System and method for provisioning cryptographic digital assets for blockchain-secured retail products

Abstract

To provide a computing system for provisioning cryptographic digital assets.SOLUTION: The computing system includes broadcasting a notification of a future transaction of a retail product and receiving requests for participation in the transaction over a distributed computing network. A selected number of users are added to a virtual line associated with the transaction of the retail product transaction, and a first user is selected from the virtual line to receive the retail product, and a second user is selected to receive a cryptographic digital asset containing a digital retail product and a unique digital asset code. The cryptographic digital asset is transferred to a digital wallet of the second user, and the unique digital asset code is recorded on a record block of a blockchain ledger.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 931,764, filed on May 14, 2020.

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to retail products such as footwear and apparel. More specifically, aspects of the present disclosure relate to a distributed computing system having control logic for creating and distributing encrypted digital assets for protecting retail products and their digital design files.

Background Art

[0003] Manufacturers of high - quality retail products such as high - end footwear and apparel have long been troubled by the sale of counterfeit products, i.e., imitation products made with the intent to deceive purchasers into believing they are buying the genuine goods of the original manufacturer. Similar problems exist in the digital realm, where digital products are often the subject of unauthorized copying and selling. Unauthorized production of goods and replication of counterfeits can damage the brand value and / or exclusivity, negatively impact a company's profitability, and may damage the user's subjective perception of a product as a "collectable".

[0004] To identify counterfeits and prevent the illegal sale of such counterfeits, many anti-counterfeiting technologies have been developed. Unfortunately, within the digital realm, supply is often not restricted by subsequent parties that may freely (or illegally) copy the entire digital object if it is not by the original developer. This often complicates the ability of brand owners to control the exclusivity of digital objects and thus have influence over the value of those objects. And the inability to control the exclusivity of digital objects undermines the opportunity for free brand promotion by product enthusiasts and collectors seeking the object (as often happens during the release of limited-production sneakers by "sneakerheads").

[0005] Market participants and brand enthusiasts in a free market typically assign a higher value to an object when supply is limited and / or there is excessive demand for that object. These realities are clear in the physical, real world (especially for avid collectors), but similar market realities also exist in the digital realm. With the explosion of first-person and third-person video games that include customizable skins, apparel, and gear, there is an opportunity to attract and influence users in the digital realm through collectable objects, as a result of which users can become more involved with brands in the real world. Similarly, retailers have a need to more directly affect and / or control the nature and ultimate supply of digital objects within this virtual market. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This specification presents an encrypted digital asset for retail products such as footwear and apparel, a method for provisioning such encrypted digital assets, a method for intermingling such encrypted digital assets, and a distributed computing system with attendant control logic for generating, intermingling, and exchanging blockchain-protected digital shoes and apparel. More specifically, many of the features currently described rely on blockchain technology and the trust established by blockchain technology to enable a company to control the creation, distribution, representation, and use of physical products and digital objects representing its brand. Unlike typical digital assets that can be freely replicated without loss of content or quality, the use of discrete records of ownership by blockchain technology precludes the ability to simply digitally replicate a digital object. By doing so, a company has the ability to control or limit the overall provision of digital objects (or object traits) and, if desired, create controlled scarcity.

[0007] In some examples, the present disclosure contemplates that a digital object represents: a physical object provided for retail sale; a 2D or 3D design rendering or design file that may be suitable for future production of a physical object; a virtual representation of an object that is not currently intended for physical creation / production; or other such objects. To further facilitate brand engagement and use of the digital object, the visual representation of the displayed digital object may be altered by use by the user of the object, use by the user of a related retail product or app, or other such measures of object / brand engagement. Additionally, attributes of the digital object and / or its visual representation may affect how an object or a controlled character of the user behaves within a video game context.

[0008] Rather than being limiting, by way of example, encrypted digital assets protected by a blockchain ledger of a transaction block are presented. These digital assets can function, at least in part, to connect a real-world product such as a physical shoe to a virtual collectible such as a digital shoe. When a consumer purchases a pair of physical shoes (known colloquially as a "kick"), a digital representation of the shoes can be generated, linked to the consumer, and an encrypted token can be assigned, where the digital shoes and the encrypted token can together represent a "CryptoKick" (CK). The digital representation can include a computer-generated avatar of the shoes or a limited-edition artist rendering of the shoes. The digital assets can be protected by an encrypted protected block that includes a transaction timestamp, transaction data, and a hash pointer as a link to related blocks within the distributed blockchain (e.g., a genesis block or a prior transacted block). Using the digital assets, a buyer can safely buy and sell a pair of tangible shoes, buy and sell digital shoes, store the digital shoes in a cryptocurrency wallet or other digital blockchain locker, mix or "breed" digital shoes with other digital shoes to create "shoe offspring", and also, based on acceptable shoe manufacturability rules, have newly bred shoe offspring custom-made as a new pair of tangible shoes.

[0009] The purchase of a pair of physical shoes can enable or "unlock" the corresponding encrypted digital asset and the lock of the digital shoes associated with that digital asset. For example, when an individual purchases a pair of real-world shoes from a registered seller, a unique (e.g., 10-bit numerical) physical shoe identification (ID) code of the physical shoes can be linked to the purchaser's unique (e.g., 42-bit alphanumeric) owner ID code. At the same time, an access prompt with a unique (e.g., 64-bit numerical) key is issued to the cryptocurrency wallet account associated with the owner ID code so that the purchaser can search for digital shoes with the encrypted token; the key, token, and digital shoes are assigned to the owner ID code. For example, a first Ethereum Request for Comments (ERC) 721 or ERC1155 token can be granted to authenticate and trade physical shoes, and a second ERC721 / ERC1155 token can be granted to access, grow, and trade digital shoes. In at least some implementations, real-world environmental effects, such as the use of a particular type of physical shoes, can affect the digital representation of the shoes. Each encrypted token can be assigned to the physical shoes and the encrypted digital asset; alternatively, a single encrypted token can be assigned to both the physical shoes and the digital asset.

[0010] Digital assets may include, in at least some applications, genotype information and / or phenotype information about digital shoes. This genotype / phenotype data may represent specific traits, attributes, colors, styles, backgrounds, etc. of the digital assets and may be adjusted according to "breeding rules" that govern the mixing of a digital shoe with one or more other discrete digital shoes. Phenotypic characteristics may depend on the genotype information, and vice versa, together with one or more of: virtual environments and associated effects; time-dependent mixing restrictions (e.g., offspring of virtual shoes cannot be raised until a pre-set maturity is reached); virtual user interactions that change maturity (e.g., speed up or slow down) or increase or decrease the likelihood of specific characteristics developing; the user's real-world interactions (e.g., running increases the maturation rate of virtual offspring, which increases the number of good / desirable qualities); the ability to clone shoes and set the total number of clones that an owner can produce from desirable offspring for actual real-world production, etc. Also, some optional features may also include: surrogacy features for breeding programs between two or more discrete digital shoes; a childcare / nanny function provided by a third-party entity that does not own the digital shoes; behavioral and animated features designed to make the digital shoes look more life-like (e.g., a personality that changes over time); the "breeding rights" of digital shoes may be governed by one or more real-world manufacturing restrictions; the ownership of each successive generation of digital shoes may be linked to the original real-world shoes (e.g., wholly or partially; depending on the proportion of genotype contribution, etc.) via an encryption key to the originally associated virtual product, etc.

[0011] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods for supplying, mixing, and / or exchanging encrypted digital assets for footwear. In one example, a method for automating the generation of encrypted digital assets associated with a footwear product is presented. This exemplary method, in any order and in combination with any of the above or below: receiving a transaction confirmation of a valid transfer of an authentic footwear from a first party to a second party via a server class (middleware or backend) computer on a distributed computing network from a remote computing node (e.g., a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a personal computer, a smartphone, etc.); determining, via a middleware server computer from an encrypted relational database, a unique owner ID code associated with the second party (e.g., a cryptocurrency wallet or digital locker member ID); generating an encrypted digital asset associated with the footwear product, the encrypted digital asset including a digital shoe (e.g., a computer-generated avatar) and a digital shoe ID code (e.g., a key and an encrypted token); linking, via the middleware server computer, the encrypted digital asset to the unique owner ID code; and transmitting, via the middleware server computer, the unique digital shoe ID code and the unique owner ID code to a distributed blockchain ledger (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.) for recording in a transaction block.

[0012] Other aspects of the disclosure relate to a distributed computing system having associated blockchain control logic for mining, mixing, and exchanging blockchain-enabled digital shoes. As an example, a distributed computing system is presented for automating the generation of encrypted digital assets associated with footwear products. The distributed computing system includes a wireless communication device connected to one or more remote computing nodes via a distributed computing network, and an encrypted digital asset registry storing digital shoes and unique digital shoe ID codes associated with a plurality of encrypted digital assets. Other peripheral hardware may include a network interface bus, resident and / or remote memory, a user location tracking device, a UPC / UPID scanner, and the like.

[0013] Continuing with the above example, the distributed computing system also includes a server-class (middleware or backend) computer operably connected to the wireless communication device and the encrypted digital asset registry. The middleware server computer is programmed to execute firmware and software stored in memory to receive, from a remote computing node via the distributed computing network, an electronic transaction confirmation indicating a validated transfer of authenticated footwear from one party to another. In response to receiving the transaction confirmation, the server-class computer retrieves the unique owner ID code of the transfer destination party from the encrypted relational database and generates an encrypted digital asset associated with the footwear product. The encrypted digital asset includes computer-generated digital shoes provided through a unique tokenized code with a corresponding access key. The server-class computer then links the encrypted digital asset to the unique owner ID code within the encrypted digital asset registry and transmits the unique digital shoe ID code and the unique owner ID code to the distributed blockchain ledger for recording in a transaction block.

[0014] A further aspect of this disclosure is directed to a method of provisioning encrypted digital assets associated with retail product transfers, such as a randomized lottery for purchasing limited-release athletic shoes via a dedicated mobile (SNKRS (registered trademark)) app. This exemplary method includes, in any order, and in any combination with any of the above or below disclosed features and options, the following: broadcasting an electronic notice of a future transaction of a retail product via a server computer on a decentralized computing network; receiving, via a server computer on a decentralized computing network, requests from personal computing devices of a plurality of users to participate in the future transaction; adding a selected number of users to a virtual line associated with a future transaction of a retail product; determining, via the server computer from the users added to the virtual line, a first user selected to receive the retail product and a second user selected to receive an encrypted digital asset including the digital retail product and a unique digital asset code; requesting, via the server computer, a transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the digital wallet of the second user; and transmitting the unique digital asset code to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the second user in an individual record block.

[0015] Additional aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a computing system for supplying encrypted digital assets associated with the transfer of retail products. The computing system includes a wireless communication unit connected to a distributed computing network, a data storage device for storing user data in a virtual line associated with a future retail product transaction, and a server computer communicatively connected to the wireless communication device and the data storage device. The server computer is programmed to broadcast an electronic notification of a future transaction of a retail product and then receive a user request to participate in the future transaction. A selected number of users are added to a virtual line associated with a future retail product transaction; from the users added to the virtual line, a first user is selected to receive the retail product, and a second user is selected to receive an encrypted digital asset including a digital retail product and a unique digital asset code. The encrypted digital asset is transferred to the second user's digital wallet, and the unique digital asset code is transmitted to a distributed blockchain ledger and recorded in an individual record block to confirm the transfer of the encrypted digital asset.

[0016] Aspects of the present disclosure are also directed to a non-transitory computer-readable medium (CRM) storing instructions executable by one or more processors of one or more computing devices of a distributed computing system. The CRM instructions, when executed, cause the computer device(s) to broadcast an electronic notification of a future transaction of a retail product over a distributed computing network; receive requests from personal computing devices of multiple users to participate in a future transaction over the distributed computing network; add a selected number of users to a virtual line associated with a future transaction of a retail product; determine a first user selected to receive a retail product from among the users added to the virtual line and a second user selected to receive an encrypted digital asset including a digital retail product and a unique digital asset code; request a transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the digital wallet of the second user; and transmit the unique digital asset code to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the second user in an individual record block.

[0017] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, the unique digital shoe ID code can include an encrypted token key having a code string segmented into a series of code subsets. The first of these code subsets can include data indicating an attribute of the digital shoe. This attribute data can include genotype and phenotype data of the digital shoe. The second of these code subsets can include data indicating an attribute of a real-world footwear product, such as colorway, material, manufacturing, make, sustainability / environmental responsibility, and / or model data for the footwear product.

[0018] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, a server-class distributed system computer may respond to the receipt of a transaction confirmation by sending an electronic notification, along with information for accessing an encrypted digital asset, to a second party. The server-class computer may then receive from the second party's handheld personal computing device a scanning confirmation verifying that a universal product code (UPC) and / or unique product identification number (UPIN) corresponding to the footwear manufacturer and model has been scanned. Linking the encrypted digital asset to a unique owner ID code may be performed in response to the receipt of the scanning confirmation. In at least some applications, the unique digital shoe ID code may include an encrypted token, and the digital notification sent to the second party may include a unique key having a hash address to the encrypted token.

[0019] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, a server-class computer may receive from any participating party a digital breeding request with a request to mix an encrypted digital asset with a third party's encrypted digital asset. Upon receiving this request, the server-class computer may respond by generating a progeny encrypted digital asset having a combination of one or more functions from the second party's encrypted digital asset and one or more functions from the third party's encrypted digital asset. For example, each encrypted digital asset may be assigned a respective unique encrypted token key having a code string segmented into a series of code subsets. One or more of these code subsets may include data indicating corresponding digital shoe attributes.

[0020] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, the encrypted digital assets of the progeny are provided via a separate encrypted token key having a code string composed of one or more code subsets having attribute data extracted from the encrypted token key of a second-party digital asset and one or more code subsets having attribute data extracted from the encrypted token key of a third-party digital asset. For example, one code subset of the progeny's digital assets may share a distinct alphanumeric sequence with a code subset of the second-party digital asset, while another code subset of the progeny's digital assets may share a distinct alphanumeric sequence with a code subset of the third-party digital asset. Generating the encrypted digital assets of the progeny may include designating one of the encrypted digital assets to be mated as the sire, designating the other encrypted digital asset as the dam, and applying a random number generator to determine which code subsets of the progeny correspond to which code subsets of the sire and which code subsets of the dam

[0021] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, a server-class computer may receive, from either a transferor or a transferee, a digital transfer proposal that requests the transfer (transfer) of an encrypted digital asset to a third party. The server-class computer may respond by determining a new unique owner ID code for the third party, may link the encrypted digital asset to this new unique owner ID code, and may record on a new transaction block in a distributed blockchain ledger the transfer of a unique digital shoe ID code to the new unique owner ID code. The digital transfer proposal may be sent in response to a confirmation indicating a new inherited transfer of a footwear product from a second party to a third party. Alternatively, the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the third party may be independent of the transfer of the physical footwear. Optionally, the server-class computer may generate a smart contract that authenticates ownership of the encrypted digital asset and / or tracks future transactions of the encrypted digital asset. The unique owner ID code may be linked to an encrypted currency wallet registered in the distributed blockchain ledger.

