a third memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules of the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network, causes the one or more computing devices to:
receive, by a marketplace server of the exchange item marketplace network from the buyer device, a request to purchase the exchange item; and
in response to valid processing of the request to purchase the exchange item, securely pass, by the marketplace server to the buyer device, control over the secure exchange item package.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processing modules functions to execute the operational instructions stored by each of the second, third, and fourth memory sections to cause the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network to securely pass by:
updating a transaction section of the secure exchange item package by:
including a public key of a recipient device of the secure exchange item package; and
signing the secure exchange item package by a transferring device of the secure exchange item package.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 further comprises:
a third memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network to:
for a second use of the exchange item, securely pass, by the buyer device to a second retailing computing device, control over the updated secure exchange item package; and
the second memory section stores further operational instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing modules, causes the one or more computing devices of the exchange item marketplace network to:
execute, by the second retailing computing device, the second use of the exchange item by:
updating the updated value of the exchange item to produce a second updated value of the exchange item;
generating a second updated secure exchange item package, wherein the second updated secure exchange item package includes identity of the exchange item, identity of the second retailing computing device, identity of the buyer device, and the second updated value of the exchange item; and
securely passing, by the second retailing computing device to the buyer device, control over the second updated secure exchange item package.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the secure exchange item package comprises:
a header section that includes:
a nonce;
a hash of a preceding block of the secure exchange item package, wherein the preceding block was under control of a preceding device in a chain of control of the secure exchange item package; and
a hash of a current block of the secure exchange item package, wherein the current block is under control of a current device in the chain of control of the secure exchange item package; and
a transaction section that includes:
a public key of the current device;
a signature of the preceding device;
payment information regarding a change of control from the preceding device to the current device; and
exchange item information that includes at least some of the identity of the exchange item, a brand of the exchange item, time restrictions of the exchange item, a digital image of the exchange item, the authenticated value, and use restrictions of the exchange item.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the exchange item comprises one of:
a closed loop financial instrument; and
a digital good.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the retailing computing device is one of:
a merchant server;
point-of-sale (POS) equipment; and
a retail server.