Method and system for managing digital evidence using a blockchain
AssigneeThomson Reuters Enterprise Centre Gmb
InventorPaul SACHS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer-implemented method and system for managing digital evidence using a blockchain. The method comprises receiving an evidence data file, the evidence data file being identified by: an evidence identifier, and a hash code computed from the evidence data file; generating a block for the blockchain by combining data indicative of: a hash of a previous block in the blockchain, the evidence identifier, and the hash code computed from the evidence data file; and storing the generated block as a new block in the blockchain, wherein the method further comprises: outputting at least part of the data in the blockchain in response to a user request to enable a user to verify the authenticity of the evidence data file using the data in the blockchain.
Claims19
A computer-implemented method for managing digital evidence using a blockchain, the method comprising:
- receiving a user request to verify the authenticity of an evidence data file, the evidence data file being identified by:
- an evidence identifier, and
- a hash code computed from the evidence data file;
- searching a blockchain for the evidence identifier, the blockchain having a block comprising data indicative of:
- a hash of a previous block in the blockchain,
- the evidence identifier,
- the hash code computed from the evidence data file,
- a transformation operation, which produces a transformed evidence data file in the form of an image file from at least part of the evidence data file which, when decoded and viewed on a display screen, represents the appearance of at least part of the evidence data file;
- and
- a timestamp indicating the time at which the transformation operation was performed;
- wherein, if the evidence identifier is found in the blockchain, outputting an authenticity indicator to the user to notify the user that the evidence data file is verified as authentic by the data in the blockchain;
- decoding and displaying the image file in response to a request from the user;
- and
- displaying an authenticity indicator to the user with the image file, the authenticity indicator being indicative of data in the blockchain to notify a user viewing the authenticity indicator that the image file is verified as authentic by the data in the blockchain.
A system for managing digital evidence using a blockchain, the system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory, the memory storing executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
- receive a user request to verify the authenticity of an evidence data file, the evidence data file being identified by:
- an evidence identifier, and
- a hash code computed from the evidence data file;
- search a blockchain for the evidence identifier, the blockchain having a block comprising data indicative of:
- a hash of a previous block in the blockchain,
- the evidence identifier,
- the hash code computed from the evidence data file,
- a transformation operation, which produces a transformed evidence data file in the form of an image file from at least part of the evidence data file which,
- when decoded and viewed on a display screen, represents the appearance of at least part of the evidence data file;
- and
- a timestamp indicating the time at which the transformation operation was performed;
- wherein, if the evidence identifier is found in the blockchain, the system outputs an authenticity indicator to the user to notify the user that the evidence data file is verified as authentic by the data in the blockchain;
- decode and display the image file in response to a request from the user;
- and
- display an authenticity indicator to the user with the image file, the authenticity indicator being indicative of data in the blockchain to notify a user viewing the authenticity indicator that the image file is verified as authentic by the data in the blockchain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.