[0022] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, the unique digital asset code may include an encrypted token having a code string segmented into at least a private key and a public key. As a further option, the retail product transaction includes impending transactions of a plurality of retail products; in this case, a first subset of users added to the virtual line are each selected to receive one of the retail products. Similarly, the encrypted digital asset may include a plurality of encrypted digital assets; in this case, a second subset of users added to the virtual line who were not selected to receive a retail product are each selected to receive one of the encrypted digital assets.

[0023] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, the encrypted digital assets include a plurality of asset sets, each including a different type of encrypted digital asset. In this case, the second subset of users includes a plurality of subset groups, each having a user selected from the asset set to receive the corresponding type of encrypted digital asset. Optionally, the first asset set includes a distinct number of encrypted digital assets of a first type, and the second asset set includes a distinct number of encrypted digital assets of a second type. The second asset set may include a portion (e.g., 1-2%) of the number of assets included in the first asset set.

[0024] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, and retail products, each transfer of an encrypted digital asset to a user's digital wallet may be accompanied by an electronic message to the user having a hash address for the encrypted token and a unique key. As yet another option, the electronic notification of a retail product transaction is broadcast at a random or pre-set time within a period unknown to the user who received the request during a previously published period. The server computer may receive data from the user's personal computing device indicating that the user has completed a pre-defined activity; in response, the user is advanced to an improved position ahead of the virtual line based on the received activity data. The number of users added to the virtual line may be generated by a random number generator (RNG). Further, determining whether a user receives a retail product and an encrypted digital asset includes selecting each user (e.g., the first 100 users selected to receive a retail product, the second 100 users selected to receive an encrypted digital asset) from a pre-set position on the virtual line.

[0025] For any of the disclosed systems, methods, digital assets, or retail products, different encrypted digital assets can be generated for each retail product. For each user selected to receive a retail product, the system tracks the custody time between the transfer of the product's encrypted digital asset to the first user's first digital wallet and its subsequent transfer to a third-party digital wallet of a third user. Thereafter, it is determined whether the custody time is less than a predefined minimum holding time for that encrypted digital asset; if so, a scalping notice is stored in cache memory and / or output to the product's manufacturer. A smart contract can be generated to authenticate ownership of the encrypted digital asset associated with the retail product and track future transactions. The encrypted digital asset can include genotype data representing the appearance characteristics of a digital retail product, such as digital shoes or digital apparel products. As a further option, each received request to participate in a future retail product transaction can include a quick reference (QR) code obtained by the user from, for example, a ticket for an event at a specified venue, a tangible object within a specified venue, or a merchandise receipt generated within a specified venue.

[0026] The above summary does not represent all embodiments and all aspects of the present disclosure. Rather, the foregoing summary merely provides an exemplification of some of the concepts and features described herein. The above features and advantages, as well as other features and attendant advantages of the present disclosure, will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrated examples and representative modes for carrying out the present disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. Further, the present disclosure clearly encompasses any and all combinations and sub-combinations of any and all of the features shown above and below.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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[0040] This disclosure is capable of accommodating various modifications and alternative forms, and some representative embodiments are shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the novel aspects of this disclosure are not limited to the specific forms shown in the drawings listed above. Rather, this disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, combinations, sub - combinations, substitutions, groupings, and alternatives within the scope of this disclosure as encompassed by the appended claims.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0041] This disclosure is susceptible to being affected by many different forms of embodiments. Representative examples of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, and it is understood that these representative examples are not limitations on the broad aspects of the disclosure but are provided as illustrations of the disclosed principles and are described in detail herein. In that regard, elements and limitations described in the sections of the summary, technical field, background, overview, brief description of the drawings, and detailed description, but not explicitly recited in the claims, should not be incorporated into the claims, singly or collectively, by implication, inference, or otherwise.

[0042] For the purposes of this detailed description, unless otherwise specifically denied, the singular form includes the plural form and vice versa. The words "and" and "or" are to be both conjunctive and disjunctive. The words "any" and "all" are both to mean "any and all". Words such as "comprising", "having", "possessing", "including", etc. each mean "including but not limited to". Further, approximating words such as "about", "substantially", "approximately", "nearly", etc. may be used herein, for example, in the sense of "at, near, or approximately", or "within 0 - 5% of", or "within acceptable manufacturing tolerances", or logical combinations thereof. Finally, directional adjectives and adverbs such as front, rear, inner, outer, proximal, distal, vertical, horizontal, forward, backward, left, right, etc. may be with respect to a footwear product when worn on a user's foot and may be operably oriented, for example, at a ground - engaging portion of a sole structure located on a flat surface.

[0043] Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to computer-generated digital / virtual collectibles, such as digital shoes (e.g., "CryptoKicks"), which in some instances can be secured and / or uniquely identified by cryptographic tokens and can be linked to and / or distributed with real-world physical products such as tangible shoes. In other embodiments, instead of being linked to or distributed with real-world physical products, the digital assets can be linked to or distributed with 2D or 3D design (design) files, such as CAD models, graphical renderings, images, or graphic packages, from which physical products can be constructed or otherwise represented.

[0044] A variety of digital assets can be used by companies, for example, to keep track of consumer trends and preferences. For example, a company can create several product-compatible designs with different characteristics, silhouettes, colors, etc., then distribute them as digital assets to one or more digital platforms, and then monitor the popularity, value, demand, and / or virtual usage of different product designs and / or characteristics. By doing so, valuable insights into real-time demand for products can be obtained, which can be most useful for prioritizing designs for future manufacturing.

[0045] Digital assets or attribute modifiers can be created, for example, for brand promotion purposes. For example, digital shoes can be created in preset and / or controlled limited quantities and distributed as part of a promotion, event, moment, or contest. Spectators at a professional sports event (e.g., a home opener) are given the right to acquire one of a limited quantity of unique digital assets, each of which is separately protected via its own cryptographic token.

[0046] As used herein, "encrypted digital asset" or simply "digital asset" may refer to any computer-generated virtual object, including digital footwear, apparel, headgear, avatars, pets, etc., having unique, non-fungible tokenized codes ("tokens") registered on a blockchain platform, verified, or otherwise registered in an immutable database. Further, all references to "CryptoKicks" and variations of that term within this disclosure are to be understood as examples of virtual collectibles backed by unique, non-fungible tokens or registry entries within an immutable database. It should not be limited to just footwear. All such references are to be read as equally applicable to apparel (e.g., "CryptoThreads"), headgear (e.g., "CryptoLids"), and sports equipment (e.g., "CryptoGear") or other such objects.

[0047] A virtual object may have a plurality of attributes (i.e., phenotypic characteristics) that are at least partially derived from an encrypted alphanumeric string that can be associated with an encryption token. In this sense, the alphanumeric string may be similar to the genetic code of the virtual object. (I.e., the genotype information is the underlying code / code segment, and the phenotypic trait is the expression of the genotype information). The phenotypic characteristics may depend on the encoded genotype information, but they are optional: virtual environments (e.g., virtual check-in, situation-specific criteria, etc.); time-dependent propagation (e.g., the user is restricted from propagating the offspring of virtual shoes until it reaches the maturity at which it is set); virtual user interaction (which can accelerate or decelerate maturity, or increase or decrease the likelihood of the occurrence of specific traits); real-world user activities (e.g., the level of the user's physical activity can increase one or more "desirable" qualities; the daily use of related products accelerates the maturity of virtual offspring, etc.); cloning restrictions set by the manufacturer, point of sale (POS), owner, etc. (e.g., determining in advance the maximum number of clones that can be produced from the desired offspring for actual real-world production). It may further depend on any one or more of these.

[0048] In the context of footwear, each unique token can be directly linked to a single CryptoKick object that can be embodied as a virtual replica or digital art version of a sneaker. In one example, the token can include a 64-bit alphanumeric code that is split into individual code segments. One or more or all of the code segments of the alphanumeric code can represent data indicating attributes of a collectible digital shoe. For example, a series of code segments can provide digital shoe attributes such as style, material, family, Heat, color scheme, future attributes, maker, model, pattern scheme, image background, etc. Each subset of the code can generally function as a genotype that gives rise to a visual phenotypic expression for the user. The first created CryptoKick can include encrypted token data representing attributes from a companion physical shoe. During the creation of the CryptoKick, a smart contract can be generated to authenticate ownership and track future transactions of the CryptoKick. The attributes of the digital shoe can also be linked to a parts list.

[0049] In a representative example, a pair of authenticated physical shoes is created and assigned a unique product identifier (UPID). When a consumer purchases, the UPID can be used to unlock a "crypto digital asset" - a CryptoKick - composed of a collectible digital shoe and a unique non-fungible token (NFT) operating on a blockchain-based decentralized computing platform.

[0050] Generally, before a consumer unlocks or acquires a CryptoKick, they may first be required to obtain a blockchain locker address (e.g., an Ethereum hardware wallet). This blockchain locker can be used to store the private key belonging to the CryptoKick NFT and, optionally, can be linked to a personal user account registered with the original manufacturer of the physical shoe (e.g., a NIKEPLUS® account profile).

[0051] It is envisioned that there are several ways in which a user could be enabled to unlock their CryptoKick. As a first example, upon scanning the UPC or UPID of the shoe at the POS terminal during the initial purchase or when directly associated with the product, a unique encrypted token and corresponding private key are automatically generated and assigned to the user's blockchain locker (see Figure 7). In a second example, the KickID is provided to the user via a printed or digital receipt, a visual or electronic tag (RFID or NFC) hidden on the physical shoe, a pop-up message or email sent to the individual user account, a push notification or text message sent to the smartphone, or some other record; the consumer uses the KickID to link the CryptoKick to their digital blockchain locker. In another example, the user could be required to assemble the KickID, in part, via a physical code or UPID associated with the shoe (such as under the box, hangtag, label, insole, etc.) and in part via a transaction authentication code (i.e., to prevent the consumer from collecting the CryptoKick when simply trying on the shoe). Another example could require the user to "hunt" for the CryptoKick within a physical store by using a photo "snap" or augmented reality ("AR") feature on a handheld personal computing device. In this method, the KickID may be provided via a verified transaction, but the user must separately find the hidden CryptoKick within the AR hidden within the store or local area before the digital asset can be transferred to their locker (i.e., both the encryption key and the virtual object must be separately acquired before the transfer can occur). In this example, obtaining the encryption key could enable the AR engine associated with the user device to initiate a game where the CryptoKick / virtual object associated with that key is hidden locally and the user can find it.

[0052] In some instances, CryptoKick may not originally be linked to a physical product, but instead can be given to users as part of a brand's promotional campaign, event, moment, or experience. In one example, as generally shown in FIG. 8, users at a sports event can be encouraged to use the digital camera of a smartphone device to search for CryptoKick within the confines of the event. In this example, the GPS associated with the smartphone device can limit the optical recognition function to a specific geofenced area. Once CryptoKick is located (e.g., effectively disguised as a billboard advertisement), the user can be prompted to scan a unique code such as a barcode on a ticket to the event. This two-part action can then transfer a token uniquely provided for that ticket to the user's locker.

[0053] After this event, the promotion organizer may collect all unclaimed KickIDs for subsequent use in other promotion events. In further applications, the user may unlock the KickID upon receiving a digital design file or image. For example, in an online promotion, a particular user may be selected (in an ordered or random manner) to receive an image, design file, or graphical rendering. A predetermined number of "winning images" may be displayed and / or transferred to the user's computing device for later display, where each is associated with a different unique KickID that can be used to facilitate the transfer of CryptoKick to a private lock associated with the user. The "winning images" may represent, for example, a purchase or successful agreement to purchase a particular physical or digital object. In other embodiments, the "winning images" may simply be hidden or masked images within an online brand promotion page that require user interaction to unmask.

[0054] After obtaining a CryptoKick, the owner may purchase, sell, mix, collect, or exchange the CryptoKick using, for example, physical currency, fiat currency, and / or digital currency. In some examples, an entity may maintain a digital online market that includes an inventory of cryptoclips for sale and / or a market that mediates peer-to-peer transactions.

[0055] To create offspring CryptoKicks (the "RVK" or "CollaboKick"), it may also be possible to breed or mash up two CryptoKicks (a "Collab"). This CollaboKick has unique tokens and distinct attributes compared to the parent CryptoKicks. A Collab can combine attribute data and / or genetic code from the two tokens of the parents to generate a new NFT or KickID, and as a result, provide a CollaboKick. In some implementations, there may be a pre - determined probabilistic limit on the total number of Collab events within a given time limit, for example, to prevent over - production of CollaboKicks between the same two users. The creation of the CollaboKick's genetic code can be random, systematic, regulated, unconstrained, or a combination thereof. One or more code subsets can be based on controlled probabilities, for example, using Mendel's laws. For instance, if the first attribute code (e.g., molding heat) is represented by two genes (e.g., HH, Hh, hh), the CollaboKick is considered "high heat" if it has two genes that are "hh" (recessive trait). In other words, if the genotype data included in the KickIDs of the two parents of the CryptoKick has Hh as the "heat gene", the offspring CollaboKick has a 25% chance of receiving the high heat gene, for example, when using the Punnett square method.

[0056] The option to execute a Collab event may require one or both owners to comply with one or more preconditions. As an example, two owners of the parent CryptoKick may be required to meet at a designated location or be within a certain proximity of each other to create a CollabKick. For example, a user may use the "CryptoKick Collab" matching function on a dedicated mobile software application (the "app") to find other users to Collab with. Using this app, both parties can set the time and place to meet, set the conditions of the Collab, and submit a formal request to a middleware computing node to manage it. Another example may include a footwear manufacturer or third-party sponsor hosting a Collab event where CryptoKick owners meet at a designated location to Collab with each other within a specific time frame.

[0057] Owners may be provided with some indication of the genetic characteristics of their CryptoKicks to facilitate more careful Collab events. In one example, a user may desire a specific model of CryptoKicks in a certain dedicated color. The user may then search for CryptoKicks with the genetic code for that color and attempt to Collab with them. To deepen the understanding of the value of traits, for example, a user may be provided with a rarity score that provides an indication of the rarity or total circulating supply of each trait that makes up their CryptoKick and / or an indication of the overall exclusivity of their CryptoKick. In this way, when offered for sale in a commercial market, CryptoKick may have an intrinsic value that reflects the combined rarity or exclusivity of its various characteristics.

[0058] A defined set of mixing rules may govern whether a Collab can be executed and how it can be executed. For example, certain constraints may be imposed so that a wide range of style guidelines are maintained in CollaboKick. In one example, these style constraints may be the same constraints or guidelines that a company may use when creating a new version, color scheme, or iteration of an existing product line. When a Collab is created, the genetic mixing algorithm may be constrained so that the resulting Collab kick maintains a similarity or silhouette indicative of an existing product or more than one product. In one example, these style guidelines or rules may be explicitly set by a company, but in another embodiment, they may be discovered and assembled using, for example, an image-based processing algorithm that can recognize style attributes (e.g., color pattern, material, cut, and / or dimensional pattern) from existing products.

