Method and device for assigning an NFT

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for allocating a non-fungible cryptographic token to a user, said method being implemented by an allocation device characterized in that it comprises: a first step of sending at least one parameter to a device of interest; a first step of receiving at least one piece of data from said device of interest, said data being generated based on said at least one parameter sent; a second step of sending a request to the user to allocate said non-fungible cryptographic token, said request being sent to a proxy smart contract registered on a blockchain and including said at least one piece of data received. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Method and device for allocating an NFT

[0001] 1. Field of the invention

[0002] The invention relates to the general field of telecommunications networks, and more specifically to blockchain technology.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] Traditionally, blockchains manage cryptocurrencies (currency issued peer-to-peer without the intervention of a central bank). One example is the decentralized electronic currency Bitcoin, created in 2009. However, new uses related to blockchains have recently emerged. This is the case, for example, of the digital art market, which relies on NFT (Non Fungible Token) technology based on blockchain smart contracts. In concrete terms, this technology allows the creation and management of an unfalsifiable digital certificate of ownership of a digital object. Thus, it is possible to buy a "tweet", a virtual object located in a metaverse / video game, a digital work of art (an icon, an animated image, a painting) or any other transferable digital object.

[0005] The digital art market offers collections of works generated via the principle of generative art (digital collections created by algorithms). Concretely, an entire collection is generated from the same digital object (for example an image) to which variants are applied (modification of color, graphic elements of the image, photo filter, etc.). The factors that create the change are called "attributes". The distribution of these attributes is random and does not necessarily follow an equiprobability model. Thus, certain variants and consequently the associated NFTs, are rarer. NFTs are then used to attest to a form of rarity.

[0006] It must be noted that it is currently not possible to make the creation of an NFT conditional on the proximity of a point of interest, for example a specific location, or on the presence of a third party capable of generating the NFT.

[0007] 3. Statement of the invention

[0008] The invention improves the state of the art and proposes a method for allocating, to a user, a non-fungible cryptographic token, said method being implemented by an allocation device characterized in that it comprises: - a first step of transmitting to a device of interest at least one parameter; - a first step of receiving at least one piece of data from said device of interest, said data being generated as a function of said at least one parameter transmitted; - a second step of issuing a request to allocate said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user, said request being issued to a proxy smart contract registered in a blockchain and comprising said at least one received data item.

[0009] Advantageously, the invention allows the allocation to a user of a non-fungible cryptographic token (or NFT). Concretely, the method transmits to a device of interest one or more parameters which may include attributes. These parameters are for example character strings such as an electronic address (email, IP, blockchain, etc.), a particular sentence, an enumeration of colors or any element allowing for example the generation of a digital object / NFT pair and / or the selection of an NFT from a collection of NFTs. Note that these parameters can be obtained from a third-party terminal or via a human-machine interface of the allocation device.

[0010] The device of interest then generates data based on the parameters received. This data is for example a set of character strings comprising the parameters received and / or additional parameters obtained by the device of interest (the additional parameters being able to be obtained based on a parameter received) and / or an identifier of the device of interest. This data is then sent by the device of interest to the method (allocation device) and then re-sent by the method to a proxy smart contract registered in a blockchain in a request for allocation of a non-fungible cryptographic token.

[0011] Once the allocation request is received by the proxy smart contract, the latter transfers the ownership right of an NFT to the user based on the data received (allocation of the NFT to the user).

[0012] Note that the proxy smart contract can, depending on the data received, generate a particular digital object and an associated NFT. The NFT thus generated is then assigned to the user (the NFT becomes the property of the user).

[0013] Optionally, the proxy smart contract can, prior to the first emission step, generate an NFT associated with an object (digital or not), an NFT which will then be allocated to the user based on the data received.

