# US 12,225,143 B2 · Tracking subsea telecommunications asset capacity and spectrum

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- Number: US 12,225,143 B2
- Document ID: US12225143B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/812,116
- Filed: 2022-07-12
- Published: 2024-01-18
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-07-12
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google LLC
- Inventors: Matthew Paul Webster; Sean Christopher Kurbanick; Agnetha Garcia
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12225143B2

## CPC

- H04L 9/3236: {using cryptographic hash functions}
- H04L 9/50: {using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees}
- H04L 9/0825: {using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates}
- H04L 9/0872: {using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities}
- H04L 9/3239: {involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD}
- H04B 13/02: Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

A method includes generating a first asset token that represents control, by a first entity, of a portion of a physical communication asset. The method includes publishing, to a distributed ledger, ownership of the first asset token and receiving, from a second entity, a request to control the portion of the physical communication asset represented by the first asset token. In response to receiving the request, the method includes removing the first asset token from circulation on the distributed ledger and generating a second asset token representing control, by the second entity, of the portion of the physical communication asset. The method also includes publishing, to the distributed ledger, ownership of the second asset token and transferring, using the distributed ledger, ownership of the second asset token to the second entity.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method executed by data processing hardware of a first entity that causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
generating a first asset token, the first asset token representing control, by the first entity, of a portion of a physical communication asset, the first asset token comprising:
an unencrypted identity of the first entity; and
an unencrypted location of the physical communication asset;
publishing, to a distributed ledger, ownership of the first asset token;
receiving, from a second entity, a request to control the portion of the physical communication asset represented by the first asset token; and
in response to receiving the request:
removing the first asset token from circulation on the distributed ledger;
generating a second asset token, the second asset token representing control, by the second entity, of the portion of the physical communication asset, the second asset token comprising:
the unencrypted identity of the first entity;
an unencrypted identity of the second entity;
the unencrypted location of the physical communication asset;
contractual information encrypted by a data encryption key, the contractual information associated with transferring control of the portion of the physical communication asset from the first entity to the second entity; and
the data encryption key encrypted by a public key associated with the second entity;
publishing, to the distributed ledger, ownership of the second asset token; and
transferring, using the distributed ledger, ownership of the second asset token to the second entity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the physical communication asset comprises a subsea telecommunications asset; and
control of the portion of the physical communication asset comprises controlling a respective portion of a bandwidth capacity of the subsea telecommunications asset.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second asset token comprises:
generating the data encryption key; and
encrypting the contractual information with the data encryption key.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the second asset token further comprises an expiration; and
a smart contract, using the distributed ledger, automatically removes the second asset token from circulation upon expiration of the second asset token.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first asset token comprises signing the first asset token with a private encryption key associated with the first entity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein transferring ownership of the second asset token to the second entity comprises transferring ownership of the second asset token to an address of the distributed ledger associated with a public encryption key of the second entity.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein removing the first asset token from circulation on the distributed ledger comprises transferring ownership of the first asset token to an address of the distributed ledger associated with an unknown private encryption key.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:
generating a third asset token, the third asset token representing control, by a third entity, of a second portion of the physical communication asset different from the portion of the physical communication asset represented by the first asset token;
publishing, to the distributed ledger, ownership of the third asset token; and
transferring, using the distributed ledger, ownership of the third asset token to the third entity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the physical communication asset comprises:
a first end of a subsea communication cable; and
a second end of the subsea communication cable.

### Claim 10

A system comprising:
data processing hardware of a first entity; and
memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
generating a first asset token, the first asset token representing control, by the first entity, of a portion of a physical communication asset, the first asset token comprising:
an unencrypted identity of the first entity; and
an unencrypted location of the physical communication asset;
publishing, to a distributed ledger, ownership of the first asset token;
receiving, from a second entity, a request to control the portion of the physical communication asset represented by the first asset token; and
in response to receiving the request:
removing the first asset token from circulation on the distributed ledger;
generating a second asset token, the second asset token representing control, by the second entity, of the portion of the physical communication asset, the second asset token comprising:
the unencrypted identity of the first entity;
an unencrypted identity of the second entity;
the unencrypted location of the physical communication asset;
contractual information encrypted by a data encryption key, the contractual information associated with transferring control of the portion of the physical communication asset from the first entity to the second entity; and
the data encryption key encrypted by a public key associated with the second entity;
publishing, to the distributed ledger, ownership of the second asset token; and
transferring, using the distributed ledger, ownership of the second asset token to the second entity.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein:
the physical communication asset comprises a subsea telecommunications asset; and
control of the portion of the physical communication asset comprises controlling a respective portion of a bandwidth capacity of the subsea telecommunications asset.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein generating the second asset token comprises:
generating the data encryption key; and
encrypting the contractual information with the data encryption key.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein:
the second asset token further comprises an expiration; and
a smart contract, using the distributed ledger, automatically removes the second asset token from circulation upon expiration of the second asset token.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein generating the first asset token comprises signing the first asset token with a private encryption key associated with the first entity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein transferring ownership of the second asset token to the second entity comprises transferring ownership of the second asset token to an address of the distributed ledger associated with a public encryption key of the second entity.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein removing the first asset token from circulation on the distributed ledger comprises transferring ownership of the first asset token to an address of the distributed ledger associated with an unknown private encryption key.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:
generating a third asset token, the third asset token representing control, by a third entity, of a second portion of the physical communication asset different from the portion of the physical communication asset represented by the first asset token;
publishing, to the distributed ledger, ownership of the third asset token; and
transferring, using the distributed ledger, ownership of the third asset token to the third entity.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the location of the physical communication asset comprises:
a first end of a subsea communication cable; and
a second end of the subsea communication cable.