# US 10,771,241 B2 · Time authentication method, apparatus and device in blockchain-type ledger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,241 B2 - Document ID: US10771241B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/803,289 - Filed: 2020-02-27 - Published: 2020-06-18 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-23 - Assignees: Alibaba Group Holding Limited - Applicants: Alibaba Group Holding Limited - Inventors: Xinying Yang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771241B2 ## CPC - H04L 9/0643: {Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC} - H04L 9/3239: {involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD} - G06F 16/9027: {Trees} - H04L 9/0637: {Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM]} - H04L 9/3236: {using cryptographic hash functions} - H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures} - H04L 9/3265: {using certificate chains, trees or paths; Hierarchical trust model} - H04L 9/3268: {using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]} - H04L 9/3297: {involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps} - H04L 9/50: {using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Computer-implemented methods, systems, and non-transitory, computer-readable media for server-based time authentication of blockchain-type ledgers are provided. One computer implemented method includes: determining at least one ledger that needs time authentication and includes one or more consecutive data blocks. For each ledger, determining ledger information corresponding to the ledger and including a plurality of items, such as: an identifier of the ledger, a block height of a starting block of the ledger, a block height of an ending block of the ledger, and a root hash of a Merkle tree formed by the one or more consecutive data blocks in the ledger. The ledger information is sent to a trusted time authentication agency for time authentication on each of the plurality of items. A time certificate, including a timestamp, the ledger information, and a digital signature of the time authentication agency is received from the time authentication agency. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for server-based time authentication of blockchain-type ledgers, comprising: determining at least one ledger that needs time authentication, wherein the at least one ledger includes one or more consecutive data blocks; and for each of the at least one ledger: determining, ledger information corresponding to the ledger, wherein the ledger information includes a plurality of items including an identifier of the ledger, a block height of a starting block of the ledger, a block height of an ending block of the ledger, and a root hash of a Merkle tree formed by the one or more consecutive data blocks in the ledger; sending the ledger information to a trusted time authentication agency for time authentication on each of the plurality of items; and receiving a time certificate from the trusted time authentication agency, wherein the time certificate includes a timestamp, the ledger information, and a digital signature of the trusted time authentication agency. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more consecutive data blocks in the ledger are generated by performing operations comprising: receiving data records to be stored; determining that a predetermined condition of generating a data block is satisfied; and generating the data block that includes at least a portion of the data records. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the data block is a starting data block of the ledger that further includes one or more predetermined hash values and has a predetermined block-height. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the data block is not a starting data block of the ledger, the data block further includes a hash value generated based on the at least a portion of the data records and a hash value of an immediately preceding data block, and a time the data block is generated, and wherein a block height of the data block is greater than a block height of the immediately preceding data block. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined condition of generating a data block is one of a volume of the data records reaches a predetermined threshold and a last data block has been generated for a predetermined time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items included in the ledger information has a predetermined quantity limit or size limit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one ledger is determined based on a registration list, and the registration list includes ledger identifications corresponding to ledgers that are registered to be time authenticated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the registration list further includes times when corresponding ledgers are registered to be time authenticated, and the at least one ledger is registered within a predetermined time interval. ### Claim 9 A computer-implemented system, comprising: one or more computers; and one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform operations for server-based time authentication of blockchain-type ledgers, comprising: determining at least one ledger that needs time authentication, wherein the at least one ledger includes one or more consecutive data blocks; and for each of the at least one ledger: determining, ledger information corresponding to the ledger, wherein the ledger information includes a plurality of items including an identifier of the ledger, a block height of a starting block of the ledger, a block height of an ending block of the ledger, and a root hash of a Merkle tree formed by the one or more consecutive data blocks in the ledger; sending the ledger information to a trusted time authentication agency for time authentication on each of the plurality of items; and receiving a time certificate from the trusted time authentication agency, wherein the time certificate includes a timestamp, the ledger information, and a digital signature of the trusted time authentication agency. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented system of claim 9, wherein the one or more consecutive data blocks in the ledger are generated by performing operations comprising: receiving data records to be stored; determining that a predetermined condition of generating a data block is satisfied; and generating the data block that includes at least a portion of the data records. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the data block is a starting data block of the ledger that further includes one or more predetermined hash values and has a predetermined block-height. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computer-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the data block is not a starting data block of the ledger, the data block further includes a hash value generated based on the at least a portion of the data records and a hash value of an immediately preceding data block, and a time the data block is generated, and wherein a block height of the data block is greater than a block height of the immediately preceding data block. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computer-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined condition of generating a data block is one of a volume of the data records reaches a predetermined threshold and a last data block has been generated for a predetermined time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of items included in the ledger information has a predetermined quantity limit or size limit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The computer-implemented system of claim 9, wherein the at least one ledger is determined based on a registration list, and the registration list includes ledger identifications corresponding to ledgers that are registered to be time authenticated. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, wherein the registration list further includes times when corresponding ledgers are registered to be time authenticated, and the at least one ledger is registered within a predetermined time interval. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations for server-based time authentication of blockchain-type ledgers, comprising: determining at least one ledger that needs time authentication, wherein the at least one ledger includes one or more consecutive data blocks; and for each of the at least one ledger: determining, ledger information corresponding to the ledger, wherein the ledger information includes a plurality of items including an identifier of the ledger, a block height of a starting block of the ledger, a block height of an ending block of the ledger, and a root hash of a Merkle tree formed by the one or more consecutive data blocks in the ledger; sending the ledger information to a trusted time authentication agency for time authentication on each of the plurality of items; and receiving a time certificate from the trusted time authentication agency, wherein the time certificate includes a timestamp, the ledger information, and a digital signature of the trusted time authentication agency. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more consecutive data blocks in the ledger are generated by performing operations comprising: receiving data records to be stored; determining that a predetermined condition of generating a data block is satisfied; and generating the data block that includes at least a portion of the data records. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the data block is a starting data block of the ledger that further includes one or more predetermined hash values and has a predetermined block-height. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the data block is not a starting data block of the ledger, the data block further includes a hash value generated based on the at least a portion of the data records and a hash value of an immediately preceding data block, and a time the data block is generated, and wherein a block height of the data block is greater than a block height of the immediately preceding data block. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the predetermined condition of generating a data block is one of a volume of the data records reaches a predetermined threshold and a last data block has been generated for a predetermined time. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of items included in the ledger information has a predetermined quantity limit or size limit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one ledger is determined based on a registration list, and the registration list includes ledger identifications corresponding to ledgers that are registered to be time authenticated. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the registration list further includes times when corresponding ledgers are registered to be time authenticated, and the at least one ledger is registered within a predetermined time interval.