[0014] As stated in the document (https: / / fr.wikipedia.org / wiki / Blockchain), blockchain technology is a technology for storing and transmitting information without a controlling body. Technically, it is a distributed database in which the information sent by users and the internal links to the database are verified and grouped at regular time intervals into blocks, the whole being secured by cryptography, and thus forming a chain. By extension, a blockchain is a distributed database that manages a list of records protected against falsification or modification by storage nodes; it is therefore a A distributed and secure ledger of all transactions made since the system was started. Blockchains are characterized in particular by the fact that their contents cannot be modified or deleted: information published (i.e. recorded or saved) in a blockchain remains there forever. Thus, a blockchain is considered unalterable and allows the management of sensitive data such as cryptocurrencies (currency issued peer to peer without the intervention of a central bank). An example of this is the decentralized electronic currency Bitcoin, created in 2009.

[0015] As is known, the security of a blockchain also lies in the fact that transactions carried out at the blockchain level are visible to all those who have access to this blockchain. This transparency is a fundamental property of the blockchain.

[0016] Furthermore, a smart contract is a small, irrevocable computer program that allows transactions to be carried out within the blockchain under certain conditions (executes predefined instructions).

[0017] A device of interest is an electronic device located in a specific location (point of interest). The device is, for example, a smartphone (smartphone in English), a gateway, a dashboard of a connected car, a connected object, a server or any other electronic device capable of communicating. A point of interest is a particular geographical site.

[0018] NFT is a non-fungible cryptographic token stored on a blockchain that represents an object (most often digital) and can be considered as a title of ownership of said object.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a method as described above is characterized in that said data comprises an identifier of said non-fungible cryptographic token.

[0020] A non-fungible cryptographic token identifier is a character string that allows a non-fungible cryptographic token (or NFT) to be unambiguously identified.

[0021] In this embodiment, the device of interest selects an NFT identifier from a plurality of identifiers (e.g., an identifier of an NFT belonging to a collection of NFTs, each NFT of the collection of NFTs being associated with a digital object of a collection of digital objects) based on the parameters received from the allocation device. The NFT identifier is then issued to the blockchain via the method (the allocation device) so that a transfer of ownership of the associated NFT is carried out on behalf of the user (ownership of the NFT allocated to the user). This embodiment assumes that the point of interest holds a list of the identifiers of the NFTs of the collection of NFTs generated by the contract in- smart proxy registered on the blockchain.

[0022] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a method as described above is characterized in that said data is encrypted.

[0023] This embodiment makes it possible to secure and anonymize the data which made it possible to generate an NTF and / or to transfer the ownership right of an NFT to a user.

[0024] The data is for example electronically signed by the device of interest using a circle signature. The circle signature is a cryptographic primitive similar to the digital signature, in that it aims to allow a user to sign a message on behalf of a group, while remaining anonymous within this group. Concretely, a person can verify with the public keys of the members of the group that the message has indeed been signed by a member of the group, but cannot know which one.

[0025] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a method as described above is characterized in that said second transmission step is followed by a second step of receiving a notification message of the allocation of said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user.

[0026] This embodiment allows obtaining a notification indicating that the allocation request has been successfully processed and that the non-fungible cryptographic token has been successfully allocated to the user. This ensures that the process has worked properly. The notification is for example obtained directly from the proxy smart contract or via a smart contract belonging to the user.

[0027] Concretely, the notification can be issued by the proxy smart contract to an electronic address, for example, obtained in the parameters of the allocation request. This electronic address can correspond to an address of a smart contract belonging to the user or to an address of the allocation device.

[0028] An electronic address is a sequence of characters and / or binary data that serves to uniquely identify a computer service or device. Such an address is, for example, composed of an IP address, a MAC address or a URI / URL.

[0029] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a method as described above is characterized in that the first transmission step is carried out using a near-field communication technology.

[0030] This embodiment makes it possible to link the generation of an NFT and / or the transfer of ownership of an NFT to the location of the user and more precisely to his proximity to the device of interest. The near-field communication technology may be NFC, WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, ultrasound, etc.

[0031] The invention also relates to a device for allocating, to a user, a non-fungible cryptographic token characterized in that it comprises: a first transmission module intended for a device of interest of at least one parameter; a first module for receiving at least one piece of data from said device of interest, said data being generated as a function of said at least one parameter transmitted; a second module for issuing a request to allocate said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user, said request being issued to a proxy smart contract registered in a blockchain and comprising said at least one received data item.

