Property rights registration system and protocol

Abstract

To provide a method and system for registering property rights in a precious stone and providing ownership information of the verified precious stone.SOLUTION: A method includes performing at least one of associating or updating information including ownership information about a precious stone on a distributed ledger, and recording the associated and / or updated information on at least one medium. The precious stone is preliminarily tagged or marked with identification information and the identification information is registered in the distributed ledger.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to the management and utilization of assets, and more particularly to the ownership of assets, but is not limited thereto.

[0002] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application is a continuation - in - part of PCT / US2019 / 035237, which claims the benefit of priority under Article 8 of PCT to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 679,814, filed on Jun. 2, 2018, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, a method for registering property rights to a precious stone to provide verified ownership information of the precious stone, comprising: a) performing at least one of associating or updating information including ownership information regarding the precious stone on a distributed ledger; and b) recording the associated and / or updated information on at least one medium, wherein the precious stone is pre - tagged or marked with identification information, and the identification information is registered on the distributed ledger.

[0004] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises incorporating the information into at least one of the Internet of Things or cloud - based storage.

[0005] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises providing at least one medium to the owner of the precious stone.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the medium is on a digital token, a recorded chip, or a portable data storage device.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises encrypting at least one of the identification information or the information.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the identification information is a public key, a machine-readable code, a non-fungible token, a fungible token, or an extended human-readable code.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, tagging or marking is performed at a site near the surface within the gemstone.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, tagging or marking is performed on the surface of the gemstone.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the distributed ledger is a blockchain.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the information includes, in addition to ownership, at least one of the name of the buyer or other identity information, payment means information, bank transaction information, details of the gemstone, the certificate number of the gemological institute, the invoice of the sale, payment confirmation information, the physical location of the asset, or the custodian of the asset.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes requiring the provision of minimum information about the gemstone before assigning identification information to the gemstone.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes rating an individual or entity responsible for at least one of tagging, registering, executing, and recording information about the gemstone based on at least one of reliability, accuracy, and integrity.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes verifying the ownership information of the gemstone included in the distributed ledger to enable credit-based transactions including the gemstone in an online market.

[0016] According to one aspect of some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a system for registering property rights in a precious stone and providing verified ownership information of the precious stone, the system comprising a distributed ledger including at least identification information and ownership information associated with the precious stone, and at least one medium for recording information associated with the precious stone.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises at least one of the Internet of Things or cloud-based storage for recording information about the precious stone.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one medium is on a digital token, a recorded chip, or a portable data storage device.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the identification information is a public key, a machine-readable code, a non-fungible token, a fungible token, or an extended human-readable code.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tagging or marking is located at a site near the surface within the precious stone.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tagging or marking is performed on the surface of the precious stone.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the information includes, in addition to ownership, at least one of the name of the buyer or other identity information, payment means information, bank transaction information, asset details, gemological institute certificate number, sales invoice, payment confirmation information, physical location of the asset, or custodian of the asset.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises at least one reading device for reading at least one of the identification information of the precious stone or the at least one medium.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system further comprises an online market that enables trust-based transactions regarding precious stones, where the ownership information included in the distributed ledger is verified by at least one reading device.

[0025] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and / or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this invention belongs. In the practice or testing of embodiments of the present invention, methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used, but exemplary methods and / or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification including the definitions will prevail. Additionally, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting.

[0026] The implementation of the method and / or system of embodiments of the present invention can include performing or completing selected tasks manually, automatically, or a combination thereof. Further, depending on the actual equipment and devices of the method and / or system embodiments of the present invention, some selected tasks can be implemented by hardware, software, or firmware, or a combination thereof using an operating system.

[0027] For example, the hardware for executing a task selected according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented as a chip or a circuit. As software, a task selected according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented as a plurality of software instructions executed by a computer using any suitable operating system. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, one or more tasks according to an exemplary embodiment of the method and / or system described herein are executed by a data processor such as a computing platform for executing a plurality of instructions. Optionally, the data processor includes volatile memory for storing instructions and / or data, and / or non-volatile storage for storing instructions and / or data, such as a magnetic hard disk and / or a removable medium. Optionally, a network connection is also provided. Optionally, a display and / or a user input device such as a keyboard or a mouse are also provided.