[0059] In at least some implementations, CryptoKick can be programmed to function as a "living" digital pet that the user cares for by feeding, cleaning, entertaining, or otherwise taking care of the pet to ensure it is happy and healthy. Optionally, the owner can either take care of the CryptoKick pet themselves or have a third-party user take care of the CryptoKick pet. As the CryptoKick pet evolves - growing from a baby digital pet to an infant, then a preschooler, and so on until it becomes an adult - one or more attributes of CryptoKick automatically change with age or are unlocked over time. Further, as the CryptoKick pet "grows" through various life stages, the user may be able to unlock real-life versions of shoes they have created. For example, if the CryptoKick pet evolves into a pair of royal blue sneakers for infants, the user unlocks the option to purchase one or more special royal blue sneakers in infant sizes.

[0060] In some implementations, a user's CryptoKick can be imported into one or more other digital platforms to serve, for example, as a skin on a video game character that can be developed and / or controlled by the user. For example, if the user is active in a certain basketball video game, the CryptoKick can be imported into that game and worn by the user's player or team.

[0061] When a CryptoKick is imported into another video game, in some configurations, different attributes of the CryptoKick can result in changes to the ability level of the character of the user who equipped the asset. In one example, the attributes of the user character can be positively affected by the rarity or exclusivity of the various attributes, or by the rarity or exclusivity of the overall combination of assets. For example, a rare CryptoKick can confer better jumping ability or lateral speed, a rare CryptoThread can confer better strength or speed, and a rare CryptoLid can confer better vision.

[0062] CryptoKicks users can determine the "best CollaboKick" in the market, for example, on a W / M / Q / Y basis. Such a voting scheme can be used to designate one or more CollaboKicks as being suitable for commercial production of physical products with digital asset likenesses. As a further option, a CollaboKick that can receive a pre-set threshold number of "votes" can automatically trigger the manufacturer to actually create the CollaboKick.

[0063] CryptoKicks and CollaboKick are transferred between users over time for sale, trading, purchase, and Collab, so each transaction history can be traced within the transaction's blockchain ledger. When a CollaboKick or CryptoKick is created, such real-life existence can be notified to previous users and the option to purchase a real-life pair of CollabKick / CryptoKick can be given.

[0064] As a further extension, in one example, CryptoKicks can be backed by fungible tokens, where the digital collectibles represent monetary value. In one implementation, specific attributes within the code assigned to the tokens can determine the value. For example, a style attribute indicating high-top sneakers can have a first value, a style attribute indicating yoga pants can have a second value, and a style attribute indicating a running shirt can have a third value. In one example, these values can be allowed to vary according to market forces or can be tied to a non-fiat currency.

[0065] Next, referring to the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like features throughout several views, and in FIG. 1, a representative footwear product generally designated 10 and depicted for illustrative purposes as a sneaker or "sneaker" is shown. The illustrated footwear product 10, which is also referred to herein briefly as "footwear" or "shoes," is merely an exemplary application where the novel aspects and features of the present disclosure may be implemented. In one example, the illustrated footwear product 10 may be or be similar to CryptoKick. Similarly, implementations of this concept for digital shoes and cryptographic tokens for footwear are to be understood as representative implementations of the disclosed concept. Accordingly, it will be understood that aspects and features of the present disclosure may be utilized in other types of footwear and incorporated into logically related consumer products. As used herein, the terms "shoes" and "footwear" (including their variations) may be used interchangeably and synonymously to refer to any suitable type of clothing worn on a human foot. Finally, the features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale and are provided for purely educational purposes. Accordingly, the specific dimensions and relative dimensions shown in the drawings are not to be construed as limiting.

[0066] The representative footwear product 10 is shown in FIG. 1 generally as a bipartite construction primarily composed of a foot-receiving upper 12 attached to the top of a sole structure 14 below. Only a single shoe 10 for the user's left foot is shown in FIG. 1, although a mirrored and substantially identical counterpart for the user's right foot may be provided. As will be appreciated, the shape, size, material composition, and manufacturing method of the shoe 10 may be varied singly or in combination to be practically adapted for normal or non-conventional footwear applications.

[0067] Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, the upper 12 is shown as having a shell-like, closed toe and closed heel structure for accommodating a human foot. The upper 12 of FIG. 1 is generally defined by three adjacent sections, namely, a toe box 12A, a vamp 12B, and a rear quarter 12C. The toe box 12A is shown as the rounded front tip of the upper 12 that extends from the distal phalanx to the proximal phalanx to cover and protect the user's toes. In contrast, the vamp 12B is located behind the toe box 12A and is the arched central portion of the upper 12 that extends from the midfoot bone to the cuboid bone. As shown, the vamp 12B also provides a throat having a series of lace eyelets 16 and a shoe tongue 18. Behind the vamp 12B is located the rear quarter 12C that extends from the transverse tarsal joint to the calcaneus and includes the rear portion of the upper 12. In the drawings, it is depicted as including three main segments, but the upper 12 may be manufactured as a single-piece structure or may be composed of any number of segments including a toe cap, a heel cap, an ankle cuff, an inner liner, etc. For sandal and slipper applications, the upper 12 may be configured with an open toe or an open heel, or may be replaced with a single strap or multiple interconnected straps.

[0068] The upper 12 portion of the footwear 10 can be manufactured from one or a combination of various materials such as fabrics, industrial foams, polymers, natural and synthetic leathers. Once cut to shape and size, the individual segments of the upper 12 can be sewn, glued, fastened, welded, or joined to each other in other ways to form an internal cavity for comfortably receiving the foot. The individual material elements of the upper 12 can be selected and arranged with respect to the footwear 10 to impart desired properties such as, for example, durability, air permeability, abrasion resistance, flexibility, appearance, and comfort. The ankle opening 15 of the rear quarter 12C of the upper 12 provides access to the interior of the shoe 10. A shoelace 20, strap, buckle, or other conventional mechanism can be used to modify the perimeter length of the upper 12 to more securely hold the foot inside the shoe 10 and also to facilitate entry and removal of the foot from the upper 12. The shoelace 20 can be passed through a series of eyelets 16 within or attached to the upper 12; the tongue 18 can extend between the lace 20 and the interior cavity of the upper 12.

[0069] The sole structure 14 is firmly fixed to the upper 12 such that the sole structure 14 extends between the upper 12 and the support surface on which the user stands. The sole structure 14 can be manufactured as a sandwich structure having a top insole 22, a middle midsole 24, and a bottom outsole 26 or outsole surface. Alternative sole configurations may be manufactured with more or fewer than three layers. The insole 22 is shown partially disposed within the interior cavity of the footwear 10 and is operably attached to the lower portion of the upper 12 such that the insole 22 abuts the surface of the sole of the foot. Below the insole 22 is a midsole 24 incorporating one or more materials or embedded elements that enhance the comfort, performance, and / or ground reaction attenuation characteristics of the footwear 10. These elements and materials can include, individually or in any combination, polymeric foam materials such as polyurethane or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), filler materials, moderators, air-filled bladders, plates, lasting elements, or motion control members. The outsole 26 is disposed below the midsole 24 and defines part or all of the lowermost ground-engaging portion of the footwear 10. The outsole 26 can be formed from a natural or synthetic rubber material that provides a durable and abrasion-resistant surface for contacting the ground. Additionally, the outsole 26 can be contoured and textured to enhance the traction (i.e., friction) characteristics between the footwear 10 and the support surface thereunder.

[0070] As a general matter, each element, panel, section, and material of the footwear product 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be separately drawn or defined in the digital CryptoKick. Further, these attributes can likewise be reflected within the genetic code of the NFT, as described above.

[0071] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary distributed computing system, generally designated 30, having associated blockchain control logic for mining, mixing, and exchanging blockchain-capable digital collectibles. User 11 is communicatively coupled to remote host system 34 and / or cloud computing system 36 via wireless communication network 38. Although a single user 11 communicating with a single host system 34 and a single cloud computing system 36 via distributed computing system 30 is described, it is envisioned that any number of users may communicate with any number of remote computing nodes suitably equipped to wirelessly exchange information and data. Wireless data exchange between user 11 and remote computing nodes on distributed computing system 30 may occur directly, for example, via direct communication between host system 34 / cloud computing system 36 and user device 39 (e.g., the user's smartphone 40, smartwatch 42, or other suitable personal computing device), or indirectly, for example, in all communications between user 11 and other computing nodes routed through host system 34.

[0072] Only selected components of distributed computing 10 and distributed computing system 30 are shown and are described in detail herein. Nevertheless, the systems and devices described herein may include, for example, a number of additional and alternative features, as well as other available hardware and well-known peripheral components, for performing the various methods and functions disclosed herein. The described system depends on a blockchain ledger and process to record ownership of digital assets, but it should be understood that the technology may operate on a public or private blockchain and may utilize one or more forms of encryption, encoding, proof of work challenges, or other concepts and techniques included in available blockchain standards or suitable alternative immutable databases / ledgers.

[0073] Continuing to refer to FIG. 2, host system 34 may be implemented as a high-speed server computer or mainframe computing device that can handle bulk data processing, resource planning, and transaction processing. For example, host system 34 may operate as middleware within a client-server interface for performing the necessary data exchange and communication with one or more "third party" servers to complete a particular transaction. On the other hand, cloud computing system 36 may operate as middleware for IoT (Internet of Things), WoT (Web of Things), Internet of Adaptive Apparel and Footwear (IoAAF), and / or M2M (Machine-to-machine) services, connecting various heterogeneous electronic devices to a service-oriented architecture (SOA) via a data network. As an example, cloud computing system 36 may be implemented as a middleware node to provide different functions for dynamically onboarding heterogeneous devices, multiplexing data from each of these devices, and routing the data through a processing logic that can be reconfigured for processing and transmission to one or more destination applications. Network 38 can be any available type of network, including a combination of a public distributed computing network (e.g., the Internet) and a secure private network (e.g., local area network, wide area network, virtual private network). Also, this can include wireless and wired transmission systems (e.g., satellite, cellular phone network, terrestrial network, etc.). Most, if not all, data transaction functions executed by user 11 can be performed via a wireless network such as, for example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a cellular data network.

[0074] As a decentralized blockchain platform, computing system 30 operates as an open but encrypted peer-to-peer network in which asset transaction records known as "blocks" are linked via an encrypted hash function within a distributed immutable ledger of interconnected blocks, i.e., a "blockchain". Each block within the chain contains one or more digital asset transactions with corroboration information representing the validity of each transaction evaluated by peer verification devices. The encrypted, decentralized computing architecture enables the identification and authentication of the assets being transacted while preventing the duplication of encrypted ( "encrypted") digital assets registered on the platform. Decentralized asset management can function by encrypting proprietary asset files, splitting the encrypted code into small "nonsense" fragments, and sending these fragments to a number of different computing nodes on a decentralized computing network. The verified owner is provided with a private key indicating where the asset is within the network and how to reconstruct or "decrypt" the file. For use as a distributed ledger, individual blockchains are typically managed by a host administrator and distributed to multiple peers that collectively follow a protocol for node-to-node communication and block verification.

[0075] It should be understood that the disclosed systems and techniques provide a number of advantageous technical effects, including the construction and storage of a digital asset blockchain representing transactions among users of virtual collectibles. Additionally, blockchain technology enables the creation of unique and fully transferable digital assets that maintain value by virtue of a general inability (unlike conventional, insecure digital files) to make lossless copies.

[0076] Figure 3 provides an example of the functional structure of a distributed computing system 30 as shown in Figure 2. As generally shown, user 11 may be operably interfaced with a user device 39 (i.e., interface device 39) that may include one or more of a smartphone 40, a tablet computer, a smartwatch 42, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a stand-alone video game console, smart footwear / apparel, or other similar Internet-enabled devices. The interface device 39 may be operably configured to communicate with one or more of an immutable public database (e.g., a blockchain service / network 60 - referred to as "blockchain 60"), a virtual object generator 62, an online digital marketplace 64, and / or a third-party integration service 66.

[0077] Generally, blockchain 60 may include at least one non-fungible token registered thereon, including genomic information representing digital assets. Through user device 39, user 11 may own or be linked to a locker / wallet that includes a private encryption key that enables the user device to read the encrypted data associated with the token. This key further enables user 11 to freely transfer ownership of the token.

[0078] In one example, a virtual object generator 62 may be provided to generate digital objects based on genomic information associated with tokens. More specifically, the virtual object generator 62 may be responsible for representing genomic information into a plurality of phenotypic traits. The virtual object generator 62 may employ a plurality of styles and artistic rules such that the resulting digital objects are unique but recognizable according to a predefined silhouette, style, item, or character. The virtual object generator 62 may optionally operate based on other non-genomic factors such as the age of the asset, user activity (tracked via the user device), or use via a third-party platform. In such embodiments, these non-genomic inputs may be able to change phenotypic expression and / or unlock new capabilities, breeding rights, and / or production rights. For example, in one configuration, the color of CryptoKick may depend on the genetically assigned color along with the age of the asset and / or the use of the asset in the virtual world or via a linked physical pair of shoes in the real world. The initial color may result in a new color with its own relative rarity score / value along with age / experience-based changes.

[0079] The virtual object generator 62 and / or the blockchain 60 may further communicate with a hosted digital marketplace 64, forum, social platform, etc. (such as generally shown in FIG. 5 and displayed on the smartphone 40). The digital marketplace 64 may represent a plurality of virtual objects 80 in a manner that enables an organized exchange or trading of virtual objects between parties. At the end of a sale, the digital marketplace 64 may update the blockchain 60 with new ownership information and facilitate the transfer of an existing key to a new asset holder. The marketplace 64 may further enable various social engagement functions, such as voting or commenting on the represented virtual objects. Similarly, in some examples, the marketplace 64 may be configured to evaluate and score the rarity of a particular virtual object based on the sum of the represented characteristics of that object. Such a rarity score may enable the marketplace (and / or users participating in the marketplace) to better evaluate the value of the object.

[0080] In one configuration, the computing system 30 may further include a third-party integration service 66 that enables the use of virtual objects in different contexts or manners. The third-party integration service 66 may operate as an API on an app provided on the user's device or as a dedicated cloud-based service. The third-party integration service 66 may optionally make available virtual objects (such as as represented by the virtual object generator 62) and / or genomic information for external use. Examples of such use may include third-party video game character skins, objects that can be used by third-party video game characters (see FIG. 9), digital art work displays, physical print generation, manufacturing production, etc. In one example, genomic information and / or rarity scores can be made available to change the characteristics or capabilities of a user's video game character in a video game played on the user's device 39 (see FIG. 10).

[0081] Further, as shown in FIG. 3, in one configuration, the enterprise host system 68 can communicate with the blockchain 60 for the purpose of providing and / or initially generating new digital assets. Further, the host system 68 can provide one or more rules to the virtual object generator 62 to constrain the ways and styles in which genomic information from the blockchain 60 is expressed in a visual / artistic form.