[0032] The term module can correspond to a software component as well as to a hardware component or a set of hardware and software components, a software component itself corresponding to one or more computer programs or sub-programs or more generally to any element of a program capable of implementing a function or a set of functions as described for the modules concerned. In the same way, a hardware component corresponds to any element of a hardware assembly capable of implementing a function or a set of functions for the module concerned (integrated circuit, smart card, memory card, etc.).

[0033] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a device as described above is characterized in that it is included by an electronic terminal of the user.

[0034] The invention also relates to a system for allocating, to a user, a non-fungible cryptographic token characterized in that it comprises: an allocation device as described above; a device of interest for obtaining at least one parameter from said attribution device, for generating at least one data item based on said at least one parameter, for electronically signing said generated data item via a circle signature and for transmitting said data item to said attribution device; a smart contract registered on a blockchain to verify the signature of said received data and when it is valid, assign said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user based on said received data.

[0035] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the above method according to any one of the particular embodiments described above, when said program is executed by a processor. The method can be implemented in various ways, in particular in hard-wired form or in software form. This program may use any programming language, and may be in the form of source code, object code, or code intermediate between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0036] The invention also relates to a recording medium or information medium readable by a computer, and comprising instructions of a computer program as mentioned above. The recording media mentioned above can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium can comprise a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording means, for example a hard disk. Furthermore, the recording media can correspond to a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which can be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The programs according to the invention can in particular be downloaded from a network such as the Internet.

[0037] Alternatively, the recording media may correspond to an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.

[0038] This allocation device, this allocation system and this computer program have characteristics and advantages similar to those described previously in relation to the allocation method.

[0039] 4. List of figures

[0040] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of particular embodiments, given as simple illustrative and non-limiting examples, and the appended drawings, among which:

[0041] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] illustrates an example of an implementation environment of the invention according to a particular embodiment of the invention,

[0042] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents the hardware architecture of an allocation device according to a particular embodiment;

[0043] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents in the form of an organizational chart the main stages of a allocation method according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

[0044] 5. Description of an embodiment of the invention

[0045] [Fig.l] illustrates an example of an environment for implementing the invention according to a particular embodiment. The environment represented in [Fig.l] comprises at least one terminal 101 which integrates an allocation device capable of implementing the allocation method according to the present invention. The method can operate permanently and autonomously upon activation thereof or following an action by a user.

[0046] According to another embodiment, the allocation device may be located in a third-party terminal (not shown) connected to the terminal 101 or distributed between the two terminals.

[0047] The terminal 101 is for example a terminal of the smartphone type (smartphone in English), tablet, connected television, connected object, on-board computer of a car, personal computer or any other terminal capable of communicating (sending and / or receiving requests) according to state-of-the-art technologies via for example an IP network (100), the network being able to be private or public. The terminal 101 is also capable of communicating via one or more near-field communication technologies (WiFI ®, Bluetooth®, etc.).

[0048] [Fig.l] also comprises a blockchain (102) which comprises at least one smart contract (SC). The smart contract SC is capable of generating a collection of NFTs, each NFT being able to be associated with a unique identifier.

[0049] An NFT collection is a set of NFTs in which each element (i.e. each NFT) is associated with a unique variation of the same object (digital or not). In other words, each NFT in the collection represents an object derived from a single object and having distinct characteristics (color, shape, texture, etc.).

[0050] [Fig.l] further comprises a device of interest (103) located at a specific location (point of interest). This device of interest is included within a group of devices of interest (G), each device of the group being able to be located at different locations (different geographical positions). The device of interest is for example a terminal of the smartphone type (smartphone in English), tablet, electronic payment terminal, cash register system, connected television, connected object, on-board computer of a car, personal computer or any other terminal capable of communicating (sending and / or receiving requests) according to state-of-the-art technologies via the communication network 100.

