System and techniques for trans-account device key transfer in benefit denial system
Techniques described herein are directed to a system and methods for enabling a transfer of access rights for an electronic device between users. In embodiments of the system, a first user (e.g., a transferor) may, upon determining that access rights should be granted to a second user (e.g., a transferee), generate a transaction record. The transaction record may then be provided to a registry network, which may verify a digital signature of the transaction record as well as a current ownership status. Upon verification, the transaction record may be written to an ownership registry and a mobile application server may be notified of the transaction. Once notified, the mobile application server may transmit a device key to a user device associated with the transferee. Once the device key has been received at the transferee user device, it may be used to issue commands to the electronic device.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a first user device operated by a first user, a request to grant access rights to a second user for an electronic device associated with the first user, wherein the electronic device has functionality and is configured to be lockable to prevent use of at least one aspect of the electronic device's functionality;
receiving, by the first user device, information associated with the second user;
generating a transaction record that includes at least a portion of the information associated with the second user;
providing the transaction record to a server, wherein upon verifying the transaction record, a device key associated with the electronic device is caused to be provided to a second user device associated with the second user, wherein the transaction record is verified by verifying the first user is the current owner of the electronic device based upon verification of an electronic signature;
determining whether the request to grant access rights comprises a request to transfer ownership of the electronic device and automatically deleting the device key from a memory of the first user device upon determining the request to grant access rights comprises a request to transfer ownership of the electronic device;
issuing a command from at least one of the first or second user devices to unlock the electronic device to allow use of the at least one aspect; and
causing the electronic device to comply with the command to unlock only if the at least one of the first or second user devices-that issues the command has access to the device key when the command is issued.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server comprises a registry network node, and wherein the transaction record is appended to a series of transaction records.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the series of transaction records comprises a blockchain ledger.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transaction record comprises at least the electronic signature, and wherein the electronic signature is generated using a private cryptographic key associated with the first user.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein verifying the electronic signature comprises applying a public cryptographic key associated with the first user to the electronic signature and comparing the result to the information associated with the second user included in the transaction record.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server comprises a mobile application server which maintains accounts for a plurality of users.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second user device is identified by virtue of being associated with an account maintained in relation to the second user.
8. A first user device associated with a first user comprising:
a processor; and
a memory including instructions that, when executed with the processor, cause the first user device to, at least:
receive a request to grant access rights to a second user for an electronic device associated with the first user, wherein the electronic device has functionality and is configured to be lockable to prevent use of at least one aspect of the electronic device's functionality;
receive information associated with the second user;
generate a transaction record that includes at least a portion of the information associated with the second user;
provide the transaction record to a server, wherein upon verification of the transaction record, a device key associated with the electronic device is caused to be provided to a second user device associated with the second user, wherein the verification of the transaction record comprises verifying the first user is the current owner of the electronic device based upon verification of an electronic signature;
determine whether the request to grant access rights comprises a request to transfer ownership of the electronic device and automatically delete the device key from a memory of the first user device upon determining the request to grant access rights comprises a request to transfer ownership of the electronic device; and
issue a command to unlock the electronic device to allow use of the at least one aspect, the command being effective to achieve such unlocking only if, at the time the command is issued, the second user device has access to the device key.
9. The first user device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed with the processor, further cause the first user device to receive the information associated with the second user via manual input through a graphical user interface executed on the first user device.
10. The first user device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed with the processor, further cause the first user device to receive from the second user device the information associated with the second user.
11. The first user device of claim 10 , wherein the information associated with the second user is encoded within a machine-readable code and the instructions, when executed with the processor, further cause the first user device to receive from the second user device the machine-readable code by scanning the machine-readable code.
12. The first user device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed with the processor, further cause the first user device to receive from the second user device, using a wireless communication protocol, the information associated with the second user.
13. The first user device of claim 8 , wherein the device key is configured to grant the access rights for the electronic device to the second user device.
14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing specific computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a first user device operated by a first user to at least:
receive a request to grant access rights to a second user for an electronic device associated with the first user, wherein the electronic device has functionality and is configured to be lockable to prevent use of at least one aspect of the electronic device's functionality;
receive information associated with the second user;
generate a transaction record that includes at least a portion of the information associated with the second user;
provide the transaction record to a server, wherein upon verifying the transaction record, a device key associated with the electronic device is caused to be provided to a second user device associated with the second user, wherein the transaction record is verified by verifying the first user is the current owner of the electronic device based upon verification of an electronic signature;
determine whether the request to grant access rights comprises a request to transfer ownership of the electronic device and automatically delete the device key from a memory of the first user device upon determining the request to grant access rights comprises a transfer of ownership of the electronic device;
issue a command from at least one of the first or second user devices to unlock the electronic device to allow use of the at least one aspect; and
cause the electronic device to comply with the command to unlock only if the at least one of the first or second user devices that issues the command has access to the device key when the command is issued.