Granted Patent B2

US 12,726,371 · App. 18/313,793 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Justin Fortuna (Poland, OH); Michael Owens (Canfield, OH); Allen C. Conti (Canfield, OH)

Assignee: The Everest Project LLC

H04L9/50G06F21/105G06Q20/02G06Q20/065G06Q20/342G06Q20/36G06Q20/3672G06Q20/3674G06Q20/3829G06Q30/06H04L9/0897H04L9/3213

Abstract

Claims (84)

1 . A method of controlling title to a tangible item comprising:

minting at least one non-fungible token (NFT) to a blockchain representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale;

minting at least one additional NFT to the blockchain representing a digital title to the tangible item;

minting at least a second additional NFT to the blockchain with data about the tangible item, including at least one of a description of the tangible item, an appraisal of the tangible item, a certificate of authenticity for the tangible item, and a physical location of the tangible item, the tangible item thereby having at least three NFT's linked thereto including the at least one NFT representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale, the at least one additional NFT representing the digital title to the tangible item, and the at least a second additional NFT with data about the tangible item; and

transferring all of the at least one NFT and at least one additional NFT minted to the blockchain to a controlled program digital wallet owned by a purchaser of the tangible item;

wherein the controlled program digital wallet is programmatically restricted to prevent any outgoing transfer of the NFTs unless a non-reversible three-part wallet security is finalized;

wherein finalizing the three-part wallet security comprises dividing at least one digital wallet key into a first part, a second part, and a third part, encrypting the first part with an activation program interface (API) cipher and storing the first part in a minter database on a network separate from the minter, encrypting the second part with a server cipher and storing the second part in the controlled program digital wallet, and encrypting the third part with the server cipher and storing the third part in a native application separate from the controlled program digital wallet;

wherein access to transfer functionality requires verification that the decrypted parts reassembled for the wallet key match original data;

wherein transferring all of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted from the controlled program digital wallet to the digital wallet owned by the purchaser occurs only after the non-reversible three-part wallet security is finalized and verification has succeeded and after the minting of the digital title.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

listing the tangible item for sale on a public marketplace;

selling the tangible item to the purchaser;

minting a digital deed to the blockchain to certify a purchase by the purchaser; and

transferring all of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted from the controlled program digital wallet to a digital wallet owned by the purchaser.

3 . The method of claim 2 further comprising delivering physical possession of the tangible item to the purchaser.

4 . The method of claim 2 further comprising storing the tangible item on behalf of the purchaser.

5 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:

encrypting the third part of the at least one encrypted wallet key with the second cipher.

6 . The method of claim 2 wherein the first cipher further comprises an activation programming interface (API) cipher.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the second cipher further comprises a server cipher.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein minting the at least one NFT representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale further comprises minting a plurality of NFTs representing a plurality of images of the tangible item, wherein each image of the plurality of images is minted as a single NFT.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising creating the controlled program digital wallet owned by the seller of the tangible item prior to transferring all of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted to the blockchain.

10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

re-listing the tangible item for a subsequent sale by the purchaser;

selling the tangible item to a second purchaser;

minting a second digital deed to the blockchain to certify the second purchase; and

transferring all of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted from the digital wallet owned by the purchaser to a digital wallet owned by the second purchaser.

11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising delivering physical possession of the tangible item to the second purchaser.

12 . The method of claim 10 further comprising storing the tangible item on behalf of the second purchaser.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the minting of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT is performed by a dedicated minter in direct communication with an activation application programming interface (API) request queue, the minting of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT is dedicated to a single blockchain and configured to eliminate bridges for increased speed and security.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein an activation and an installation of the third part is performable only via a native device application or near-field communication (NFC) location and cannot be initiated via a web browser.

15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the native application continually prompts the user to complete the three-part wallet security and sends notifications until finalized, and the three-part wallet security cannot be undone once triggered.

16 . The method of claim 1 wherein the verification of the reassembled wallet key comprises decrypting the second part with a server cipher and decrypting the third part with the server cipher, assembling decrypted parts, and comparing to original data.

17 . A system comprising:

at least smart device hosting a native application;

at least one processor capable of executing logical functions in operable communication with the native application;