[0028] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring specifically to the drawings in detail here, it is emphasized that the details shown are examples and not necessarily to scale, and are for the purpose of an exemplary discussion of embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, the description using the drawings will clarify to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the present invention can be implemented.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029]

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Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to the management and utilization of assets, and more particularly to, but not limited to, asset ownership.

[0031] Before detailing at least one embodiment of the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention, in its application, is not necessarily limited to the details of the structure and arrangement of the components and / or methods described in the following description and / or shown in the drawings and / or examples. The present invention is capable of other embodiments and can be practiced and carried out in various ways.

[0032] Unlike many other fields related to property / tangible asset ownership, there is no widely understood and / or utilized method for recording and / or verifying the property rights of diamonds / precious stones / gems and other high-value rarities. In today's diamond industry, typically the only document that can describe the transfer of ownership or property rights is the "sales invoice". This applies at any level within the diamond industry, such as investors, brokers, auction houses, manufacturers, retailers, etc., and in no other way can a verified certificate of the property rights or ownership of a diamond be received upon transfer of the diamond. As a result, when selling or otherwise transferring a diamond, no kind of verified certificate of property rights or ownership can be provided to downstream consumers. When selling or otherwise transferring a diamond, no kind of verified certificate of property rights or ownership can be provided to downstream consumers.

[0033] Since the industry as a whole cannot provide the property rights verified to prove the ownership of tradable assets, in this case, diamonds, unscrupulous parties often take advantage of systems that have relied solely on trust since time immemorial. Currently, in the diamond industry, ownership means the right of ownership of diamonds, but in practice, ownership often does not coincide with actual legal ownership rights.

[0034] As a specific and general example in the diamond industry, a consignment or memorandum is a commitment by a diamond dealer to provide diamonds or any other precious high-end item to a third party, and with the consignment or memorandum, the third party can sell the diamonds according to the terms and conditions of this document. However, a third party who physically owns the diamonds can sell the diamonds to anyone at any time, but does not necessarily comply with the terms and conditions of the document. In such a situation, since there is no verified certificate of property rights or ownership rights, it is actually difficult to report to any type of law enforcement or regulatory agency that the diamonds have been stolen, sold without permission, and / or handled in other ways without the permission of the true owner.

[0035] As described herein, a system and related methods are provided that enable reliable commercialization and / or trading and / or management of valuable assets such as diamonds, and by being able to verify the ownership / property rights of valuable assets, the reliability of transactions involving these assets is promoted.

[0036] The ownership / property rights system and protocol described herein are useful among a wide variety of industry levels, including the consumer / retail segment, and the proper designation / verification of ownership enables better insurance programs as well as private bank financing, rather than financing options that are currently available and are not very desirable, with very high interest rates and / or other undesirable conditions.

[0037] For example, according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a) tagging identification information to assets such as gems, transparent or translucent materials, polymers, precious stones or crystals, or other assets such as rare books, automobiles, antiques, and other collectibles, wherein tagging includes modifying the asset at a desired location using a tagging unit; b) registering / recording the identification information and / or providing virtual and / or physically verified indicators of ownership using blockchain / distributed ledger technology such as Ethereum; c) subsequently, reading the tag / identification information using a reading device such as an automatic optical reader such as a zoomable camera, smartphone, mobile device, or microscope; d) updating the recorded information based on transactions and / or changes in information related to the asset, for example, by updating a distributed ledger; and e) optionally, leveraging the recorded identification information of the asset for its completeness / reliability / immutability to commercialize the asset and / or obtain benefits from the asset, wherein many of the method operation steps further include transformation / encryption / decryption / processing steps using hardware and / or software, a method (and related hardware configuration) is provided.

[0038] Generally, blockchain registration information in which an asset is recorded can be read via a reading device (such as a smartphone or other reader), optionally utilizing a cloud-based or Internet-based process, and / or using artificial intelligence (AI) and / or image recognition methods.

