IP Library Granted Patent US 11,621,846
Granted Patent B2
US 11,621,846 · App. 17/212,931 · Granted Apr 4, 2023

Privacy protecting transparency tree for device attestation

Inventors: Igor Stolbikov (Apex, NC); Rod D Waltermann (Rougemont, NC); Scott Wentao Li (Cary, NC); Ratan Ray (Cary, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H04L9/3218G06F16/9027H04L9/0825
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,621,846
App. No.
17/212,931
Granted
Apr 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a binary tree having leaf hashes. The leaf hashes include a device privacy protected index and a set of zero-knowledge commitments relating to a computer device. The system calculates the device privacy protected index using a verifiable random function such that a device entity path in the binary tree cannot reveal any information about any other device in the binary tree, and associates the set of zero-knowledge commitments with the device privacy protected index. The system then generates a privacy-protected attestation for the computer device using the device privacy protected index and the set of zero-knowledge commitments.

Claims (43)

1. A computerized process comprising:

receiving into a computer processor a binary tree comprising a plurality of leaf hashes, the leaf hashes comprising a device privacy protected index and a set of zero-knowledge commitments relating to a computer device;

calculating the device privacy protected index using a verifiable random function such that a device entity path in the binary tree cannot reveal any information about any other device in the binary tree;

associating the set of zero-knowledge commitments with the device privacy protected index; and

generating a privacy-protected attestation for the computer device using the device privacy protected index and the set of zero-knowledge commitments;

wherein the binary tree comprises a Merkle binary tree; and

wherein a root of the Merkle tree is signed with a provider private key and the root is verified with an associated public key.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises data relating to one or more of a device credential, a device attribute, a device manufacture, device firmware, a device performance characteristic, device warranty information, on-chip firmware, and a flash drive binary.

3. The process of claim 1 , comprising calculating the device privacy protected index from a computer device identifier.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the set of zero-knowledge commitments comprises data relating to one or more of a commitment to a public key, a commitment to a device attribute, a commitment to a device identification, and a commitment to a solution identification.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises authenticating the computer device to a third party, the authenticating comprising:

communicating a device identity and a public key to the third party;

receiving a verification from the third party; and

transmitting signed attributes to the third party.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises an authentication or an identification between a first computer device and a second computer device.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises a computer device verifying its own attributes using the set of zero-knowledge commitments.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the verifiable random function comprises a pseudorandom function that requires a public key and a seed value.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor execute a process comprising:

receiving into a computer processor a binary tree comprising a plurality of leaf hashes, the leaf hashes comprising a device privacy protected index and a set of zero-knowledge commitments relating to a computer device;

calculating the device privacy protected index using a verifiable random function such that a device entity path in the binary tree cannot reveal any information about any other device in the binary tree;

associating the set of zero-knowledge commitments with the device privacy protected index; and

generating a privacy-protected attestation for the computer device using the device privacy protected index and the set of zero-knowledge commitments;

wherein the binary tree comprises a Merkle binary tree; and

wherein a root of the Merkle tree is signed with a provider private key and the root is verified with an associated public key.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises data relating to one or more of a device credential, a device attribute, a device manufacture, firmware, a device performance characteristic, device warranty information, on-chip firmware, and a flash drive binary; and wherein the set of zero-knowledge commitments comprises data relating to one or more of a commitment to a public key, a commitment to a device attribute, a commitment to a device identification, and a commitment to a solution identification.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , comprising instructions for calculating the device privacy protected index from a computer device identifier.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises instructions for authenticating the computer device to a third party, and the authenticating comprises:

communicating a device identity and a public key to the third party;

receiving a verification from the third party; and

transmitting signed attributes to the third party.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises an authentication or identification between a first computer device and a second computer device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the privacy-protected attestation comprises a computer device verifying its own attributes using the set of zero-knowledge commitments.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the verifiable random function comprises a pseudorandom function that requires a public key and a seed value.

16. A system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a computer memory coupled to the computer processor;

wherein the computer processor is operatable for:

receiving into a computer processor a binary tree comprising a plurality of leaf hashes, the leaf hashes comprising a device privacy protected index and a set of zero-knowledge commitments relating to a computer device;

calculating the device privacy protected index using a verifiable random function such that a device entity path in the binary tree cannot reveal any information about any other device in the binary tree;

associating the set of zero-knowledge commitments with the device privacy protected index; and

generating a privacy-protected attestation for the computer device using the device privacy protected index and the set of zero-knowledge commitments;

wherein the binary tree comprises a Merkle binary tree; and

wherein a root of the Merkle tree is signed with a provider private key and the root is verified with an associated public key.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 070269/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2025
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070266/0918 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: STOLBIKOV, IGOR; WALTERMANN, ROD D.; LI, SCOTT WENTAO; RAY, RATAN
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 055723/0595 →
Continuity (1)
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