[0082] Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG. 4, an improved method or control strategy for generating collectible digital assets protected by encrypted tokens on a blockchain ledger is generally illustrated at 100 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Some or all of the operations shown in FIG. 4 and described in further detail below may be stored, for example, in main or auxiliary memory or remote memory and may be executed, for example, by a resident or remote controller, a central processing unit (CPU), control logic circuitry, or other modules or devices or a network of devices to perform any or all of the functions described above or below in connection with the disclosed concepts. It should be recognized that the order of execution of the illustrated operational blocks may be changed, additional blocks may be added, and some of the described blocks may be changed, combined, or deleted.

[0083] Method 100 starts, at terminal block 101, with processor-executable instructions for a programmable controller or control module or similar suitable processor to call an initialization procedure for a protocol for generating encrypted digital assets, such as computer-generated digital shoes 44 and encrypted token keys 46 of FIG. 2, for consumer products such as sneakers 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. This routine may be called and executed in real time, continuously, systematically, sporadically, and / or at regular intervals. As a representative implementation of the method shown in FIG. 4, the initialization procedure at block 101 may automatically start each time a pair of genuine footwear 10 is manufactured, each time user 11 purchases a pair of real-world footwear 10, or each time user 11 unlocks access key 46. Alternatively, the initialization procedure may be manually initiated by an employee at a POS terminal or by a manufacturer.

[0084] Using a portable electronic device 39, such as smartphone 40 or smartwatch 42 of FIG. 2, user 11 may launch a dedicated mobile software application (“app”) or a web-based applet such as NIKE+® to cooperate with a server-class (backend or middleware) computer (e.g., remote host system 34) to communicate with various peer devices on distributed computing system 30. During a communication session with host system 34, for example, user 11 may purchase a pair of footwear 10 using corresponding features provided by the app. User 11 inputs personal information and payment method to complete the transaction. When the verified payment is complete, host system 34 receives a transaction confirmation indicating that the verified transfer of footwear 10 to user 11 has been completed, from, for example, an online store transaction module or an approved third-party electronic payment system. As described above, a valid transfer of footwear 10 may be made via any available means, including in a physical store, through an online auction website, or in a post-market trade / sale between consumers.

[0085] Method 100 continues with decision block 103 to determine whether user 11 has obtained a cryptocurrency wallet or other similar suitable digital blockchain locker that is operable to upload and maintain location information and search information for digital assets stored in an encrypted and distributed manner, for example. A cryptocurrency wallet typically stores a public-private key pair but does not store the cryptocurrency itself. The cryptocurrency is stored in a distributed and publicly available blockchain ledger. With the stored key, the owner can digitally sign a transaction and write it to the blockchain ledger. Smart contracts directed by the platform associated with the locker can facilitate the transfer of stored assets and create a verifiable audit trail thereof. If user 11 has not yet obtained a digital blockchain locker (block 103 = NO), method 100 continues with predefined process block 105 to set up a blockchain locker. As a non-limiting example, user 11 may be prompted or automatically routed to visit any of various publicly available websites that provide a hardware wallet for cold storage of cryptocurrencies and digital assets, such as an ERC20-compatible Ethereum wallet provided by MyEtherWallet™.

[0086] When the system confirms that user 11 has a suitable digital blockchain locker, method 100 may automatically link the digital blockchain locker to a personal user account (e.g., a NIKEPLUS® account profile) or prompt user 11 to link it, as shown in process block 107 of FIG. 4. This may require the remote host system 34 to search an encrypted relational database (e.g., provided through cloud computing system 36) for a unique owner ID code (e.g., CryptoKick Owner ID 48 of FIG. 2) associated with the purchaser (e.g., user 11). At this point, a unique physical shoe ID code (CryptoKick Physical ID 50 of FIG. 2) associated with the purchased footwear 10 may be linked to the user's personal account.

[0087] When it is determined that user 11 has obtained a digital blockchain locker (block 103 = YES), or after the user's blockchain locker has been linked to their individual user count (block 107), method 100 continues with input / output block 109 to activate or "unlock" the encrypted digital assets associated with the footwear 10 being transacted in process block 101. As described above, after purchasing the footwear 10, a collectible CryptoKick, which generally consists of a collectible digital shoe 44 and a unique NFT identified by an encrypted token key 46, can be retrieved using the CryptoKick Physical ID or the universally recognized UPID product code. The salesperson at the POS terminal or user 11 using the smartphone 40 can scan the UPID or UPC of the shoe 10 or the box containing the shoe 10. Alternatively, user 11 can be prompted to perform a "treasure hunt" using the digital camera of the smartphone to scan various UPIDs throughout the physical store until they scan something linked to the KickID. Enabling the encrypted digital assets can be done automatically, randomly, systematically, prize-based, or in a logically appropriate manner.

[0088] After receiving confirmation that the encrypted digital assets have been approved in input / output block 109, method 100 generates encrypted digital assets for the processed footwear product. This can include generating a unique encrypted asset code with an address, token, and a pair of public and private keys, as indicated in a predefined process block 111. The host system 34 can send the token, along with the public key and the owner ID, to the distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital assets to user 11 in a transaction block and perform peer verification. Method 100 continues with process block 113 to link the encrypted digital assets to a unique owner ID code. This control logic can include executable instructions for assigning the encrypted asset code to user 11 and storing the public and private keys in the user's digital blockchain locker.

[0089] Continuing to refer to FIG. 4, the method 100 proceeds to block 115 to generate a virtual representation or “digital art” of the encrypted digital asset. Continuing with the example of the footwear of FIG. 2, the virtual representation may include a computer-generated avatar of the shoe 10 or a rendering of the shoe 10 by a limited edition artist. It is also contemplated that one or more attributes of the virtual representation of the encrypted digital asset may be created, in whole or in part, via the user 11. A machine learning function may be executed in a predetermined process block 117 to generate image features via a neural network. When the digital art is complete, the image may be uploaded to the cloud computing system 36 in block 119. Additionally, an optional process block 121 may issue a digital notification, such as an email or push notification, to the user's smartphone 40, smartwatch 42, or other personal computing device, along with all relevant information for accessing, transferring, and mixing the encrypted digital asset. The remote host system 34 may operate as a web server hosting a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) operable to convert the data stored in the encryption key into a visual image presented to the user 11 in an optional process block 123. The operation and use of the digital asset may also be performed via the user's digital blockchain locker. This may include, as defined in an optional process block 125, posting the encrypted digital asset online to an encrypted collectibles market for sale or breeding.

[0090] Future and current owners of encrypted digital assets, such as CryptoKick of FIG. 2, can buy and sell digital assets through one or more blockchain ledgers operating on a distributed computing system 30. By way of example, and not limitation, a user can purchase a new pair of highly popular sneakers from a verified vendor who can provide provenance records authenticated for the sneakers. While the sneakers are in transit, the user may receive an email notification with detailed instructions for unlocking the CryptoKick when the shipment arrives. After receiving the shoebox containing the purchased sneakers, the user scans the UPC of the box with the barcode scanning feature of a sneaker app operating on a smartphone. In response, a new profile page becomes active in the sneaker app, and the sneaker app opens the new profile page. In at least some applications, the new profile page is linked to, exported to, or first activated for the user's personal (NIKEPLUS (registered trademark)) account profile. Private and public blockchain platform keys are generated, genotype and phenotype data are created, this data is embedded in segments of the alphanumeric code of the public key, and a virtual representation of CryptoKick is generated. The blockchain data, tokens, etc. of CryptoKick are assigned to the user's new address. The new profile page lists the CryptoKick acquired by the user.

[0091] The user may wish to lease, license, or transfer their new CryptoKick to any one or more future buyers. In one example, the seller (also referred to herein as the “transferor” or “first party”) makes an offer to sell, and the buyer (also referred to herein as the “transferee” or “second party”) agrees to purchase the CryptoKick for an agreed-upon amount (e.g., 3 ETH). The buyer may be interested in purchasing the available CryptoKick because it has one or more attributes (e.g., artist, body type, color scheme, etc.) that the buyer wishes to add to their collection. The seller may initiate the sales process by marking the specific CryptoKick in the sneaker app as “For Sale” via the “Auction” button of the corresponding soft key. The seller may set a minimum bid price and / or a buy-now price and provide an auction time frame of a selected number of hours, days, weeks, etc. The sneaker app may present the seller with a share modal that allows the seller to share the auction via normal social media or present a Quick Response (QR) code for scanning potential buyers. The buyer may then use the digital camera of their smartphone to operate the scan function of the sneaker app to scan the QR code (registered trademark) and send the required funds (e.g., 3 ETH) to the auction site. The seller's sneaker app notifies the seller of the payment, and the seller is prompted to agree to the sale terms and complete the transaction. Thereafter, the CryptoKick is transferred from the first party to the second party's address.

[0092] The owner of an encrypted digital asset may wish to mix or "breed" their digital asset with other digital assets to create asset "offspring", as schematically shown in FIG. 6. A first digital asset owner and a second digital asset owner may wish to collaborate and crossbreed their digital assets 82, 84 to create a new encrypted digital asset. The first owner is set as the "primary artist" if their digital asset has the attributes desired by the second owner. In this case, the second owner may initiate a smart contract with the first owner for collaboration. One or both parties may fund the contract with physical or digital currency to pay, for example, a "collaboration fee" set by the breeding host site for transfer and an optional fee for the siring service that sires the second owner's offspring. When both parties agree and sign the breeding contract, one or both parties may be prompted to select one or more traits from their "parent" digital assets and transfer them to the resulting "offspring" digital asset. Alternatively, the breeding host site may use a breeding algorithm to construct a new digital asset from two or more existing digital assets.

[0093] Using the "CollabScience" algorithm, it can be determined which contributing encrypted digital asset is designated as the sire, which contributing encrypted digital asset is designated as the dam, and which code subset from each parent asset is used to construct the encrypted token key of the resulting digital asset. For example, the token keys, DA1 and DA2, for two parent digital assets may appear as follows: DA1: 4352635657387611432650689898388672080892866850020829309339781214 DA2: 1997670191981520482540801616208235668515393854245661572126051434 The CollabScience algorithm can generate a random number, e.g., between 0 and 65535, using a random number generator (RNG) or other applicable means. According to this example, the random number may be 21123. Once generated, the CollabScience algorithm can convert the obtained number 21123 into a binary code: 0101001010000011. Incidentally, if the first digit of the binary code is zero (0), the first parent digital asset DA1 is designated as the male parent and corresponds to all zeros in the character string; the first parent digital asset DA1 is designated as the male parent, and the second parent digital asset DA2 is automatically designated as the female parent and corresponds to all ones in the character string.

[0094] Continuing with the above example, the CollabScience algorithm segments the parent token key into multiple-digit code subsets or "chunks". In this example, each parent token key is divided into 16 four-digit code subsets: Segment DA1: ['4352', '6356', '5738', '7611', '4326', '5068', '9898', '3886', '7208', '0892', '8668', '5002', '0829', '3093', '3978', '1214'] Segment DA2: +['1997', '6701', '9198', '1520', '4825', '4080', '1616', '2082', '3566', '8515', '3938', '5424', '5661', '5721', '2605', '1434'] Next, the CollabScience algorithm constructs a new token ID for the resulting "offspring" digital asset based on the digits within the random number, and the 16 chunks of the child token key are sequentially assigned 1 or zero based on the binary code of the random number generated above. From this example, the first digit of the binary code version of the random number is zero; the first parent digital asset DA1 is the designated sire, which corresponds to zero. As a result, the first chunk of the child token key is copied from the first chunk of the sire and set to 4352. Next, the second number in the binary code version of the random number is 1, and the second parent digital asset DA2 is the designated dam, which corresponds to 1. As a result, the second chunk of the child token key is copied from the second chunk of the dam and is thus set to 6701, and so on, continuing until all 16 chunks of the child token key are filled with the corresponding chunks from the parent token key. Thus, the resulting new array for the child digital asset DA3 would look like this: Segment DA3: +['4352','6701','5738','1520','4326','5068','1616','3886','3566','0892','8668','5002','0829','3093','2605','1434’] The CollabScience algorithm generates a new token key ID from the array as follows: 4352670157381520432650681616388635660892866850020829309326051434 Next, the CollabScience algorithm processes the encrypted digital asset, generates a virtual representation of the new asset, and assigns that asset to the buyer's digital blockchain locker.

[0095] It is envisioned that other techniques may be used to determine the attributes of the offspring digital assets. For example, a Punnett Square may be implemented to represent the dominant and recessive traits ("genes") from two parent digital assets and create the probability of trait expression in the offspring digital assets. A Punnett Square is a graphical mechanism used to calculate the mathematical probability of an offspring inheriting a particular trait from two parent assets. The resulting array is provided to find all the potential combinations of genotypes that can occur in the offspring when the genotypes of the parents are given, by placing the genotype of one parent at the top of the table and the genotype of the other parent on one side. As seen in FIG. 2, the genotype and phenotype information contained in the encrypted token key 46 includes the breeding attributes ("collab") of the digital shoes, material information, manufacturer data ("family"), manufacturing requirements ("heat"), color combinations ("color scheme"), future attributes, model data, and image background information.

[0096] Epigenetic factors can cause heritable phenotypic changes without changes in the underlying DNA sequence. In some cases, changes in the genotype in the encrypted token key can be caused by real-world and / or virtual interactions, leading to changes in the phenotypic characteristics of the encrypted digital assets. Genes representing high heat and rare heat may change from Hhrr to HHRR due to epigenetic factors such as: The use of shoes in the real world can increase the possibility of passing on gene mutations or "good" mutations of genes to offspring; Workouts in the real world such as running and sports can increase good gene mutations or increase the rate of maturation of offspring assets; Checking in at stores and other real-world criteria can result in positive gene mutations, passing on "good traits" to offspring, and speeding up maturation; Time-dependent breeding that prevents two cryptographic digital assets from hybridizing before both assets reach the minimum age. Otherwise, breeding can fail or increase the probability of passing on "bad" genes to offspring; Unique breeding times can cause gene mutations; Frequent interactions with other assets and other apps (e.g., exchange, trading, and collaboration) can lead to positive gene mutations, passing on "good traits" to offspring, or speeding up maturation.

[0097] It may be desirable to modify (e.g., mutate or edit) the underlying genotype information or phenotypic expression of an encrypted digital asset using the acquired encrypted digital attributes (the "attribute pack"). The encrypted digital attributes may include a subset of the genotype and / or phenotypic characteristics that do not meet the full expression of the encrypted digital asset. In the context of shoes, the CryptoKick attribute pack may include genotype and / or phenotypic information associated with one or more discrete features of the digital shoe, although with fewer features than a full CryptoKick. Exemplary attributes may include styles such as heel counters, laces, toe bumpers, logos, color schemes, etc. When the encrypted digital attributes are mixed with the encrypted digital asset, one or more of the genotype code segments or phenotypic expressions may be directly replaced with those of the asset, or propagated to create descendant attributes that include a probabilistic combination of the existing attributes and those expressed within the attribute pack. As a result, the mutated / edited digital asset (and / or asset ID code) may then be recorded in the distributed blockchain ledger.