[0039] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary system 100 for the property right registration of at least one valuable asset 102, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an exemplary method for registering property rights to an asset to provide verified ownership information of the asset. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system 100 includes a distributed ledger 104 such as Ethereum in which information 106 regarding the asset 102 is input (204) and / or updated and / or stored (in a distributed manner). The information 106 associated with a particular asset 102 stored on the distributed ledger is additionally, alternatively, and / or optionally incorporated (206) into the Internet of Things ( "IoT") 108 or a cloud-based 110 environment, for example, to provide redundancy, additional access points to the information 106, security, and / or enhanced processing, and / or communication speed, and / or to enable single or multiple entries when a "diamond" or "asset" is owned by a single or multiple owners.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, the information 106 can include, by way of example only, the following. 1) The name of the buyer or other identity information 2) Driver's license information 3) Means of payment information 4) Bank transaction information 5) Asset details and other related asset information 6) Gemological Institute certificate number 7) Sales invoice 8) Payment confirmation information 9) Bank-side transaction information 10) Passport document information 11) Physical location of the asset 12) Current custodian of the asset

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, property right information is recorded (208) on at least one medium on a recorded / recordable chip ( "RC", e.g., on a portable card) and / or on a portable data storage device (e.g., a "USB" thumb drive), using, for example, a digital token ( "DK", e.g., registration on a blockchain). Optionally, at least one of these indicators of ownership is provided to at least one owner of the asset, which can be read using a reader device 114 (210). In some embodiments of the present invention, the medium contains property right / ownership information and helps to facilitate commercial transactions such as transfer of share ownership and payment settlement (or other commercial transactions as exemplified elsewhere in this specification). It should be understood that the ownership of at least one asset or by multiple parties is useful for organizations such as joint ventures, partnerships, real estate, funds, etc., or is used for general sales. In some embodiments of the present invention, the ownership display medium is encrypted. Although the reader device 114 is shown in FIG. 1 as potentially being the same device that reads the public key on the asset 102 and reads the private key from the ownership verification medium 112, it should be understood that these can be two different devices and / or can be located in different places from each other.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, a verifiable record of ownership / property rights and / or a tangible and / or verifiable display of ownership information can convey the owner's details more extensively, for example, via a pre-established template of an NFT "Non-Fungible Token" created by an operator of a blockchain. An NFT is a unique data entry on a blockchain distinguishable from all other data entries. An NFT, for example, can be used to exchange one bitcoin for any other bitcoin It cannot be exchanged with other data in the same way as it can be done. Each NFT is unique and is identified using a public / private key pair. The public key is a 40-character string (e.g., 0x988Ebd2Dc796711F63E91c36cCB7D05E67704b4d), which is mathematically linked to the private key, which is a different 40-character string. In one embodiment of the present invention, a predetermined minimum amount of information about the asset may be required to create / assign an NFT to the asset. For example, the information provided needs to meet at least 6 out of 10 criteria to create an NFT.

[0043] The private key should not be shared because the registered information can be read by a second party. The key can be represented, as an example, as a QR barcode that may be easier to read. Anyone who wants to prove they own the public key can "sign" using their private key. The private key is not made public during the signing process, but it proves that the signer actually manages the private key and, if the owner chooses, can transfer the public key (an act representing ownership of the diamond).

[0044] Once the asset is registered (e.g., via the data recorded on the issued NFT), any customer of any retail store with a camera and an internet connection can read the engraved public key and verify any data / information (e.g., the characteristics of the asset, its origin, and the person who first verified those characteristics) that they want to be made public on the blockchain. If the description on the blockchain matches the physical characteristics of the asset in hand and the seller can sign a message proving / verifying that they manage the public key, the buyer can be certain that the holder of the asset is the legitimate owner. In this way of tracking on the chain, anyone can check the history such as the transfer date, selling price, origin, etc.

[0045] As a specific example, this enables, for example, tagging (202) a diamond / precious stone / gemstone with a public key (or other form of identification information) using a tagging device 116 as described in a related application, and providing its secret key to the owner of the diamond as a "certificate of ownership", whether in physical and / or digital form. Such a scenario can be carried out by the Scarselli Diamond Ownership Registry Exchange (SDEX). In some embodiments of the present invention, the SDEX is an online and on-chain market available to all levels of parties in the diamond trading / commercialization industry, including buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, and / or insurance companies. The SDEX is thought to function similarly to a US real estate or land registry or the UK Land Registry, but has not existed for diamonds heretofore and has been an obstacle to fully realizing diamond commercialization. In one embodiment of the present invention, the SDEX provides registration services and / or displays of asset (e.g., diamond) ownership for a fee.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present invention, the certificate of ownership facilitates primary purchases, transactions in the secondary market, secured financing, and / or the diamond insurance market. When an NFT is created, additional data associated with the NFT / asset, such as cut, clarity, color, origin, etc., can be recorded on the blockchain. It should be understood that this data must be accurate and provided by a reliable entity such as a reliable gemological institute (e.g., GIA (registered trademark), IGI (registered trademark), etc.), a reputable internet company, a reputable retailer, etc. That is, in one embodiment of the present invention, the information / data associated with the asset / diamond is provided from a reliable and / or verified / verifiable source.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, an internal ecosystem of interrelated goods and services is developed or at least related within the SDEX and / or within related markets that have now become capable of verifying diamond ownership. Yes.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present invention, tagging / marking of diamonds (202) and / or registration in a distributed ledger is done initially to introduce the diamond into the property rights registration system, and subsequent transactions involving the diamond do not necessarily utilize re-tagging or re-registration actions. Rather, it is understood that the information on the distributed ledger regarding the diamond is updated, new information is added, and / or the updated and / or new information is stored in the ledger record associated with that particular diamond.

