IP Library Granted Patent US 12,437,290
Granted Patent B2
US 12,437,290 · App. 17/492,398 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Digital content control based on nonfungible tokens

Inventors: Shannon Bruce Vosseller (Zurich, CH); Christopher Michael Matthews (Pacifica, CA)
Assignee: eBay Inc.
G06Q20/38215G06Q20/389H04L9/3213G06Q2220/00H04L9/50H04L2209/603
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,437,290
App. No.
17/492,398
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques are described, as implemented by computing devices, to provide digital content to users through use of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). This is performed by leveraging a blockchain such that digital content associated with an item is made available to encourage the user to interact with NFTs on the service provider platform (e.g., discounts, NFT listing functionality, automatic initiation of NFT transfers, and so forth) based on a user's possession of the NFT.

Claims (47)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a service provider computing device, an input identifying a nonfungible token (NFT) associated with a physical item involved in a transaction;

locating, by the service provider computing device, a blockchain account associated with the NFT by querying a blockchain;

locating, by the service provider computing device, a service provider account of a service provider system based on the located blockchain account, the service provider account involved in the transaction;

generating, by the service provider computing device, digital content based at least in part on data obtained from the service provider account;

transmitting, by the service provider computing device for receipt by a client computing device, a subset of the digital content to be displayed in a user interface of the client computing device;

receiving, by the service provider computing device, a request to access the digital content from the client computing device responsive to display of the subset of digital content in the user interface at the client computing device;

transmitting, by the service provider computing device, a request to verify possession of the physical item responsive to the request to access the digital content;

obtaining, by the service provider computing device, at least one three-dimensional physical characteristic of the physical item from the client computing device, the at least one three-dimensional physical characteristic generated using a physical item scanner by the client computing device;

determining, by the service provider computing device, that the request to access the digital content is associated with possession of the NFT by verifying that the at least one three-dimensional physical characteristic of the physical item corresponds to a fingerprint of the NFT, the NFT including the fingerprint generated as describing the at least one three-dimensional physical characteristic of the physical item;

generating, by the service provider computing device, digital content for the service provider account responsive to the verifying; and

communicating, by the service provider computing device for receipt by the client computing device and display in the user interface at the client computing device, the digital content generated responsive to the verifying, the communicating performed responsive to the determining the request is associated with possession of the NFT.

2. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the determining the request is associated with the NFT includes verifying possession of the NFT.

3. The method as described in claim 2 , wherein the verifying further comprises receiving a key associated with the blockchain account.

4. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the transaction at least in part is performed by:

initiating, by the computing device, transfer of the NFT on the blockchain to the blockchain account;

transmitting, by the computing device, data to the blockchain about the NFT; and

receiving, by the computing device, indication that the NFT is in the blockchain account.

5. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the request is associated with possession of the NFT is performed responsive to detecting that a threshold amount of time has passed.

6. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the communicating includes transmitting the digital content to a network address associated with the service provider account.

7. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the locating the blockchain account includes obtaining a transaction history and associated blockchain accounts of one or more transactions involving the NFT.

8. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the digital content includes a transaction fee adjustment for a subsequent transaction by the service provider account.

9. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the digital content includes at least one of a market value determination of the NFT, a second NFT, a priority display location for a listing by the service provider account, or a discounted price for an asset.

10. A service provider computing device comprising:

a processing device; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, responsive to execution by the processing device, causes the processing device to perform operations including:

receiving an input identifying a nonfungible token (NFT) associated with a physical item involved in a transaction;

locating a blockchain account associated with the NFT by querying a blockchain;

locating a service provider account of a service provider system based on the located blockchain account, the service provider account involved in the transaction;

generating digital content based at least in part on data obtained from the service provider account;

transmitting, for receipt by a client computing device, a subset of the digital content to be displayed in a user interface of the client computing device;

receiving a request to access the digital content from the client computing device responsive to display of the subset of digital content in the user interface at the client computing device;

transmitting, for receipt by the client computing device, a request to verify possession of the physical item responsive to the request to access the digital content;

obtaining at least one three-dimensional physical characteristic of the physical item from the client computing device, the at least one three-dimensional physical characteristic generated using a physical item scanner by the client computing device;

determining that the request to access the digital content is associated with possession of the NFT by verifying that the at least one three-dimensional physical characteristic of the physical item corresponds to a fingerprint of the NFT, the NFT including the fingerprint generated as describing the at least one three-dimensional physical characteristics of the physical item;

generating digital content for the service provider account responsive to the verifying; and

communicating, for receipt by the client computing device and display in the user interface at the client computing device, the digital content generated responsive to the verifying, the communicating performed responsive to the determining the request is associated with possession of the NFT.

11. The service provider computing device as described in claim 10 , wherein the determining the request is associated with the NFT includes verifying possession of the NFT.

12. The service provider computing device as described in claim 11 , wherein the verifying further comprises receiving a key associated with the blockchain account.

13. The service provider computing device as described in claim 10 , wherein the transaction at least in part is performed by:

initiating, by the computing device, transfer of the NFT on the blockchain to the blockchain account;

transmitting, by the computing device, data to the blockchain about the NFT; and

receiving, by the computing device, indication that the NFT is in the blockchain account.

14. The service provider computing device as described in claim 10 , wherein the determining whether the request is associated with possession of the NFT is performed responsive to detecting that a threshold amount of time has passed.

15. The service provider computing device as described in claim 10 , wherein the communicating includes transmitting the digital content to a network address associated with the service provider account.

16. The service provider computing device as described in claim 10 , wherein the locating the blockchain account includes obtaining a transaction history and associated blockchain accounts of one or more transactions involving the NFT.

17. The service provider computing device as described in claim 10 , wherein the digital content includes a transaction fee adjustment for a subsequent transaction by the service provider account.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2021
From: VOSSELLER, SHANNON BRUCE; MATTHEWS, CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL
To: EBAY INC.
Reel/Frame 057674/0510 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230108983A1 · Apr 6, 2023
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