IP Library Granted Patent US 12,639,439
Granted Patent B2
US 12,639,439 · App. 18/775,530 · Granted May 26, 2026

Distributed ledger-based hybrid quantum machine learning ransomware security

Inventors: Hiranmayi Palanki (Tampa, FL); John Thomas Hancock, III (Deerfield Beach, FL)
Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
G06F21/566G06F11/1451G06F21/602G06N3/0464G06N10/20G06F2221/034
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,639,439
App. No.
18/775,530
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are various approaches for distributed ledger-based hybrid quantum ransomware security. In some examples, ransomware detection can be performed on a file. The ransomware detection can include converting the file into image data comprising an image data format, processing the image data using a convolutional neural network to generate a feature map, and providing the feature map to a variational quantum circuit machine learning engine. An action can be performed based at least in part on an output from the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine.

Claims (36)

1 . A system, comprising:

at least one computing device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory; and

machine-readable instructions stored in the at least one memory that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one computing device to at least:

convert a file into image data based at least in part on reformatting a particular data format of the file to an image data format;

process the image data using a convolutional neural network that generates at least one feature map;

provide the at least one feature map to a variational quantum circuit machine learning engine; and

perform at least one action based at least in part on an output from the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine and the convolutional neural network are components of a hybrid quantum ransomware detection application that utilizes a digital computing environment and a quantum computing environment to perform the ransomware detection process.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the file is an executable file comprising a binary data format, and the file is converted based at least in part on reformatting the binary data format to the image data format.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one computing device to at least:

process data from the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine using a neural network that provides at least one probability indicating whether the file includes ransomware.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one computing device to at least:

determine that at least one file characteristic specified in a ransomware security automated contract executed in a distributed ledger environment indicates that the file is to be examined for ransomware.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ransomware detection process is determined to be performed on a file based at least in part on at least one rule specified in a ransomware security automated contract executed in a distributed ledger environment.

7 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising machine-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the at least one computing device to at least:

convert a file into image data based at least in part on reformatting a particular data format of the file to an image data format;

process the image data using a convolutional neural network that generates at least one feature map;

provide the at least one feature map to a variational quantum circuit machine learning engine; and

perform at least one action based at least in part on an output from the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine.

8 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine and the convolutional neural network are components of a hybrid quantum ransomware detection application that utilizes a digital computing environment and a quantum computing environment to perform the ransomware detection process.

9 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the file is an executable file comprising a binary data format, and the file is converted based at least in part on reformatting the binary data format to the image data format.

10 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one computing device to at least:

process data from the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine using a neural network that provides at least one probability indicating whether the file includes ransomware.

11 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the machine-readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one computing device to at least:

determine that at least one file characteristic specified in a ransomware security automated contract executed in a distributed ledger environment indicates that the file is to be examined for ransomware.

12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the ransomware detection process is determined to be performed on a file based at least in part on at least one rule specified in a ransomware security automated contract executed in a distributed ledger environment.

13 . A method, comprising:

converting a file into image data based at least in part on reformatting a particular data format of the file to an image data format;

processing the image data using a convolutional neural network that generates at least one feature map;

providing the at least one feature map to a variational quantum circuit machine learning engine; and

performing at least one action based at least in part on an output from the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine and the convolutional neural network are components of a hybrid quantum ransomware detection application that utilizes a digital computing environment and a quantum computing environment to perform the ransomware detection process.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the file is an executable file comprising a binary data format, and the file is converted based at least in part on reformatting the binary data format to the image data format.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising processing data from the variational quantum circuit machine learning engine using a neural network that provides at least one probability indicating whether the file includes ransomware.

17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining that at least one file characteristic specified in a ransomware security automated contract executed in a distributed ledger environment indicates that the file is to be examined for ransomware.

18 . The method of claim 13 wherein the ransomware detection process is determined to be performed on a file based at least in part on at least one rule specified in a ransomware security automated contract executed in a distributed ledger environment.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2024
From: HANCOCK, JOHN THOMAS, III; PALANKI, HIRANMAYI
To: AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL RELATED SERVICES COMPANY, INC.
Reel/Frame 068018/0809 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20260023851A1 · Jan 22, 2026
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