[0049] In some embodiments of the present invention, when a transaction regarding an asset, such as a sale, occurs, instead of the information associated with the old token being input / updated, a new token or identification information may be issued (204).

[0050] Figure 3 is a flowchart 300 showing an exemplary method of utilizing asset exchange using verified property rights information. In one embodiment of the present invention, after being tagged (302) using the methods described herein and in related applications, or otherwise identified, an asset registered in a distributed ledger / blockchain receives an alternative token or NFT (306). As described elsewhere herein, NFTs are used, at least in part, to indicate ownership of an asset. In one embodiment of the present invention, an NFT can represent any percentage of ownership, including from 100% full ownership to just a fraction of the whole, of an asset. By using NFTs for tagged assets, some examples of commercialization scenarios include pre-purchase of an asset, transactions in the secondary market, collateralized borrowing / lending, and the insurance market. In some embodiments of the present invention, alternative tokens are used instead of non-fungible tokens, particularly when the asset is one of any number of similar or identical assets.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present invention, the public key is represented / tagged on the asset as a machine-readable code such as a QR code or barcode. Anyone who wants to prove that they own the public key can sign a message using their private key. The private key is not made public during the signing process, but proves that the signer actually manages the private key and, if the signer chooses, can transfer the public key (representing diamond ownership). Optionally, the identification information is human-readable using magnification assistance.

[0052] When a diamond is tagged and an NFT is issued, any customer of a retail store having a camera and an Internet connection (or anyone else within the supply / distribution / commercialization chain) can read (308) the engraved public key and verify for themselves the data published on the blockchain (e.g., diamond characteristics, origin, and the person who first certified those characteristics). If the description on the blockchain matches the physical characteristics of the diamond in hand and the seller can sign a message proving that they manage the public key (310), the buyer can be certain (at least in part, based on the information relayed to the reading device) that the holder of the diamond is the legitimate owner and can conduct some transaction with confidence in the asset (312). In this way of chain tracking, anyone can check the history, such as the transfer date, selling price, origin, etc. Although the above example of use discussed diamonds, it should be understood that any uniquely identifiable asset (e.g., rare books, automobiles, antiques, coins, stamps, digital / virtual assets such as in-game objects, other collectibles) can be used with such a system. Optionally, image recognition is used as an alternative to, or in addition to, tag reading as described herein.

[0053] This methodology enables all kinds of commercialization scenarios such as tagging a public key on a diamond and giving the private key to the diamond owner as a certificate of ownership. That is, the commoditization of unique assets becomes possible, which is almost a contradiction in terms. The certificate of ownership promotes primary purchases, transactions in the secondary market, secured financing, and the diamond insurance market. In one embodiment of the present invention, an NFT is created such that additional data can be written to a blockchain associated with an asset (in this case a diamond) such as cut, clarity, color, origin, etc. In some embodiments, for commercial activities, assets can be grouped together and / or tokenized as a group. In one embodiment of the present invention, this additional data should be accurate and should be provided by a reliable entity such as Scarselli Diamonds. Embodiments for weighting and / or establishing "trust" are described in more detail below.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present invention, a portal accessible to users is created to conduct transactions involving tagged, registered, and / or tokenized assets. The users can be, for example, research institutions, banks, insurance companies, government agencies, retailers, and end consumers. In one embodiment of the present invention, the portal provides and / or receives information related to tagging and / or the asset and enables verification / validation of this information.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present invention, when a transaction regarding an asset, such as a sale, is made (312), instead of updating the information associated with the old token, a new token can be issued.