[0098] The ability to edit and / or mutate individual attributes of a user's digital assets helps to promote user engagement and enables a wide range of options for brand promotion. More specifically, encrypted digital attribute packs can be released to mutate / modify assets, such as including the colors of a specific sports team or unique features / attributes from similar encrypted digital assets of key influencers. By analogy, this ability for targeted mutation / gene editing can be similar to CRISPR technology in the world of biotechnology. In some implementations, where breeding rules govern the impact of an attribute pack on digital assets, there can be probabilistic and / or uncertain outcomes regarding how newly introduced attributes will be expressed in the resulting encrypted digital assets. For example, if an attribute pack includes team-specific color schemes, breeding / mixing can result in different expressions (or even different expressions when applied to two identical original assets) when mixed with different original assets.

[0099] The CryptoKick attribute pack can be provided in a similar manner to a full-fledged CryptoKick. In one example, instead of being provided with a complete footwear product or apparel, it can be provided with the sale of a customized product or service (i.e., not the complete footwear product or apparel itself, but a component or modification kit intended to modify the footwear product or apparel). Examples can include custom races, temporary appliques (e.g., logos or panels adhered via hook and loop fasteners, snaps, or non-permanent adhesives), the sale of kits for customization, and / or services for customization (e.g., dyeing services, sublimation, the sale or application of dye kits or pigments, deposition layering, coloration layering, application of optical effects - structural color, static color, or iridescent color change; laser etching services, acid dye wash services; additive manufacturing - 3D printing, dimensional painting, etc.).

[0100] To better control the distribution of encrypted digital attribute packs, each pack can be recorded in a distributed blockchain ledger at the time of creation and thus can provide a separate existence for each attribute pack. Each encrypted digital attribute pack can include, for example, a smart contract that terminates the existence of the attribute pack or its ability to be subsequently mixed with different digital assets. In this way, the attribute pack can be a single-use ability to edit or mutate the underlying digital asset. Further, in at least some applications, the aspects of the smart contract can time-limit the ability to mix with the underlying digital asset.

[0101] As described above, FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a method of obtaining a digital collectible or attribute pack that can be linked or adjusted to the sale of a physical product. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, user 11 brings a device (i.e., smartphone device 40) into the vicinity of a physical product 200 that includes an identifier (UPID) such as a QR code, barcode, digital image, RFID tag, NFC tag, BLUETOOTH® id, a registry entry of an embedded processor, or some other machine-readable code. The code can then be recognized by the phone 40 either optically, via radio frequency communication, magnetic properties, or via wired data communication. Following the identification / recognition of the UPID, the phone 40 can initiate the transfer and / or original provisioning of the digital asset 202 linked to that product 200 to the user's locker 204 that is communicating with the blockchain service / network 60. In an extension of this concept, the transfer of the digital asset 202 can be made more secure using, for example, a PIN, encryption key, access code, etc. provided in a receipt after purchase of the product 200 by the user.

[0102] In one example, if user 11 purchases a pair of sneakers to obtain CryptoKick and then returns the sneakers, the smart contract associated with CryptoKick can void the acquisition and automatically return full rights to the token and CryptoKick to the company / retailer. If the purchaser sells / exchanges CryptoKick to a bona fide purchaser (BFP) before returning the shoes, this secondary transaction can likewise be voided / reversed. Along with the reversal of this secondary transaction, the BFP can be presented with the option to reacquire CryptoKick from the company / retailer at a predetermined price (e.g., the current price of the asset, a discounted price to the current price, a fixed price set prior to market release, or a nominal amount). In another embodiment, the BFP of CryptoKick can have the first right of refusal to acquire / purchase the returned physical product. This can be important in the case of limited release sneakers that are by definition rare.

[0103] Figure 8 schematically shows a method of obtaining digital collectibles or attribute packs, such as during a promotional giveaway. As shown, user 11 can use the AR function of smartphone 40 to locate virtual object 210, such as CryptoKick, within arena 212. In this example, CryptoKick may be "hidden" within scoreboard 214, but may be freely recognizable using an app on the phone that interfaces with the camera on the phone. This app can illustrate the virtual object on the display when the camera recognizes a specific environmental optical pattern (i.e., the scoreboard within the arena) and the phone is geolocated based on geographical location information within a specific area (i.e., via GPS sensing, beacons, geofencing technology, WiFi connectivity, etc.). Once located, user 11 may be prompted to scan a unique code, such as a barcode on a ticket, a code provided on a program or physical item (e.g., noise maker, light stick, towel) that may be placed on the user's seat prior to the game. This code may be associated with and / or linked to an assigned, registered, or pre-provided cryptocurrency and KickID. Once this code is scanned or entered, phone 40 may initiate the transfer of digital asset 202 to user's locker 204 that communicates with blockchain service / network 60. For example, phone 40 may communicate the code to the server, where the associated KickID may be retrieved and then transferred to the locker associated with the user's ID.

[0104] In an even more general case of brand promotion, the need to locate a virtual object may not strictly be required to receive a CryptoKick or an attribute pack. Alternatively, a server such as a middleware server may receive an indication that the user device is at a particular venue during a particular event. This indication may be derived from GPS-based position coordinates determined from a GPS receiver on the user device. More specifically, the determined GPS coordinates may be compared to a predefined geofence area around the venue, and the indication may represent whether the device is inside or outside the venue. Alternatively, this indication may result from the device being in proximity to one or more 802.11 or Bluetooth beacons deployed at the venue, or from optical recognition via a camera on the device of certain visual characteristics of the venue.

[0105] Next, the server may prompt the user, via the user device, to scan a unique identifier that should be easily obtainable by a person attending the event. Exemplary unique identifiers may include a ticket barcode, a code on a physical object, a code on the user's seat, a code printed on a merchandise receipt, etc. When this code is scanned or entered, the server may receive an indication of the user's unique ID and the unique scanned code. The server and / or the user device may initiate the transfer of digital asset 202 to the user's locker 204 that communicates with the blockchain service / network 60. Other conditions, such as the discovery of an AR object at the venue or the occurrence of a particular event, may add an additional conditional layer that must be met before the server executes the transfer. Optionally, the user device may record the presence of the device by location and / or time, and the CryptoKick claim may be available for a predetermined period after the event.

[0106] The ability to acquire CryptoKick may be further initiated by an aspect of the game / event rather than by finding an AR object or by existing on its own as an event. Examples of such trigger events can include, for example, a shutout (hockey / baseball), a no-hitter (baseball), a personal performance of 50 or more points (basketball), a triple double (basketball), a hat trick (soccer / hockey), a scoreless quarter / period / half (basketball, hockey, soccer), and overtime / extra innings. In such embodiments, the occurrence of the event may trigger an alert to the user's device 39, which prompts the user to scan a ticket to facilitate the transfer. In one example, to eliminate the secondary market for half-tickets of the ticket, the app on the user device that facilitates the notification may require that the scan occur only within a predetermined geofence and / or time of the game / event. In a further extension, the market (as described above) may further allow the user 39 to sell in the future an undetermined right to CryptoKick if a triggering event occurs. This is similar to the user writing and selling a tradable option for CryptoKick that expires and becomes worthless or that results in the option purchaser acquiring CryptoKick.

[0107] In any of the above-described CryptoKick acquisition methods, it should be understood that the attribute packs can be obtained by similar means / techniques. For example, in one example, the presence of a user at a sports event can enable the user to receive an attribute pack that includes one color scheme of the team's colors. This attribute pack can be mixed with an existing CryptoKick to change or edit the existing color scheme attributes to the team color scheme. Optionally, by sending a unique scanned code, the application or browser on the user's device can be transferred to a virtual storefront that can make the color scheme attribute packs of each instruction available and prompt the user to select one for acquisition. Similar virtual storefront technologies can also be useful for the selection and transfer of CryptoKicks,

[0108] Figures 9 and 10 schematically show a video game interface 220 including a display 222. The video game interface 220 and / or the display 222 can be integrated with a user device 39 (e.g., a smartphone 40 or a tablet) or can be a stand-alone game console coupled to the display 222. The device 39 can generally be configured to execute a digital application 224 that requires user input to control a virtual character 226 within an environment 228. The character 226 can include or be defined by a plurality of attributes 230 that can affect how the character 226 behaves, responds, or performs within the environment 230 and / or how the character 226 interacts with other characters 232 controlled by the application 224 or other users within the network environment.

[0109] In one context, character 226 can be an athlete and environment 228 can be a sports environment. FIG. 9 shows a character 226 such as a soccer player and an environment 228 such as a soccer field within a stadium. The attributes 230 of the character can include, among other things, speed, ball control, passing, defense, kicking power, balance, and stamina. In one embodiment, character 226 can be an outfit / skin with a digital collectible (e.g., apparel product 234) that can be uniquely underpinned by a token on blockchain 60. In one example, the digital collectible may be obtained by any one of the methods described herein. In one configuration, application 224 can access the genetic code of digital assets on blockchain 60 via an API or other software interface 236 (i.e., an embodiment of the third party interface 66 described above), and / or can access the phenotypic expression of the object by accessing via an integrated software decoder or to a network virtual object generator 62 of the type described above. In one configuration, one or more of the attributes 230 can be positively or negatively affected by the genetic code or phenotypic expression of object 234. FIG. 9 illustrates the object as an apparel product, but similarly, it can be a footwear product, an object that the character can use, a sports supply, and the like.

[0110] Furthermore, based on the concept of CryptoKick as a property, in one example, a user or company can rent or lease the use of digital collectibles within a video game for a certain period of time. In one example, the lease can be restricted such that only one instance of a particular user's asset exists in any given context. For example, a user can own full rights to an exclusive CryptoKick. That user can simultaneously lease CryptoKick for one week in basketball game A, two weeks in soccer game B, and three weeks in first-person shooter game C.

[0111] Another option could involve programming the encrypted digital asset as a virtual "pet" that a user takes care of and helps grow from baby to adult. Figure 10 shows, for example, the user's avatar 226 taking the pet CryptoKicks 240 for a virtual walk and interacting with the avatar 232 of another user within an environment 228 that represents a virtual world. As described above, such virtual interactions can affect the evolution, value, maturation rate, visual appearance, marketability, etc. of the pet's CryptoKick. The attributes of the digital asset can change with age or be unlocked over time. The user can directly care for the virtual pet or supply it to a third party (e.g., through a transaction by paying in ETH or other means). The virtual pet goes through various life stages and, at the same time, the user can unlock various real-life sneaker versions that can be purchased in stores.

[0112] Referring back to Figure 9, very similarly to the virtual pet in Figure 10, improvements in gameplay, use of digital assets, or character level, experience, or achievement can operably change / modify one or more of the genotype and / or phenotype attributes of the digital asset / CryptoKick. Similarly, improvements in gameplay, use of digital assets, or character level, experience, or achievement can operably change the effect that the digital asset has on the character's abilities or in gameplay. For example, in one instance, achieving a new level, winning a tournament, exceeding a certain threshold in the global ranking, or other similar achievements can change the attributes of the CryptoKick to have a unique or limited availability appearance, color scheme, skin, etc. Similarly, such achievements can function as a multiplier for the effect that the digital asset has on the character.

[0113] Referring to FIG. 11, a set of digital assets can take the form of or be used in a digital collectable card game (DCCG). In such a game, each user may have a collection of digital assets each having a different set, balance, or weighting of attributes / attribute scores, and / or different features, abilities, or powers. The user may optionally play individual cards or groups of cards in sequence to win according to rules set by the game.

[0114] Trading card games are generally well known per se, but the use of digital assets as described herein may provide a unique extension of these games. Further, these games can serve as additional uses and motivations for collecting digital assets. By uniquely protecting each digital asset in an immutable database such as blockchain 60, the collection of each player's cards and the strategies necessary to use those cards may also become unique.

[0115] In such an embodiment, the game server 300 can communicate with a plurality of different user devices 39. As described above, the user device 39 can be a smartphone 40, a smartwatch 42, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a web-enabled device, or any other such device capable of network communication with the server 300. Each user device 39 can be linked to a separate digital locker 204 that can enable a user to access their securely stored digital assets from the blockchain 60. Each asset can be represented as a separate digital card on the user's device and can have its own set of attributes (i.e., part of the phenotype). In one example, the virtual object generator 62 can communicate with the user device 39 and / or the game server 300 to create a representation of a virtual object from the genotype information associated with a token on the blockchain 60. The game server 300 can manage the rules of the game, including maintaining a plurality of user counts, instructing a first user of a play time via the user's device 39, and changing the attributes of a second user's account based on the reception of digital asset data from the first user. The received digital asset data can correspond to the digital assets played by the first user via the first user's device.

[0116] In one example, the game server 300 may not have a stored understanding of the user's collection of digital assets until digital asset data is received. Thus, in this embodiment, the collection of assets for the user can be maintained only by the user's device. In another embodiment, the collection of the user's assets can be registered in the user's account maintained by the game server 300. In this configuration, the digital asset data can simply indicate which cards within the user's account were played.

[0117] Figure 11 is intended to illustrate a plurality of users engaged in DCCG, but in an alternative configuration, the figure may represent a meeting where a plurality of users come to a common location for the purpose of breeding their CryptoKicks. Such events may be coordinated by a central server linked to the user count within a local area. Alternatively, users may have the ability to sponsor an event and / or broadcast their location for others to connect to and / or create user-led meetings or invitations.

[0118] In at least some applications, the attributes of the encrypted digital assets can be directly associated with the corresponding attributes of real-world shoes for production purposes. Optionally, the digital asset attributes can be linked to the material specifications for cost calculation and as a control mechanism. The resulting offspring can be limited to having phenotypic characteristics that can be created in the real world based on manufacturing capabilities, materials, and other factors. When CryptoKicks and CollaboKicks change owners through sales, exchanges, purchases, collaborations, the resulting transaction history is tracked within the blockchain. When a non-existing CollaboKick or CryptoKick is created in real life, the previous owner / user can be notified of such real-life existence and given the option to purchase the sneaker.

[0119] Next, referring to FIG. 12, there is shown an example of a distributed computing system generally designated 400 and depicted herein for purposes of illustration as a client-server oriented distributed computing architecture for provisioning encrypted digital assets during a retail product transaction. Although different in appearance, the representative computing system 400 of FIG. 12 can include any of the options and features described above with respect to the system architectures and retail products shown in FIGS. 1-11, and vice versa. In accordance with the architecture of FIG. 12, the distributed computing system 400 enables a user to reserve and procure a variety of products, services, events, etc. that are of limited availability. For example, using different social networking services, digital billboards, dedicated mobile apps, text messages, push notifications, etc., the system 400 announces the availability for securing limited release retail products, event tickets, etc. A user can respond to these announcements via a social networking service, text message, or app, along with a request to add to a virtual line or waiting bin. Product reservations that can secure limited release retail products, event tickets, etc. can be issued to users based on a randomly selected user from the waiting bin or each position within the virtual line.

[0120] According to a non-limiting implementation of the architecture shown in FIG. 12, a sports shoe manufacturer may occasionally produce and release limited edition or exclusive shoes. NIKE® Corp., for example, may announce a limited quantity footwear release (e.g., 1000 pairs of basketball shoes in each of sizes 8 - 14) through the SNKRS® sub-site and app. This limited shoe release is accompanied by a limited availability of corresponding product reservations available at a given date and / or time. On the release date / time, users access their personal user accounts via the SNKRS® sub-site and app and are placed in a holding bin or virtual line if determined eligible. The SNKRS® site then selects “winners” from among the users and awards them the eligibility to secure the limited release sneakers. Winners may be selected by a random lottery, a random win / loss generator, or by position in the virtual line. In at least some implementations, a future SNKRS launch experience may require users to locate, scan, and send a Quick Response (QR) code in order to be eligible for a limited-time pre-release event.