[0051] [Fig. 2] illustrates a device (S) configured to implement the allocation method according to a particular embodiment of the invention. The device (S) has the conventional architecture of a computer, and notably comprises a memory MEM, a processing unit UT, equipped for example with a processor PROC, and controlled by the computer program PG stored in memory MEM. The computer program PG comprises instructions for implementing the steps of the allocation method as described later in support of [Fig. 3], when the program is executed by the processor PROC.

[0052] At initialization, the code instructions of the computer program PG are for example loaded into a memory before being executed by the processor PROC. The processor PROC of the processing unit UT notably implements the steps of the allocation method according to any of the particular embodiments described in relation to [Fig.3] and according to the instructions of the computer program PG.

[0053] The device (S) comprises a module C0M1 capable of transmitting to the device of interest 103 a request which comprises at least one parameter. The communication is for example carried out via a near-field technology such as WiFi®, Bluetooth®, RFID, Li-Fi, etc.

[0054] The device (S) also comprises a COM2 module capable of receiving a message comprising at least one piece of data from the device of interest. The data can be electronically signed by the device of interest using a circle signature. Similarly, communication can be carried out via a near-field technology such as WiFi®, Bluetooth®, RFID, Li-Fi, etc.

[0055] In addition, the device (S) comprises a COM3 module capable of transmitting to the blockchain 102 a request for allocation of an NFT to the user of the terminal 101, the request comprising at least the data previously received.

[0056] According to a particular embodiment, the device (S) comprises a COM4 module capable of receiving a notification message of the correct allocation of the NFT to the user.

[0057] According to a particular embodiment, the modules C0M1 and / or COM2 and / or COM3 and / or COM4 can be a single communication module.

[0058] [Fig. 3] illustrates steps of the allocation method according to a particular embodiment of the invention. [Fig. 3] consists of a terminal 101, a device of interest 103 and a blockchain 102 hosted by one or more computer servers. The blockchain 102 comprises at least the smart contract SC.

[0059] During step E10 the device of interest sends a request to the blockchain 102 and more particularly to the smart contract SC in order to obtain the public encryption keys of the devices of interest which belong to the group G, that is to say the group of devices of interest which includes the device of interest 103. The request is received by the smart contract during step E30. The smart contract retrieves the public encryption keys of the devices of interest of the group then transmits them to the device of interest 103 during step E31. The encryption keys are then received by the device of interest 103 during step E11.

[0060] According to a particular embodiment, when the device of interest 103 is included within a plurality of groups (G, G1, G2, etc.), the request sent by the device of interest during step E10 may include a group identifier. Thus, the smart contract can recover the public encryption keys of the devices of interest which belong only to the group identified by the identifier.

[0061] During step E22, the terminal 101 is approached to the device of interest 103. A Near-field communication (e.g. NFC, WiFi, ultrasound, or Bluetooth) is then initiated between the two devices. The request sent (E22) by the terminal 101 to the device of interest 103 comprises at least one parameter. The parameter(s) are, for example, one or more character strings such as an electronic address (email, IP, blockchain, etc.), a particular phrase, a color enumeration, an NFT identifier, etc. The request is then received by the device of interest during step E12.

[0062] According to a particular embodiment, the device of interest can access (locally or remotely) a list of NFT identifiers belonging to a collection of NFTs, the NFTs of this collection having been previously generated and stored by the smart contract SC. Thus, once the request has been received by the device of interest (El2), the latter selects an NFT identifier (tokenID) according to the parameter(s) obtained from the request and then optionally deletes the identifier from the list. The identifier is then inserted into a data item which is sent to the terminal 101 (E13).

[0063] Alternatively, the data transmitted during step E13 comprises the parameter(s) received and obtained from the request received by the device of interest during step E12 and / or one or more parameters generated and / or obtained by the device of interest 103. Note that the parameters generated and / or obtained by the device of interest 103 may be of the same nature as those obtained from the request received by the device of interest during step E12. Furthermore, the parameters generated and / or obtained by the device of interest 103 may be a function of those obtained from the request received by the device of interest during step E12.

[0064] According to a particular embodiment, the device of interest electronically signs the data sent during step E13 via a circle signature. Note that the circle signature comprises encryption steps with the public keys obtained during step E11 (public keys of the devices of interest belonging to group G). The circle signature is known per se and will not be described in more detail here.