[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, the reputation of the asset tagger (the person or entity that first tags and / or registers an asset on the blockchain) is tracked on the blockchain. A tagger showing dishonesty, inaccuracy, or other abnormal behavior can be rated (314) and / or saved on the blockchain. It is considered possible to implement a mechanism for economically punishing dishonest taggers by requiring all taggers to pay a security deposit, which is at least partially forfeited based on a reputation rating that fails to meet the requirements. In one embodiment of the present invention, a model known as TCR (Token Curated Registry) can be used to determine what the "correct" dollar amount is and under what circumstances a tagger's security deposit is forfeited. A TCR is a decentralized and managed list with an essential economic incentive for token holders to wisely manage the content of the list. In one embodiment of the present invention, the "list" is composed of "trusted taggers". In one embodiment of the present invention, this TCR or a similar concept can be incorporated into the SDEX as a function.

[0057] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a system 400 for asset identification, registration, tracking, and / or commercialization according to an embodiment of the present invention. As described elsewhere in this specification, an asset is tagged with identification information, e.g., a public key that can be used with the property rights / ownership registration and verification systems and / or protocols described herein. In one embodiment of the present invention, this tagging is performed by a tagging unit 402 configured to modify the structure and even the surface of the asset using a laser. In one embodiment of the present invention, the tagging unit includes a laser that uses operating parameters as described in this specification or in related disclosures such as the pamphlet of International Publication No. 2017 / 006092, and its operation is directed by a controller. The tagging unit also optionally uses hardware-based encryption / conversion that is operably linked to corresponding decoding / conversion hardware within a reading device. The configuration of an exemplary tagging unit 403 is also described with respect to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 429784, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, software is used instead of or in addition to the hardware-based encryption / conversion. In some embodiments of the present invention, software is used to program the various components of the system to cooperate via software (such as program code, web-based interfaces, mobile apps, and / or APIs).

[0058] In some embodiments, at least one component used for tagging is not physically integrated with the tagging unit. For example, the controller and / or the encryption / conversion process can be located externally (however, for the purposes of this description, it is still considered to be part of the "tagging unit"). In some embodiments, software installed on an external device such as a computer is used to provide the encryption / conversion instead of or in addition to the hardware-based encryption / conversion.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present invention, the tagging unit is configured to operably communicate with a global communication network, such as the Internet or the World Wide Web, using, for example, wired and / or wireless connections. Wireless communication includes, but is not limited to, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and / or IR. The communication connection is used, for example, to register tagged identification information and / or additional information related to the asset in a distributed ledger system 404, such as a database, a server, and / or a blockchain. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the database, server, and / or distributed ledger system 404 is local. Additionally, alternatively and / or optionally, the database, server, and / or distributed ledger system 404 is located remotely and / or within a "cloud" type network.

[0060] The reading device 406 is configured to include hardware and / or software for decrypting / converting the registered identification information and / or related information retrieved from the distributed ledger regarding the assets read / scanned by the reading device. In one embodiment, the hardware and / or software of the reading device is operably adapted to the identification information / information output of the tagged unit registered in the distributed ledger, and thus, the hardware and / or software of the reading device needs to retrieve the identification information / information of the assets from the distributed ledger normally and / or effectively. In some embodiments of the present invention, the reading device is optically based, for example, a microscope, a mobile device (such as a smartphone camera, or an optical reader attached to a smartphone or a tablet), and / or a zoom camera. The reading device may be a dedicated special reader, or a multi-purpose hardware (such as a tablet, a smartphone, or a mobile communication device) programmed with software to program operationally sensitive parameters such as scanning depth and / or magnification, and / or optical character recognition and / or bar / QR code type reading, etc. for reading the identification information engraved on the assets. In some embodiments of the present invention, the reading device reads the public key associated with the private key, and thus, reads the NFT that identifies the owner of the asset. In some embodiments of the present invention, the reading device is sized and / or shaped to be handheld. Similar to the tagging unit, in some embodiments, certain components and / or functions are executed outside the reading device, but for the purpose of this description, are still considered to be part of the "reading device".

[0061] In some embodiments, instead of using the reading device, the identification information is retrieved optically and / or manually and input into a user interface such as a website and / or a web-based browser / interface to verify the asset identification information and / or retrieve related asset information.