[0121] At this stage, the user is encouraged to engage in a virtual activity (e.g., a scavenger hunt via augmented reality (AR)) of a physical activity (e.g., a team relay), which may improve the position of the virtual line or increase the likelihood of winning "The DRAW". During a specified time window before The DRAW, if the user performs a pre-approved physical or virtual activity, they can earn rewards by increasing the likelihood of winning The DRAW and / or by obtaining a multiplier of activity / membership points. For example, for playing basketball at least four times a week until The DRAW, during a pre-set release period of the next generation of Air Jordan (registered trademark) 3 White Cement sneakers, the user may be given a 2x multiplier of Nike Coins (trademark). This feature encourages the user to make basketball a daily habit while waiting for the release of limited-release sneakers.

[0122] After release, if a user is not selected by the draw to secure one of the limited release sneakers, an opportunity is provided to secure one of several limited release CryptoKicks. As shown above, these CryptoKicks may have similar or identical appearances, some with distinctive appearances, some rarer and more valuable than others. After losing the draw for the physical product, the user may be given the option to opt into a secondary lottery. In this consolation lottery, the user can exchange activity points or membership points to increase their chances of receiving / unlocking one of the limited release CryptoKicks. In at least some implementations, this post-release event can be formed as a "gacha" style lottery where the available assets are generally of high quality, some relatively rare, and the user does not know exactly what they will receive in advance. As a further option, the entry cost can include activity points or membership points (i.e., some type of points received depending on the user's preferred activities - such as shoe purchases, running miles or completed workouts, check-ins, app engagement, or other general activity scores). Additionally, the post-release event can be part of an event-based shoe release, for example, during an e-sports tournament, a KPOP concert, etc. Additional information regarding tracking a user's physical activity and awarding virtual points or virtual currency for such activity is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,289,683, 9,940,682, and 9,415,266, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

[0123] If the user wins the draw for the option to purchase / acquire limited-release footwear, they may be given the option not to purchase / own the physical footwear. Instead, if the user chooses to decline the physical footwear, they may be given the option to automatically acquire limited-release CKs or to acquire an additional multiplier (e.g., 4x) of Nike Coins™, resulting in a higher likelihood of the user acquiring limited-release CryptoKicks. Similarly, if the user wins the draw for limited-release CryptoKicks, they may be offered the option to decline the limited-release CKs and instead acquire an even larger multiplier (e.g., 8x) for a future lottery of even more limited CKs. Instead of taking Nike Coins™ to purchase CKs or other virtual goods, the user may continue to decline wins to further increase their odds of winning in future lotteries, or use all of the Nike Coins™ available for an ultra-limited Nike® "gacha"-style experience.

[0124] Another available function provided through the decentralized computing system 400 is the function of monitoring and minimizing "scalping" reselling in the aftermarket of high-demand products, services, events, etc. The reselling of limited, exclusive, or special-release footwear is estimated to be an industry worth billions of dollars in 2019. One of the methods used to avoid standardized protocols for the random distribution of such footwear is for an entity to release dozens or hundreds of software agent robots (bots) on a website or app to increase the chance of securing multiple pairs of footwear. The entity then quickly changes direction and resells the limited-release footwear at two to ten times the retail price. To counter these activities, each shoe is assigned a digital asset backed by its respective blockchain that enables the system 400 to track and analyze the title / ownership chain of each physical shoe. This knowledge allows the system 400 to profile each user count, for example, based on purchase habits, average ownership time, reselling habits, lottery participation, and other relevant data. This knowledge enables manufacturers / retailers to better allocate access to future shoes and pre-sale allocations, such as influencing the probability of winning future lotteries or restricting access to future lotteries.

[0125] Continuing to refer to FIG. 12, one or more users 414A, 414B, 414C... 414n on the distributed computing system 400 operate personal computing devices such as computer tablets, desktop computers, handheld smartphones, etc., and communicate with the host retail product reservation platform 410 via the wireless communication network 416. The product reservation platform 410 may sometimes broadcast (broadcast) a message via the network 416 informing that reservation requests for limited-release retail products are available. The computer of the backend server class of the product reservation platform 410 or a similar appropriate computing device may randomly or pseudo-randomly select the date and / or time of the broadcast. Alternatively, the date / time of the product release event may be manually selected by an event planner or other individual. The date and time of the broadcast can be made available to everyone or only to some people. Optionally, the time of the broadcast may be restricted to selected recipients. After checking the broadcast message, the user may respond with a reservation request. The product reservation platform 410 may process the received reservation requests on a first-come, first-served (FCFS) basis and may send a reservation message to the users who have successfully reserved the retail products.

[0126] The product reservation platform 410 can perform various functions related to product release events. For example, the platform 400 can not only capture and implement event details, but also create and schedule broadcast messages to digital billboards 418 and via cellular network 420 through social networking service 412. The platform 400 can also track reservation confirmations, reservation rejections, fulfilled reservations, and outstanding reservations, and provide an overall analysis of such data. The product reservation platform 410 can also include logic to prevent abuses such as setting quantity limits (e.g., one product per person), issuing encrypted reservation codes, and capturing / storing information for users to confirm purchase and delivery / pickup points. The product reservation platform 410 can also be integrated with a customer data management system that supports target segmentation of announcement messages. Loyalty programs can be implemented such that users can pre-register for product launches, identify preferred product attributes and interests, and accumulate loyalty points and rewards.

[0127] Network 416 of FIG. 12 can take any of the optional configurations and functions described above with respect to the wireless communication network 38 of FIG. 2. For example, network 416 can employ available wireless and wired transmission systems such as public or private satellite systems, cellular networks, terrestrial networks, etc. Most, if not all, of the data transaction functions executed by user 14 can be executed via a wireless network such as, for example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a cellular data network. In some implementations, system 400 can be a web-based system where users or clients 414A, 414B, 414C...414n use an internet-based website and / or a web-based application to access the transaction functions disclosed herein. In various aspects, the user's personal computing device includes a web browser or dedicated stand-alone application software, or a combination of both. A web browser typically enables a user to retrieve or request a web page (e.g., from server farm 52) in response to a web page request. When creating an encrypted digital asset, platform 410 can record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset, such as a unique non-fungible token (NFT), in a transaction block and transmit the token, along with the matching public key and owner ID, to a distributed blockchain ledger 422 for peer verification.

[0128] Referring now to the flowchart of FIG. 13, an improved method or control strategy for provisioning encrypted digital assets related to the transfer of retail products is generally illustrated at 500. Some or all of the operations shown in FIG. 13 and described in further detail below may represent discrete control algorithms or subroutines that are interoperable with either the method 100 of FIG. 4 or any of the other techniques and algorithms described above. The illustrated operations may be stored, for example, in a cache or random access memory and executed by one or more of, for example, a controller, a central processing unit, a cybernetic circuit, a module, a device, or a network of devices to perform any or all of the functions described herein related to the disclosed concepts. The illustrated order of execution of the operations may be changed, additional operations may be added, and some of the operations described may be changed, combined, or deleted.

[0129] Method 500 begins at terminal block 501 with processor-executable instructions to call an initialization procedure of the protocol to initiate a limited release product launch event. Terminal block 501 of FIG. 13 may include any of the functions and options described above with respect to terminal block 101 of FIG. 4. In data display block 503, the system server computer broadcasts an electronic notification informing that a retail product transaction is imminent, such as a limited release footwear, an exclusive release apparel, a special release of a luxury watch or designer fashion. As described above, this notification may be broadcast at a random or pre-set time within a pre-announced period, which may or may not be known to the users receiving the broadcast message. Additional information regarding the promotion and management of the product offering of limited release products can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0290134A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0130] After the announcement is broadcast, method 500 proceeds to data input / output block 505 and begins to capture and process user requests to participate in future transactions of the limited release retail product. In accordance with the exemplary architecture of FIG. 12, product reservation platform 410 may open a dedicated web engine portal, or system 400 may temporarily enable callable units within a mobile app that receive participation requests via network 416 from the personal computing devices of a number of users 414A, 414B, 414C...414n. Each received request may include a unique QR code obtained by the user prior to sending the request. The unique QR code may be obtained from a ticket for an event at a designated venue, a tangible item within a designated venue, or a product receipt generated within a designated venue.

[0131] In preparation block 507, a selected number of users are added to a virtual line associated with future transactions of the retail product. Platform 410 may determine which users are added and how to add them to the virtual line using any logically appropriate service discipline. This virtual line may be generated in real time or obtained in a form fillable from a database file as part of preparation block 507. In selecting which users are added to the line, product reservation platform 410 may receive, aggregate, and process data recording one or more of the users who have completed a predefined activity or series of activities. As a reward for completing the predefined activity, platform 410 may automatically advance the user to a new and better position ahead in the virtual line based on the received data. Additional information regarding the creation and management of virtual lines for product offerings is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015 / 0205894A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0132] Method 500 of FIG. 13 proceeds from preparation block 507 to processing block 509 to determine which of the users added to the virtual line are selected to receive the retail product. The product release event can include a single retail product that can be acquired / purchased by one participant, or alternatively, multiple retail products that can be acquired / purchased by multiple participants. At this point, one (first) user or a (first) subset of users is selected from the virtual line. Each selected user receives one of the reservations to purchase a retail product or one of the retail products. The number of users added to the virtual line can be selected using a random number generator (RNG), and users can be added to the line on an FCFS basis, but the user(s) selected to participate in the retail transaction can be selected from preset position(s) within the virtual line. The virtual line can also be formatted as a lottery box where the winners are selected on a random basis.

[0133] Before, at the same time as, or after completing process block 509, method 500 executes process block 511 to determine which users within the virtual line are selected to receive the encrypted digital assets. Similar to the availability of the limited release retail products described in the previous step, one (second) user may be selected to receive a single encrypted digital asset. On the other hand, a limited (second) set of users may be selected to each receive one of a series of encrypted digital assets. In at least some implementations, it is desirable that the users selected to receive the encrypted digital assets are selected only from those users who were not selected to receive one of the retail products. The encrypted digital assets provided in block 511 may take any of the digital assets protected by the blockchains described herein. For example, the encrypted digital asset may include a unique digital asset code and, optionally, a digital version of the retail product - the same as or different from the product made available at the release event. The digital asset code may include an encrypted token having a segmented code string for a private key, a public key, and other information related to the asset (e.g., transaction data, hash pointers, etc.).

[0134] Post-launch events may offer or present for purchase a single type of digital asset or multiple discrete types of digital assets. For example, a user may submit a claim for the ability to acquire or the right to purchase assets within a primary (first) set of assets that includes a primary (first) type of encrypted digital asset and / or assets within a secondary (second) set of assets that includes a secondary (second) type of encrypted digital asset. As a result, process block 511 may include selecting a primary (first) group / subset of users who receive a primary (first) type of encrypted digital asset and a secondary (second) group / subset of users who receive a secondary (second) type of encrypted digital asset. To make one type of asset more desirable than another, the assets included in the primary (first) set of assets may be significantly fewer than the assets in the secondary (second) set of assets (e.g., the primary set may include one-hundredth or one-thousandth of the number of assets available in the secondary set).

[0135] After selecting the user(s) who receive encrypted digital assets as part of a post-launch event, method 500 proceeds to data storage block 513 and transmits each respective encrypted digital asset to the personal digital wallet of each selected (second) user. This transfer may require the user to first submit proof of purchase or payment information in order to complete the purchase of the digital asset. Simultaneously with this transfer, an electronic message is sent to each user notifying them of the transfer and providing a unique key with a hashed address for accessing the encrypted token. Method 500 of FIG. 13 proceeds from data storage block 513 to data input / output block 515 and transmits a unique digital asset code, owner ID, transaction data, etc. to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the user in an individual record block.

[0136] In some cases, it may be desirable to monitor subsequent transfers of limited release products and / or digital assets in order to accumulate corresponding user data and derive inferred consumer usage information therefrom. As an example, method 500 may generate individual encrypted digital assets to protect each retail product being transacted. For each selected (first) user, method 500 may track the time of custody between the first transfer of the encrypted digital asset of the retail product to that user's personal digital wallet and the transfer of the encrypted digital asset of the retail product to a third party's digital wallet of another user. Thereafter, method 500 may determine whether the custody time of the selected (first) user is below a pre-defined "acceptable" minimum holding time of the encrypted digital asset. If not, method 500 may automatically output a scalping notification to the manufacturer / retailer indicating that it may be necessary to restrict or temporarily or permanently suspend the selected (first) user's personal account. As yet another option, smart contracts may be generated to authenticate ownership of the encrypted digital asset and track future transactions.

[0137] Aspects of the present disclosure may generally be implemented via computer-executable programs, such as program modules, which are generally called software applications or application programs executed by, for example, any of the controllers described herein or variations of the controllers. Software, in non-limiting examples, may include routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular data types. Software may form an interface that enables a computer to react according to input sources. Software may also cooperate with other code segments to initiate various tasks in response to received data in relation to the source of the received data. Software may be stored on any of various memory media, such as CD-ROMs, magnetic disks, and semiconductor memories (e.g., various types of RAM or ROM).

[0138] Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented in various computer system and computer network configurations, including multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Additionally, aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented in a distributed computing environment where tasks are performed by resident and remote processing devices linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices. Thus, aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented in association with various hardware, software, or combinations thereof in a computer system or other processing system.

[0139] As described in this disclosure, the system may utilize a public or private blockchain infrastructure, a distributed ledger, an additional dedicated database, etc. In one example, the encrypted digital assets described herein may first be stored / protected on a private blockchain that exists on an infrastructure maintained by a single entity or a consortium of entities. Each entity may agree on a common format or data construct for the infrastructure, but the assets of any one entity may be maintained by that entity. Such a model allows each entity to maintain its own asset independence while providing for the sharing of network and infrastructure costs / resources. Further, to gain public trust, assets created on this private or semi-private blockchain may be transferable to a public blockchain at the discretion of the user (potentially subject to one or more transfer conditions).

[0140] Any of the methods described herein may include machine-readable instructions for execution by (a) a processor, (b) a controller, and / or (c) any other suitable processing device. Any algorithm, software, cybernetic logic, protocol, or method disclosed herein may be embodied as software stored on a tangible medium such as, for example, flash memory, solid state memory, CD-ROM, hard disk drive, digital versatile disk (DVD), or other memory device. Alternatively, the entire algorithm, cybernetic logic, protocol, or method, and / or portions thereof, may be executed by a device other than a controller and / or may be embodied as firmware or dedicated hardware using available methods (e.g., implemented by application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable logic devices (FPLDs), discrete logic, etc.). Further, while a particular algorithm is described with reference to the flowcharts shown herein, many other methods for implementing exemplary machine-readable instructions may alternatively be used.