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, implements operations to control title to a tangible item, the instructions comprising:

mint at least one non-fungible token (NFT) to a blockchain representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale;

list the tangible item for sale on a public marketplace;

complete a sales transaction of the tangible item to a purchaser;

mint at least one additional NFT to the blockchain representing a digital title to the tangible item upon the completed sales transaction of the tangible item;

mint at least a second additional NFT to the blockchain with data about the tangible item, including at least one of a description of the tangible item, an appraisal of the tangible item, a certificate of authenticity for the tangible item, and a physical location of the tangible item, the tangible item thereby having at least three NFT's linked thereto including the at least one NFT representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale, the at least one additional NFT representing the digital title to the tangible item, and the at least a second additional NFT with data about the tangible item;

transfer the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted to the blockchain to a controlled program digital wallet owned by a seller of the tangible item;

enforce a programmatic restriction that blocks any outgoing transfer of the NFTs unless anon-reversible three-part wallet security is finalized;

divide at least one wallet key into first, second, and third parts, encrypting the first part with an activation program interface (API) cipher and storing the first part in a minter database on a network separate from the minter, encrypting the second part with a server cipher and storing the second part in the controlled program digital wallet, and encrypting the third part with the server cipher and storing the third part in the native application;

verify integrity by decrypting and assembling the first, second, and third parts and comparing to original data before enabling transfer;

mint a digital deed to the blockchain to certify a purchase by the purchaser; and

transfer the at least one NFT and the at least one additional the NFT minted from the controlled program digital wallet to a digital wallet owned by the purchaser only after verification has succeeded and the digital deed is minted; and

initiate delivery or storage of the tangible item for the purchaser.

18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the instructions further comprise:

re-list the tangible item for a subsequent sale by the purchaser;

sell the tangible item to a second purchaser;

mint a second digital deed to the blockchain to certify the second purchase; and

transfer the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted from the digital wallet owned by the purchaser to a digital wallet owned by the second purchaser.

19 . A system comprising:

at least smart device hosting a native application;

at least one processor capable of executing logical functions in operable communication with the native application;

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, implements operations to control title to a tangible item, the instructions comprising:

mint at least one non-fungible token (NFT) to a blockchain representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale;

list the tangible item for sale on a public marketplace;

complete a sales transaction of the tangible item to a purchaser;

mint at least one additional NFT to the blockchain representing a digital title to the tangible item upon the completed sales transaction of the tangible item, the tangible item thereby having at least two NFT's linked thereto including the at least one NFT representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale and the at least one additional NFT representing the digital title to the tangible item; and

transfer the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted to the blockchain to a controlled program digital wallet owned by a purchaser of the tangible item;

wherein the controlled program digital wallet is programmatically restricted to prevent any outgoing transfer of the NFTs unless anon-reversible three-part wallet security is finalized;

wherein finalizing the three-part wallet security comprises dividing at least one digital wallet key into a first part, a second part, and a third part, encrypting the first part with an activation program interface (API) cipher and storing the first part in a minter database on a network separate from the minter, encrypting the second part with a server cipher and storing the second part in the controlled program digital wallet, and encrypting the third part with the server cipher and storing the third part in a native application separate from the controlled program digital wallet;

wherein access to transfer functionality requires verification that the decrypted parts reassembled for the wallet key match original data;

wherein transferring all of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted from the controlled program digital wallet to the digital wallet owned by the purchaser occurs only after the non-reversible three-part wallet security is finalized and verification has succeeded and after the minting of the digital title.

20 . The system of claim 17 wherein the native application issues persistent prompts and notifications until the three-part wallet security is finalized, and the three-part wallet security cannot be undone once triggered.

21 . A system comprising:

at least smart device hosting a native application;

at least one processor capable of executing logical functions in operable communication with the native application;

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, implements operations to control title to a tangible item, the instructions comprising:

mint at least one non-fungible token (NFT) to a blockchain representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale;

list the tangible item for sale on a public marketplace;

complete a sales transaction of the tangible item to a purchaser;

mint at least one additional NFT to the blockchain representing a digital title to the tangible item upon the completed sales transaction of the tangible item, the tangible item thereby having at least two NFT's linked thereto including the at least one NFT representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale and the at least one additional NFT representing the digital title to the tangible item; and

transfer the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted to the blockchain to a controlled program digital wallet owned by a purchaser of the tangible item;

wherein the controlled program digital wallet is programmatically restricted to prevent any outgoing transfer of the NFTs unless a non-reversible three-part wallet security is finalized;

wherein finalizing the three-part wallet security comprises dividing at least one digital wallet key into a first part, a second part, and a third part, encrypting the first part with an API cipher and storing the first part in a minter database on a network separate from the minter, encrypting the second part with a server cipher and storing the second part in the controlled program digital wallet, and encrypting the third part with the server cipher and storing the third part in a native application separate from the controlled program digital wallet;

wherein access to transfer functionality requires verification that the decrypted parts reassembled for the wallet key match original data;

wherein transferring all of the at least one NFT and the at least one additional NFT minted from the controlled program digital wallet to the digital wallet owned by the purchaser occurs only after the non-reversible three-part wallet security is finalized and verification has succeeded and after the minting of the digital title.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further comprise: mint at least a second additional NFT to the blockchain with data about the tangible item, the tangible item thereby having at least three NFT's linked thereto including the at least one NFT representing at least one image of a tangible item for sale and the at least one additional NFT representing the digital title to the tangible item, and the at least a second additional NFT with data about the tangible item.

23 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further comprise:

mint a digital deed to the blockchain to certify a purchase by the purchaser.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (55)