[0062] FIG. 5 is a flowchart 500 of a method of using a system for asset identification, registration, tracking, and / or commercialization as described with respect to FIG. 4. As described elsewhere in this specification, an asset is tagged (502) with identification information and / or other information such as a public key (in one embodiment of the invention, the public key is used to verify ownership) by a tagging unit, and optionally, using a laser, the identification information / information is engraved within and / or on the structure of the asset. In some embodiments of the invention, the tagging process also includes encrypting and / or encoding and / or transforming the identification information and / or information such that special decryption and / or decoding and / or transformation of the identification information and / or information is required to obtain useful data from the retrieved identification information and / or information. Optionally, the encryption / decryption is achieved using hardware or software or a combination thereof. Optionally, the encryption is performed when communicating a newly engraved tag for registration (504) with a distributed ledger, which uses a technology such as blockchain. Optionally, the encryption / decryption and / or components of the identification information and / or related information include identifiers / codes / internal tracking numbers belonging to different entities related to the asset (e.g., mining companies, authentication laboratories (such as GIA (registered trademark), IGI (registered trademark), etc.), verification laboratories (such as Gubelin (registered trademark), etc.), identification information assignment / registration / verification / reading / tracking companies (such as Scarselli Diamonds).

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, the identification information (506) can be achieved by engraving in a form readable by humans (by using an optical magnifying device) and / or machines, such as numbers, barcodes, QR codes, etc., any of which can function as a public key. Information related to the asset, such as origin, current and / or past physical location, current and / or past owner (which may be an anonymous owner identified by a code or other similar device), past and / or latest transactions, grading or authentication details, etc., can be combined with the identification information for registering in the ledger, or can be registered separately or linked even if registered separately. In some embodiments, the identification information and / or information is provided by a third party, such as an authentication laboratory and / or an authenticity verification laboratory. Although the identification information of the asset is considered immutable, the information related to the asset may change over time. Therefore, in some embodiments, the modification of the information related to the asset is optionally performed by updating the asset ledger entry using dedicated software and / or hardware for that purpose.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present invention, one aspect of the commercialization associated with the systems and methods currently described includes incorporating the branding and / or specific labeling of an asset into the identification information and / or related asset information registered in a distributed ledger. For example, the brand of a particular company (in the form of a numeric code, text, graphic, logo, pattern, etc.) can be engraved on the asset, optionally forming part of the identification information and / or optionally forming part of the asset-related information.

[0065] As described elsewhere in this specification, a reading device is used to scan identification information engraved on a physical asset and collect verification of the identification information and / or associated asset information from a ledger. In some embodiments, the reading device is coupled to a tagging unit by hardware and / or software, such that decoding of the asset identification information / information can only be accomplished by the correspondingly linked (508) reading device. In some embodiments, the reading device is a fixed system such as found in a gemological institute. In some embodiments, the reading device is portable, for example, a dedicated hand-held reader or mobile device (tablet, phone, etc.) specially programmed.

[0066] The reading device is contemplated to automatically contact a distributed ledger, for example, via a wired or wireless communication connection, to retrieve the identification information and / or associated information of the asset (optionally including decoding / converting the retrieved data). However, in some situations, the identification information is read by the reading device and then the user inputs the scanned / read identification information into a user interface / system that is operably communicating with the distributed ledger to retrieve identification verification and / or associated information (optionally including decoding / converting the retrieved data).

[0067] The ability to reliably track identification information and / or information related to specific physical assets, such as diamonds, enhances the trust of businesses and the general public in the value and traceability of specific assets. Such an extended function enables the utilization of assets (510) for use in commercial transactions such as sales, use as collateral, monetization, investment, insurance, finance, logistics (e.g., management of the processing and distribution process) and / or transactions, and / or for support of law enforcement (e.g., anti-counterfeiting, brand enforcement, prevention and recovery of asset theft), and any entity within these industries (e.g., banks, markets, brokers, research institutes, investment companies, individuals, manufacturers, mining companies) is a potential user of the systems and methods described herein for verifying identification information and / or information related to specific assets such as ownership / property rights.