[0141] While embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the exact structures and compositions disclosed herein, and all modifications, changes, and variations apparent from the foregoing description are within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, this concept expressly includes any and all combinations and sub - combinations of preceding elements and features. Additional features may be reflected in the following clauses:

[0142] Clause 1: A method of brand promotion using encrypted digital assets, the method comprising: a step of provisioning a plurality of non - fungible tokens, each non - fungible token being registered in an immutable database or blockchain and each corresponding to a unique digital asset; a step of associating each non - fungible token with a unique machine - readable identification code; a step of providing each machine - readable identification code to a different respective one of a plurality of individuals; and a step of providing software code to a user device associated with at least one of the plurality of individuals, the user device including a camera, a display, and a location recognition circuit, the software code configured to cause the user device to detect a virtual image within a virtual environment and, upon discovery of the virtual image, display a prompt via the display for the user to scan the machine - readable identification code; recognize the machine - readable identification code and transfer the token associated with the machine - readable identification code to a digital locker associated with the individual or the user device.

[0143] Clause 2: The method of clause 1, wherein the token includes genotype information corresponding to one or more phenotypic expressions of a virtual object.

[0144] Clause 3: The method according to either clause 1 or 2, wherein the software code causes the user device to detect a virtual image within the real - world environment via augmented reality.

[0145] Clause 4: The software code causes the user device to recognize the environment according to the optical image sensed by the camera and the position determined by the position recognition circuit; causes the optical image to be displayed on the display, and superimposes the displayed optical image on a virtual image at a predetermined position within the displayed environment, according to the method of any one of Clauses 1 to 3.

[0146] Clause 5: The unique digital asset includes virtual objects with multiple attributes, and each attribute can be determined at least partially according to a part of the code associated with the token of the unique digital asset, according to the method of any one of Clauses 1 to 4.

[0147] Clause 6: At least one of the multiple attributes is affected in its representation by the use of the virtual object, according to the method of Clause 5.

[0148] Clause 7: The position recognition circuit is a GPS receiver, according to the method of any one of Clauses 1 to 6.

[0149] Clause 8: A method of brand promotion using encrypted digital assets, the method comprising: supplying a plurality of non-fungible tokens, each non-fungible token being registered in an immutable database or blockchain, each corresponding to a different respective physical retail product selected from a plurality of physical retail products; associating each non-fungible token with a unique machine-readable identification code; providing the machine-readable identification code associated with the first physical retail product to the retail purchaser of the first physical retail product; receiving a request from a user device associated with the retail purchaser to transfer the non-fungible token associated with the first physical retail product to a digital locker associated with the retail purchaser or the user device, the request including a code included in or obtained from the machine-readable identification code associated with the first physical retail product.

[0150] Clause 9: The method according to clause 8, further comprising initiating a request to an immutable database or blockchain to transfer a non-fungible token associated with a first physical retail product to a digital locker associated with a retail purchaser.

[0151] Clause 10: The method according to clause 8 or 9, further comprising providing software code to a user device; the user device includes a camera, a display, and a location recognition circuit, and the software code causes the user device to: discover a virtual image in a real-world environment and display a prompt via the display for the user to scan a machine-readable identification code when the virtual image is discovered; and is configured to recognize the machine-readable identification code.

[0152] Clause 11: The method according to clause 10, wherein the software code causes the user device to recognize a machine-readable identification code via at least one of optical recognition via a camera, RFID, NFC, or Bluetooth® communication.

[0153] Clause 12: The step of providing a machine-readable identification code associated with a first physical retail product to a retail purchaser of the first physical retail product includes at least one of: including the machine-readable identification code in a tag, label, or seal attached to the first retail product; printing the machine-readable identification code on a box, container, or packaging material containing the first physical retail product; printing the machine-readable identification code on a receipt provided to the retail purchaser; printing a first portion of the machine-readable identification code on a box, container, or packaging material containing the first physical retail product, and printing a second portion of the machine-readable identification code on a receipt provided to the retail purchaser; according to any one of clauses 8 to 11.

[0154] Clause 13: The method according to clause 12, wherein the software code causes the user device to detect a virtual image in a real-world environment via augmented reality.

[0155] Clause 14: The software code causes the user device to recognize the environment according to the optical image sensed by the camera and the position determined by the position recognition circuit; causes the optical image to be displayed on the display, and superimposes the displayed optical image on a virtual image at a predetermined position within the displayed environment, according to the method described in Clause 12 or 13

[0156] Clause 15: The token includes genotype information corresponding to one or more phenotypic expressions of the virtual object, according to the method described in any one of Clauses 8 to 14

[0157] Clause 16: The unique digital asset includes a virtual object having a plurality of attributes, and each attribute can be determined at least partially according to a part of the code associated with the token of the unique digital asset, according to the method described in any one of Clauses 8 to 15

[0158] Clause 17: At least one of the plurality of attributes is affected by the use of the virtual object in its expression, according to the method described in Clause 16

[0159] Clause 18: A method including the step of providing a virtual object to a user, the virtual object including a plurality of attributes, and each attribute of the plurality of attributes being derived at least partially from a code associated with a non-fungible token registered in an immutable database or blockchain

[0160] Clause 19: The step of providing a virtual object to a user includes the step of causing a non-fungible token to be transferred to an account associated with the user, according to the method described in Clause 18

[0161] Clause 20: Further, a method including the step of receiving a value from the user in consideration of causing a non-fungible token to be transferred to an account associated with the user, according to the method described in Clause 19

[0162] Clause 21: The step of providing the virtual object to the user is the method according to any one of Clauses 18 to 20, including the step of making the virtual object available to the user within the video game.

[0163] Clause 22: The video game includes an avatar, a character, or a sports athlete within a virtual environment, and the avatar, character, or athlete is controlled by user input received via a user device, which is the method according to Clause 21.

[0164] Clause 23: The method according to Clause 22, where the virtual object is a footwear product or an apparel product.

[0165] Clause 24: The avatar, character, or athlete includes a plurality of character attributes, each having a respective attribute score that affects the behavior, performance, or ability of the avatar, character, or athlete within the environment; the integration of the virtual object with the avatar, character, or athlete operably modifies at least one of the attribute scores, which is the method according to either Clause 22 or 23.

[0166] Clause 25: The video game is a digital trading card game, and the virtual object is represented as a digital trading card, which is the method according to Clause 21.

[0167] Clause 26: Further includes the step of providing a display of the use of the virtual object within the video game to a remote server, where the display of the use of the virtual object operates to change at least one of a plurality of attributes of the virtual object, which is the method according to any one of Clauses 21 to 25.

[0168] Clause 27: A computerized system for implementing the method according to any one of Clauses 1 to 16.

[0169] Article 28: A method for automating the generation of encrypted digital assets associated with footwear products, each of the footwear products including an upper for attachment to a user's foot and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting the user's foot thereon, the method comprising: receiving, from a first party to a second party via a middleware server computer through a distributed computing network from a remote computing node, a transaction confirmation indicating a valid transfer of a footwear product; determining, via the middleware server computer from an encrypted relational database, a unique owner ID code associated with the second party; generating an encrypted digital asset associated with the footwear product, the encrypted digital asset including a digital shoe and a unique digital shoe ID code; linking, via the middleware server computer, the encrypted digital asset with the unique owner ID code; and transmitting, via the middleware server computer to a distributed blockchain ledger, the unique digital shoe ID code and the unique owner ID code for recording in a transaction block a transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the second party.

[0170] Article 29: The method of Article 28, wherein the unique digital shoe ID code includes an encrypted token key having a code string segmented into a series of code subsets, the first plurality of code subsets including data indicative of an attribute of the digital shoe.

[0171] Article 30: The method of Article 29, wherein the first plurality of code subsets includes genotype and phenotype data of the digital shoe.

[0172] Article 31: The method of Article 29 or 30, wherein the second plurality of code subsets includes data indicative of an attribute of the footwear product.

[0173] Clause 32: The second plurality of code subsets is the method described in Clause 31, including the color scheme, materials, manufacturing, manufacturer, and / or model data of the footwear product.

[0174] Clause 33: In response to receiving a transaction confirmation, the steps of sending a notification to a second party together with information for accessing the encrypted digital asset; receiving a scan confirmation for verifying that a Universal Product Code (UPC) and / or a Unique Product Identification Number (UPIN) corresponding to the manufacturer and model of the footwear product has been scanned from the second party's handheld personal computing device via a middleware server computer; The step of linking the encrypted digital asset to a unique owner ID code is the method described in any one of Clauses 28 to 32 in response to receiving the scan confirmation.

[0175] Clause 34: Further, the method described in any one of Clauses 28 to 33, including the step of sending a notification to a second party together with a unique key having a hash address to the encrypted token in response to receiving a transaction confirmation.

[0176] Clause 35: Further, the steps of receiving a digital propagation invitation with a request to mix the encrypted digital asset with a third-party encrypted digital asset; generating a progeny encrypted digital asset having a combination of one or more features from the encrypted digital asset and one or more features from the third-party encrypted digital asset; The method described in any one of Clauses 28 to 34.

[0177] Clause 36: The unique digital shoe ID code includes a first encrypted token key having a first code string segmented into a series of first code subsets, the first of the first code subsets including data indicating attributes of the digital shoe; the third-party encrypted digital asset includes a second encrypted token key having a second code string segmented into a series of second code subsets, the first of the second code subsets including data indicating attributes of the third-party digital shoe; the descendant encrypted digital asset includes a third encrypted token key having a third code string segmented into a series of third code subsets, the first of the third code subsets including data from the first of the first code subsets, and the second of the third code subsets including data from the first of the second code subsets, the method according to Clause 35.

[0178] Clause 37: The first of the first and third code subsets both share a first distinct alphanumeric sequence, and the first of the second code subsets and the second of the third code subsets share a second distinct alphanumeric sequence, the method according to Clause 36.

[0179] Clause 38: The step of generating a descendant encrypted digital asset comprises: designating one of the encrypted digital asset or the third-party encrypted digital asset as the male parent; designating the other of the encrypted digital asset or the third-party encrypted digital asset as the female parent; determining which of the third code subsets correspond to which of the first code subsets and which of the third code subsets correspond to which of the second code subsets; applying a random number generator in such a way, the method according to either Clause 36 or 37.

[0180] The method according to any one of clauses 28 to 38, further comprising: receiving a digital transfer proposal with a requirement to transfer an encrypted digital asset to a third party; determining a new unique owner ID code associated with the third party; linking the encrypted digital asset with the new unique owner ID code; and sending the unique digital shoe ID code and the new unique owner ID code to a distributed blockchain ledger for recording in a new transaction block.

[0181] Clause 40: The method according to clause 39, further comprising receiving a new transaction confirmation indicating a new valid transfer of a footwear product from a second party to a third party.

[0182] Clause 41: The method according to any one of clauses 28 to 40, further comprising generating a smart contract operable to authenticate ownership and track future transactions of the encrypted digital asset via a middleware server computer.

[0183] Clause 42: The method according to any one of clauses 28 to 41, wherein the unique owner ID code is linked to an encrypted currency wallet registered in a distributed blockchain ledger.

[0184] Clause 43: The method according to any one of clauses 28 to 42, wherein the transaction confirmation includes a universal product code (UPC) and / or a unique product identification number (UPIN) corresponding to the manufacturer and model of the footwear product.

[0185] Clause 44: A distributed computing system for automating the generation of encrypted digital assets associated with footwear products, each of the footwear products including an upper for attachment to a user's foot and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting the user's foot thereon, the distributed computing system comprising: a wireless communication device configured to connect to remote computing nodes via a distributed computing network; an encrypted digital asset registry storing a unique digital shoe ID code associated with the digital shoes and a plurality of encrypted digital assets; a middleware server computer operably connected to the wireless communication device and the encrypted digital asset registry, the middleware server computer being programmed to: receive, from a remote computing node via the distributed computing network, an electronic transaction confirmation indicating a valid transfer of a footwear product from a first party to a second party; obtain, from an encrypted relational database, a unique owner identification (ID) code associated with the second party; generate an encrypted digital asset associated with the footwear product, the encrypted digital asset including the digital shoes and the unique digital shoe ID code; link the encrypted digital asset to the unique owner ID code in the encrypted digital asset registry; and transmit the unique digital shoe ID code and the unique owner ID code to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer to the second party in a transaction block of the encrypted digital asset.

[0186] Clause 45: The distributed computing system according to clause 44, wherein the unique digital shoe ID code includes an encrypted token key having a code string segmented into a series of code subsets, the first plurality of code subsets including data indicating an attribute of the digital shoes.

[0187] Clause 46: The second plurality of code subsets is a distributed computing system as described in Clause 45, which includes data indicating attributes of footwear products.

[0188] Clause 47: The middleware server computer is further programmed to: send a digital notification to a second party along with information for accessing an encrypted digital asset in response to receiving a transaction confirmation; receive a scan confirmation for verifying that a universal product code (UPC) and / or unique product identification number (UPIN) corresponding to the manufacturer and model of the footwear product has been scanned from the second party's handheld personal computing device; link the encrypted digital asset to a unique owner ID code in response to receiving the scan confirmation, in a distributed computing system as described in Clause 44 or 45.

[0189] Clause 48: The middleware server computer is further programmed to send a digital notification to a second party along with a unique key having a hash address to an encrypted token in response to receiving a transaction confirmation, in a distributed computing system as described in any one of Clauses 44 - 47.

[0190] Clause 49: The middleware server computer is further programmed to: receive a digital breeding bid from a second party that includes a request to mix the encrypted digital asset with a third - party encrypted digital asset; generate a progeny encrypted digital asset having a combination of one or more features from the encrypted digital asset and one or more features from the third - party encrypted digital asset, in a distributed computing system as described in any one of Clauses 44 - 48.

[0191] Clause 50: The unique digital shoe ID code includes a first encrypted token key having a first code string segmented into a series of first code subsets, where the first of the first code subsets includes data indicating the attributes of the digital shoe; the third-party encrypted digital asset includes a second encrypted token key having a second code string segmented into a series of second code subsets, where the first of the second code subsets includes data indicating the attributes of the third-party digital shoe; the descendant encrypted digital asset includes a third encrypted token key having a third code string segmented into a series of third code subsets, where the first of the third code subsets includes data from the first of the first code subsets, and the second of the third code subsets includes data from the first of the second code subsets, in the distributed computing system described in Clause 49.

[0192] Clause 51: Generating a descendant encrypted digital asset includes: designating one of the encrypted digital asset or the third-party encrypted digital asset as the male parent; designating the other of the encrypted digital asset or the third-party encrypted digital asset as the female parent; determining which of the third code subsets correspond to the first code subsets and which of the third code subsets correspond to the second code subsets; and applying a random number generator, in the distributed computing system described in Clause 50.

[0193] Clause 52: The middleware server computer is further programmed to: receive a digital transfer proposal accompanied by a request to transfer an encrypted digital asset to a third party; determine a new unique owner ID code associated with the third party; link the encrypted digital asset to the new unique owner ID code; record the unique digital shoe ID code and the unique owner ID code in a new transaction block using the distributed blockchain ledger; in the distributed computing system described in any one of Clauses 44 - 51.