[0065] During step E23, the terminal 101 receives (E23) the data (signed or not) from the device of interest (103) then sends (E24) a request for allocation of an NFT to the blockchain 102 and more particularly to the smart contract SC. The allocation request comprises at least the data received by the terminal 101 during step E23.

[0066] The allocation request is received by the smart contract during step E34.

[0067] According to a particular embodiment, when the allocation request received by the smart contract includes data signed via a circle signature, the smart contract verifies that the signature is valid. This verification is carried out in particular using the public encryption keys of the devices of interest in group G stored within the smart contract. If the signature is valid, the smart contract proceeds to the next step. Otherwise, the process executed by the smart contract stops and a notification indicating an error can be sent to the terminal 101.

[0068] When the data obtained from the allocation request includes an NFT identifier, i.e. a tokenID, the smart contract transfers, to the user of the terminal 101, the ownership of the NFT associated with the tokenID. An acknowledgment of receipt (notification message within the meaning of the invention) of the transfer of ownership can then be sent (E35) to the terminal 101 by the smart contract. This acknowledgment of receipt is then received by the terminal 101 during step E25. The acknowledgment of receipt can include the tokenID and / or the blockchain address of the associated NFT.

[0069] According to a particular embodiment, the acknowledgment of receipt is sent to a smart contract belonging to the user of the terminal 101. In this case, the address of the user's smart contract is inserted into the allocation request sent by the terminal 101 during step E24.

[0070] When the data obtained from the allocation request does not include an NFT identifier but parameters obtained from the terminal 101 and / or the device of interest 103, the smart contract can generate, based on the data obtained and therefore the parameters, a digital object / NFT pair to be allocated to the user of the terminal 101. The smart contract then allocates the generated NFT to the user of the terminal 101. An acknowledgment of receipt (notification message within the meaning of the invention) of the allocation of the generated NFT can then be sent (E35) to the terminal 101 by the smart contract. This acknowledgment of receipt is then received by the terminal 101 during step E25. The acknowledgment of receipt can include an identifier of the generated NFT and / or the blockchain address of the generated NFT.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for allocating, to a user, a non-fungible cryptographic token, said method being implemented by an allocation device (101) characterized in that it comprises: - a first step of transmitting (E22) to a device of interest at least one parameter; - a first step of receiving (E23) at least one data item from said device of interest, said data item being generated as a function of said at least one parameter transmitted; - a second step of transmitting (E24) a request for allocating said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user, said request being transmitted to a proxy smart contract (SC) registered in a blockchain (102) and comprising said at least one data item received.

2. The allocation method of claim 1 wherein said data comprises an identifier of said non-fungible cryptographic token.

3. An allocation method according to claim 1 wherein said data is encrypted

4. Allocation method according to claim 1 wherein said second transmission step is followed by a second reception step (E25) of a notification message of the allocation of said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user.

5. The allocation method of claim 1 wherein the first transmitting step is performed using near field communication technology.

6. Device for allocating, to a user, a non-fungible cryptographic token characterized in that it comprises: - a first transmission module (COM1) intended for a device of interest of at least one parameter; - a first reception module (COM2) of at least one data item from said device of interest, said data item being generated as a function of said at least one parameter emitted; - a second transmission module (COM3) of a request for allocating said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user, said request being emitted to a proxy smart contract registered in a blockchain and comprising said at least one data item received.

7. Terminal characterized in that it comprises an allocation device according to claim 6.

8. System for allocating, to a user, a non-fungible cryptographic token characterized in that it comprises: - an allocation device according to claim 6; - a device of interest for obtaining at least one parameter from said allocation device, for generating at least one data item as a function of said at least one parameter, for electronically signing via a circle signature said generated data item and for transmitting said data item to said allocation device; - a smart contract registered in a blockchain for verifying the signature of said received data item and when it is valid, allocating said non-fungible cryptographic token to said user as a function of said received data item.

9. A computer program comprising instructions for implementing the allocation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, when the program is executed by a processor.

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