[0068] It should also be understood that the search for identification information / information about a specific asset can be restricted / limited according to the entity requesting the information. For example, some or all of these transactions may optionally be conducted anonymously (i.e., ownership information is anonymized, removed from the ledger information, or filtered from the ledger information during the search). Further, different entities related to an asset may have different reference numbers or different information about the same asset, and thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, depending on the entity requesting the information, some or all of the identification information / information related to a specific asset is provided or not provided.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present invention, the use of a distributed ledger (e.g., blockchain) enables the tokenization of tagged assets, providing the additional advantage of being able to indicate and / or track at least the aspect of ownership. That is, the rights to the tokenized assets can be stored and managed on a blockchain network. In this method, tangible assets such as the above-described diamonds and other assets can be divided into small units and / or partial ownership rights, enhancing their liquidity and enabling more market participants to participate in the ownership and / or commercialization of the assets. By tokenizing the assets and corresponding each physical asset to a single token, such as one diamond = one token, the tagged assets can be traded like cryptocurrencies, and the exchange of their values can be managed using smart contracts written on the blockchain. Since each single token represents a unique asset, the value of each token is different. The value of each token fluctuates based on the change in the value of the asset, regardless of the fluctuations of fiat currency or cryptocurrencies even if it is converted into fiat currency or cryptocurrencies.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present invention, as a confirmation verification and / or instead of tag verification using a distributed ledger, an image of the asset or asset tag is used. For example, in addition to or instead of using a reading device to read the tag on and / or within the asset (e.g., the tag is located at a site near the surface inside the asset), an identification image of the asset or asset tag (e.g., an actual image or a code reading value) is obtained. Optionally, the image is of ultra-high resolution and / or at a magnification sufficient to identify the asset and / or asset tag. In one embodiment of the present invention, the acquired image is compared with a verification image of the asset and / or asset tag on a database, optionally remotely. In some embodiments, AI is used to assist in the processing and / or comparison of the acquired image. In some embodiments of the present invention , The image identification information (used for verification and comparison) is linked to a distributed ledger on a blockchain that includes, for example, the tagging information of assets as described elsewhere in this specification.

[0071] In one embodiment of the present invention, the results achieved from the verification / validation of assets by tags or images or both are returned to the reading device.

[0072] Some iterative, alternative, additional, and / or optional software platforms for the technology described herein, and the use of the technology, include the following.

[0073] A. Digital Thumbnail of Diamond · An indelible immutable embedded tagging identifier is uploaded to the blockchain, and the diamond tag reader automatically retrieves the digital thumbnail registered on the blockchain. · Other attributes: gemstone certificate, photo, origin, final insurance value, reference appraisal value, property rights of ownership, geographical location, etc. · Flag stolen diamonds. · Flag diamonds that have not received authentication of being conflict-free. · Flag diamonds produced from mines using child labor.

[0074] B. API for Diamond Service Providers Permission-based access to suppliers (examples are listed herein and below) who can provide services and quotes · Insurance companies · Shipping companies · Safe manufacturers · Safe services

[0075] C. B2C Portal Permission-based access for the seller to list diamonds available for sale. This is a B2C (business-to-consumer) portal in some embodiments of the present invention, rather than B2B. Diamond brokerage function for consumers through Scarselli Diamonds or related companies.

[0076] D. API for diamond intelligence services Permission-based access for diamond verification, including checking for altered or stolen goods. · Check if an insurance company is using the same diamond as collateral for multiple different loans. · Jewelers for insurance purposes · Law enforcement agencies

[0077] E. Diamond financing platform Develop a general financing or peer-to-peer financing platform in the diamond industry to compensate for the lack of interest from traditional banks due to the current lack of transparency in the diamond industry.

[0078] F. CVD digital thumbnail Blockchain registration of synthetic diamonds or carbon vaporized diamonds (CVD). Examples

[0079] Here, with the above description, refer to the following examples that non-limitingly illustrate some embodiments of the present invention. The following examples show examples of information / data associated with assets / diamonds associated with SDEX and / or NFT tokens registered on the blockchain.

[0080] At least some of the following information is optionally included. Report type... Grading report GIA report number... 1237063199 Shape and Cutting Style... Cushion Modified Brilliant Dimensions... 8.47 × 8.23 × 5.37 mm Carat Weight... 3.44 carats Color Grade... Fancy Light Yellow Color Origin... Natural Color Distribution... Uniform Clarity Grade... No Internal Flaws Proportion: Very Thick (Facet) 54% on the x - axis, 65.2% on the y - axis Polish... Excellent Symmetry... Very Good Fluorescence... Faint Engraving: GIA 1237063199 Other: Fine details of the polish are not shown Internal Numerical Code "8675309"

[0081] The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", "having" and their inflected forms mean "including but not limited to".

