# US 2023/0275751 A1 · Decentralized Cryptography

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- Number: US 2023/0275751 A1
- Document ID: US20230275751A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/813,478
- Filed: 2022-07-19
- Published: 2023-08-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-07-19
- Assignees: Workgraph, Inc.
- Applicants: Workgraph, Inc.
- Inventors: David Sneider; Christopher Cassano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230275751A1

## CPC

- H04L 9/085: {Secret sharing or secret splitting, e.g. threshold schemes}
- H04L 9/50: {using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees}
- H04L 9/0819: {Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) (network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062)}
- H04L 9/0825: {using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates}
- H04L 9/088: {Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms (network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068)}
- H04L 9/3242: {involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC}
- H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures}
- H04L 9/3255: {using group based signatures, e.g. ring or threshold signatures}
- H04L 9/3297: {involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps}
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for decentralized cryptography and encryption on a network of decentralized nodes. The invention further relates to creation of private network key shares by multiple nodes on the network and receiving requests from the network to use the private network key shares. The invention further relates to performing operations with the private network key shares, wherein the operation produces a result that is provided to the network.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for decentralized cryptography and encryption comprising:
accessing a network of decentralized nodes;
receiving a request from the network to create a share of a private network key;
creating a share of a private network key in response to the request, wherein another node on the network has another share of the private network key;
receiving a request from the network to use the private network key share;
performing an operation with the private network key share, wherein the operation produces a result; and,
providing the result of the operation performed with the private network key share to the network.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a request from a user of the network to create a signature share of the private network key share;
creating a signature share of the private network key share; and,
providing the signature share to the user over the network.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 further comprising:
receiving with the request access control conditions for the private network key; and
verifying the access control conditions are met before creating the signature share.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a request from a user of the network to create a decryption share of the private network key share; and,
creating a decryption share of the private network key share; and,
providing the decryption share to the user over the network.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 further comprising:
receiving with the request access control conditions for the private network key; and
verifying the access control conditions are met before creating the decryption share.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the request comprises executable code and further comprising executing the code to define the use of the private network key share.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the use of the private network key share comprises creating a signature share of the private network key share.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the use of the private network key share comprises creating a decryption share of the private network key share.

### Claim 9

A method for storing and retrieving an encrypted cryptographic key subject to limited access conditions comprising:
storing an encrypted cryptographic key, wherein storing comprises:
generating a symmetric key,
encrypting the symmetric key with a network public key,
hashing the encrypted symmetric key,
hashing access control conditions data;
establishing secure communication channel with a secure enclave inside a node in the network;
communicating to nodes that hashed access control conditions data is associated with hashed encrypted symmetric key; and,
storing the hashed access control conditions data associated with the hashed encrypted symmetric key with an index on the hashed encrypted symmetric key;
retrieving the encrypted cryptographic key, wherein retrieving comprises:
establishing secure communication channel with a secure enclave inside a node in the network;
presenting encrypted symmetric key and a timestamped signature proving control of blockchain address to nodes in a subnet storing the cryptographic key;
hashing the encrypted symmetric key;
verifying timestamped signature;
confirming network address satisfies access control condition;
decrypting encrypted symmetric key with key share;
returning decrypted share of symmetric key;
combining decryption shares to produce symmetric key; and,
decrypting encrypted cryptographic data with symmetric key.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 further comprising:
setting the access control conditions, wherein setting comprises:
selecting access control conditions;
selecting encrypted cryptographic key to be subj ect of control conditions;
hashing encrypted cryptographic key;
hashing access control conditions;
establishing secure communication channel with a secure enclave inside a node in the network;
telling node that hashed access control conditions is associated with hashed encrypted cryptographic key;
communicating to the network that hashed access control conditions are associated with hashed encrypted cryptographic key; and,
storing encrypted cryptographic key.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the access control conditions is that a user holds a specified token.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the token is a non-fungible token.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the network is a blockchain,

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the network is a blockchain.

### Claim 15

A computing system for cryptography and encryption comprising:
a computing node comprising memory and a processor,
a component configured to accesses a network of decentralized nodes;
a component configured to receive a request from the network to create a share of a private network key;
a component configured to create a share of a private network key in response to the request, wherein another node on the network has another share of the private network key;
a component configured to receive a request from the network to use the private network key share;
a component configured to perform an operation with the private network key share, wherein the operation produces a result; and,
a component configured to provide the result of the operation performed with the private network key share to the network.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15 further comprising:
a component configured to receive a request from a user of the network to create a signature share of the private network key share;
a component configured to create a signature share of the private network key share; and,
a component configured to provide the signature share to the user over the network.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The computing system of claim 16 further comprising:
a component configured to receive with the request access control conditions for the private network key; and
a component configured to verify the access control conditions are met before creating the signature share.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15 further comprising:
a component configured to receive a request from a user of the network to create a decryption share of the private network key share;
a component configured to create a decryption share of the private network key share; and,
a component configured to provide the decryption share to the user over the network.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The computing system of claim 18 further comprising:
a component configured to receive with the request access control conditions for the private network key; and
a component configured to verify the access control conditions are met before creating the decryption share.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15 wherein the request comprises executable code further comprising a component to execute the code to define the use of the private network key share.