[0082] The term "consisting of" means "including and limited to".

[0083] The term "consisting essentially of" means that a composition, method or structure may include additional ingredients, steps and / or parts, but only to the extent that the additional ingredients, steps and / or parts do not substantially change the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.

[0084] The term "a plurality" means "two or more".

[0085] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term "a compound" or "at least one compound" can include a plurality of compounds including mixtures thereof.

[0086] Throughout this application, various embodiments of the invention may be presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Thus, a description of a range should be considered to specifically disclose not only the individual numerical values within that range but also all possible subranges. For example, a description of a range such as 1 - 6 should be considered to specifically disclose subranges such as 1 - 3, 1 - 4, 1 - 5, 2 - 4, 2 - 6, 3 - 6, as well as the individual numbers within that range, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

[0087] Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is intended to include any cited number (fraction or integer) within the indicated range. The phrases "in the range of (a first recited number) to (a second recited number)" and "ranging from (a first recited number) to (a second recited number)" are used interchangeably herein and mean including the first and second recited numbers and all fractions and integers therebetween.

[0088] It is understood that certain features of the invention described in the context of separate embodiments for clarity may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, for brevity, the various features of the invention described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately, or in any suitable partial combination, or in any other described embodiment of the invention as appropriate. Specific features described in the context of various embodiments should not be considered essential features of those embodiments unless the embodiments would not operate without those elements.

[0089] Although the invention has been described in connection with its specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many alternative forms, modifications, and variations will become apparent. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternative forms, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

[0090] All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. In addition, any reference citation or identification in this application should not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent section headings are used, they should not necessarily be construed as limiting.

Claims

1. 1. A method for registering a property interest in a precious stone and providing verified ownership information of said precious stone, comprising: a) at least one of associating or updating information, including ownership information, relating to said precious stones on a distributed ledger; b) recording said associated and / or updated information on at least one medium; and Including, 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the precious stones are pre-tagged or marked with identifying information, and the identifying information is registered in the distributed ledger.

2. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising incorporating the information in at least one of an Internet of Things or cloud-based storage.

3. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said at least one medium to an owner of said precious stone.

4. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the medium is on a digital token, a recorded chip, or a portable data storage device.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting at least one of the identification information or information.

6. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is a public key, a machine-readable code, a non-fungible token, a fungible token, or an extended human-readable code.

7. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tagging or marking is performed at a near-surface site within the precious stone.

8. 2. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the tagging or marking is performed on the surface of the precious stone.

9. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the distributed ledger is a blockchain.

10. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes, in addition to ownership, at least one of the following: a buyer's name or other identifying information, payment instrument information, banking information, details of precious stones, a gemological laboratory certificate number, an invoice of sale, payment verification information, a physical location of the asset, or a custodian of the asset.

11. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring the provision of a minimum amount of information regarding the precious stone before assigning an identification to the precious stone.

12. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: ranking individuals or entities responsible for at least one of tagging, registering, performing, and recording precious stones based on at least one of reliability, accuracy, and honesty.

13. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying ownership information of the precious stones contained in the distributed ledger to enable trust-based transactions involving the precious stones in an online marketplace.

14. 1. A system for registering property rights in a precious stone and providing verified ownership information of said precious stone, comprising: a distributed ledger including at least identity and ownership information associated with the precious stones; at least one medium for recording information associated with said precious stone; A system comprising:

15. 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least one of an Internet of Things or cloud-based storage for recording information about the precious stone.

16. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one medium is on a digital token, a recorded chip, or a portable data storage device.

17. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the identification information is a public key, a machine-readable code, a non-fungible token, a fungible token, or an extended human-readable code.

18. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the tagging or marking is located at a near-surface site within the precious stone.

19. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the tagging or marking is performed on the surface of the precious stone.

20. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the information includes, in addition to ownership, at least one of the following: a buyer's name or other identifying information, payment instrument information, banking information, asset details, gemological laboratory certificate number, invoice of sale, payment verification information, the physical location of the asset, or a custodian of the asset.

21. 13. The system of claim 12, further comprising at least one reading device for reading at least one of the identification information of the precious stone or the at least one medium.

22. 22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an online marketplace where ownership information included in the distributed ledger verified by the at least one reader enables trust-based trading of the precious stones.

Images