[0194] Article 53: A method for event-based distribution of encrypted digital assets, the method comprising: receiving, from a computing device associated with a user, an indication that the computing device is located at a predetermined venue within a predetermined time frame; receiving, from the computing device, a unique owner identification (ID) code associated with the user; receiving, from the computing device, a unique code acquired by the user; determining a unique digital asset ID code corresponding to the received unique code, the unique digital asset ID code representing an encrypted digital asset; and transmitting an encrypted block to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the user, the encrypted block including both the unique digital asset ID code and the unique owner ID code.

[0195] Article 54: The method according to Article 53, wherein the encrypted digital asset includes genotype data representing digital shoes or apparel products.

[0196] Article 55: The method according to Article 53, wherein the encrypted digital asset includes genotype data representing the attributes of digital shoes or apparel products, but not the entire digital shoes or apparel products.

[0197] Article 56: The method according to Article 55, further comprising modifying an existing digital asset having genotype data representing digital shoes or apparel products using genotype data representing the attributes of the digital shoes or apparel products.

[0198] Article 57: The method according to any one of Articles 53 to 56, wherein the indication that the computing device is located at a predetermined venue includes an indication as to whether the GPS coordinates of the computing device are within a predetermined geofence or a closed geographical boundary.

[0199] Clause 58: The instruction that the computing device is located at a predetermined venue is the method described in any one of Clauses 53 to 57, including an instruction as to whether the computing device is in proximity to an 802.11 or BLUETOOTH beacon.

[0200] Clause 59: The instruction that the computing device is located at a predetermined venue is the method described in any one of Clauses 53 to 58, including an image acquired by the computing device, or a representation thereof, from which one or more visual attributes of the venue can be identified.

[0201] Clause 60: The received unique code is the method described in any one of Clauses 53 to 59, including a code obtained from a ticket for an event at the venue.

[0202] Clause 61: The received unique code is the method described in any one of Clauses 53 to 59, including a code scanned from a tangible object within the venue or from a product receipt generated within the venue.

[0203] Clause 62: Further, it includes the step of receiving an instruction that a conditional event has occurred within a predetermined time frame, and the transmission of the cryptographic block to the distributed blockchain ledger occurs only after receiving the instruction that the conditional event has occurred, which is the method described in any one of Clauses 53 to 61.

[0204] Clause 63: The step of determining the unique digital asset ID code includes: directing an application or internet browser operating on the computing device to a virtual storefront display including a plurality of different displayed encrypted digital assets; and receiving an instruction to select one of the plurality of different displayed encrypted digital assets, and the determined unique digital asset ID code corresponds to both the received unique code and the selected one of the plurality of different displayed encrypted digital assets, which is the method described in any one of Clauses 53 to 62.

[0205] The method according to any one of clauses 53 to 63, further comprising: receiving a digital transfer proposal with a request to transfer an encrypted digital asset to an acquiring party; determining a unique owner ID code of the acquiring party; linking the encrypted digital asset to the unique owner ID code of the acquiring party; and sending the unique digital asset ID code and the unique owner ID code of the acquiring party to a distributed blockchain ledger for recording in a new transaction block.

[0206] Clause 65: The unique digital asset ID code includes an encrypted token key having a code string segmented into a series of code subsets, and the first plurality of code subsets includes genotype data corresponding to one or more phenotypic expressions of the digital asset, the method according to any one of clauses 53 to 64.

[0207] Clause 66: The digital asset is a computer-generated digital shoe, the method according to clause 65.

[0208] Clause 67: The plurality of attributes of the computer-generated digital shoe includes at least one of color scheme, material, manufacture, manufacturer, and / or model data, the method according to clause 66.

[0209] Clause 68: The method according to clause 65, further comprising exporting at least one of the digital asset ID codes or at least one of the plurality of attributes of the digital asset to a digital video game application such that the digital asset is represented within the digital application and modifies one or more aspects of the gameplay of the digital video game application.

[0210] Clause 70: A method for supplying encrypted digital assets associated with the transfer of retail products, the method comprising: broadcasting an electronic notice of a future transaction of a retail product via a server computer on a distributed computing network; receiving a request to participate in the future transaction from personal computing devices of a plurality of users via the server computer on the distributed computing network; adding a selected number of users to a virtual line associated with the future transaction of the retail product; determining, via the server computer, a first user selected to receive the retail product and a second user selected to receive an encrypted digital asset comprising the digital retail product and a unique digital asset code from the users added to the virtual line; requesting, via the server computer, a transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the digital wallet of the second user; and transmitting the unique digital asset code to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the second user in an individual record block.

[0211] Clause 71: The method according to clause 70, wherein the unique digital asset code comprises an encrypted token having a code string segmented into a private key and a public key.

[0212] Clause 72: The method according to clause 70 or 71, wherein the future transaction of the retail product comprises an imminent transaction of a plurality of retail products, and the first user comprises a first subset of users added to the virtual line and each selected to receive a respective one of the retail products.

[0213] Clause 73: The method according to any one of clauses 70 to 72, wherein the encrypted digital asset comprises a plurality of encrypted digital assets, and the second user comprises a second subset of users added to the virtual line and not selected to receive the retail product, and each selected to receive a respective one of the encrypted digital assets.

[0214] Article 74: The method described in Article 73, wherein a plurality of encrypted digital assets includes a first set of assets having encrypted digital assets of a first type and a second set of assets having encrypted digital assets of a second type different from the encrypted digital assets of the first type.

[0215] Article 75: The method described in Article 73 or 74, wherein a second subset of users includes a first subset group selected to receive encrypted digital assets of a first type from the first set of assets and a second subset group selected to receive encrypted digital assets of a second type from the second set of assets.

[0216] Article 76: The method described in Article 75, wherein the first set of assets includes a first number of encrypted digital assets of a first type, the second set of assets includes a second number of encrypted digital assets of a second type, and the second number is greater than the first number.

[0217] Article 77: The method according to any one of Articles 70 - 76, further comprising the step of sending an electronic message containing a unique key with a hashed address for an encryption token to a second user in response to the transfer of encrypted digital assets to the digital wallet of the second user.

[0218] Article 78: The method according to any one of Articles 70 - 77, wherein the electronic notification is broadcast randomly or at a pre - set time during a pre - announced period and within a period unknown to the user who received the request.

[0219] Article 79: The method according to any one of Articles 70 - 78, further comprising the steps of receiving, via a server computer from one of the personal computing devices of one of the users, data indicating that one of the users has completed a pre - defined activity; and advancing one of the users to a new position in front of the virtual line based on the received data.

[0220] Clause 80: The method according to any one of Clauses 70 to 79, wherein the selected number of users added to the virtual line are output via a random number generator (RNG), and the step of determining the first user includes selecting the first user from a first pre-set position on the virtual line, and the step of determining the second user includes selecting the second user from a second pre-set position on the virtual line.

[0221] Clause 81: The method according to any one of Clauses 70 to 80, further comprising: generating a second encrypted digital asset associated with the retail product; tracking the storage time for the first user between the transfer of the second encrypted digital asset to the first digital wallet of the first user and its subsequent transfer to the third digital wallet of the third user; determining whether the storage time is less than a pre-defined minimum holding time of the encrypted digital asset; and outputting a scalping notice in response to the determination that the storage time is less than the pre-defined minimum holding time.

[0222] Clause 82: The method according to Clause 81, further comprising generating a smart contract operable to authenticate the ownership of the second encrypted digital asset and track future transactions of the second encrypted digital asset via a server computer.

[0223] Clause 83: The method according to any one of Clauses 70 to 82, wherein the encrypted digital asset includes genotype data representing the appearance characteristics of the digital retail product, and the digital retail product includes digital shoes or digital apparel products.

[0224] Article 84: Each received request to participate in a future transaction is in accordance with any one of Articles 70 to 83, including a unique Quick Response (QR) code obtained by the user from a ticket for an event at a designated venue, a tangible item within a designated venue, or a merchandise receipt generated within a designated venue.

[0225] Article 85: A computing system for supplying an encrypted digital asset associated with the transfer of a retail product, the computing system comprising: a wireless communication device configured to connect to a distributed computing network; a data storage device configured to store user data in a virtual line associated with a future transaction of the retail product; a server computer operably connected to the wireless communication device and the data storage device, the server computer being configured to: broadcast an electronic notification of a future transaction of the retail product through the distributed computing network; receive requests to participate in the future transaction from a plurality of user personal computing devices through the distributed computing network; add a selected number of users to a virtual line associated with the future transaction of the retail product; determine a first user selected to receive the retail product and a second user selected to receive an encrypted digital asset including the digital retail product and a unique digital asset code from the users added to the virtual line; request a transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the digital wallet of the second user; transmit the unique digital asset code to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the second user in an individual record block; a server computer programmed to: have.

[0226] Clause 86: A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a server computer of a distributed computing system, the instructions causing the server computer to: broadcast an electronic notification of a future transaction of a retail product over a distributed computing network; receive requests to participate in a future transaction from personal computing devices of a plurality of users over the distributed computing network; add a selected number of users to a virtual line associated with a future transaction of a retail product; determine, from among the users added to the virtual line, a first user selected to receive the retail product and a second user selected to receive an encrypted digital asset including a digital retail product and a unique digital asset code; request a transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the digital wallet of the second user; and transmit the unique digital asset code to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital asset to the second user in an individual record block.

[0227] Clause 87: A computing system according to Clause 85, or a non-transitory computer-readable medium according to Clause 86, having any one or more or all of the features described in Clauses 71 to 84.

Claims

1. A computing system for supplying encrypted digital assets, the computing system comprising: A communication device configured to connect to a distributed computing network; A data storage device configured to store user data for use in a virtual line or bin associated with a future transaction of the encrypted digital assets; A server computer operably connected to the communication device and the data storage device, the server computer comprising: Broadcasting an electronic notification of the future transaction of the encrypted digital assets through the distributed computing network; Receiving requests to participate in the future transaction through the distributed computing network from personal computing devices of a plurality of users; Adding a selected number of the users to the virtual line or bin associated with the future transaction of the encrypted digital assets; Sending a prompt to complete a predefined activity associated with increasing the likelihood of being selected to participate in the future transaction to the selected number of users added to the virtual line or bin; Receiving confirmation of completion of the predefined activity by a user among the selected number of users through the distributed computing network; In response to receiving the confirmation of completion, increasing the likelihood of the user being selected to participate in the future transaction; Selecting a subset of users, each designated to receive one of the respective encrypted digital assets from the virtual line or bin, each of the encrypted digital assets including a digital object and a unique digital asset code; Requesting transfer of each of the selected encrypted digital assets to the corresponding digital wallet of the corresponding one of the subset of users; Transmitting each of the unique digital asset codes to a distributed blockchain ledger to record the transfer of the encrypted digital assets to the corresponding one of the subset of selected users; A server computer programmed to; having Computing system.

2. Each of the unique digital asset codes includes respective encrypted tokens having a unique code string segmented into a private key and a public key, The computing system according to claim 1.

3. Each of the digital objects includes a digital image of a physical retail product, a virtual representation of the physical retail product, a unique design rendering of the physical retail product, or a unique design file of the physical retail product, The computing system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The digital objects of the encrypted digital assets are different from each other, The computing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The encrypted digital assets include: a first set of encrypted digital assets having a first type of encrypted digital assets, and a second set of encrypted digital assets having a second type of encrypted digital assets different from the first type of encrypted digital assets, The computing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The selected subset of users includes: a first subset of users designated to receive the first type of encrypted digital assets from the first set of encrypted digital assets, and a second subset of users designated to receive the second type of encrypted digital assets from the second set of encrypted digital assets, The computing system according to claim 5.

7. The server computer is further: Confirming each transfer of the encrypted digital assets to the corresponding digital wallets of the respective one of the selected subset of users; Sending an electronic message including a unique key having a unique hashed address for the unique encrypted token to each of the users of the second subset of users; Programmed to be like this, The computing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The electronic notification is broadcast at a random time during a pre-announced period and within the pre-announced period unknown to the user who received the request, The computing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Receiving confirmation of completion of the pre - defined activity includes receiving activity data indicating that the user has completed the pre - defined activity from the user's personal computing device through the distributed computing network via the server computer. The computing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8. Claim 10 Increasing the likelihood that the user is selected to participate in the future transaction includes advancing the user to a new virtual position in front of the virtual line based on the received activity data. The computing system according to claim 9. Claim 11 Increasing the likelihood that the user is selected to participate in the future transaction includes providing the user with activity points that can be used to purchase an entry for receiving one of the encrypted digital assets. The computing system according to claim 9. Claim 12 The pre - defined activity includes virtual activities performed by the user in an augmented reality (AR) environment or physical activities performed by the user in the real - world environment. The computing system according to claim 9. Claim 13 The prompt for completing the pre - defined activity includes a specified time window before the future transaction, and the pre - defined activity must be completed during the time window. The computing system according to claim 9. Claim 14 The server computer is further programmed to generate a smart contract operable to authenticate ownership of the encrypted digital asset and track the future transaction of the encrypted digital asset. The computing system according to any one of claims 1 to 13. Claim 15 The pre - defined activity includes obtaining a unique quick reference (QR) code from a ticket for an event at a specified venue, a tangible item within the specified venue, or a merchandise receipt generated within the specified venue. The computing system according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A method for supplying encrypted digital assets, the method comprising: Broadcasting an electronic notification of a future transaction of the encrypted digital assets via a server computer through a distributed computing network; Receiving a request to participate in the future transaction via the server computer through the distributed computing network from personal computing devices of a plurality of users; Adding a selected number of the users to a virtual line or bin associated with the future transaction of the encrypted digital assets; Sending a prompt for completing a predefined activity associated with increasing the likelihood of being selected to participate in the future transaction via the server computer through the distributed computing network to the selected number of users added to the virtual line or bin; Receiving, via the server computer through the distributed computing network, confirmation of completion of the predefined activity by a user among the selected number of users; Increasing the likelihood that the user is selected to participate in the future transaction in response to receiving the confirmation of completion of the predefined activity; Selecting a subset of the users, each of whom is designated to receive one of the encrypted digital assets from the users added to the virtual line or bin, wherein each of the encrypted digital assets includes a digital object and a unique digital asset code; Requesting, via the server computer, transfer of each of the selected encrypted digital assets to the corresponding digital wallet of one of the selected subset of users; and Transmitting each of the unique digital asset codes to a distributed blockchain ledger for recording the transfer of the encrypted digital assets to the corresponding one of the selected subset of users; A method.

17. The unique digital asset code includes respective encrypted tokens having unique code strings segmented into a private key and a public key, The method according to claim 16.

18. Each of the digital objects includes a digital image of a physical retail product, a virtual representation of the physical retail product, a unique design rendering of the physical retail product, or a unique design file of the physical retail product, The method according to claim 16 or 17.

19. The encrypted digital asset includes: a first set of encrypted digital assets having a first type of encrypted digital asset; and a second set of encrypted digital assets having a second type of encrypted digital asset different from the first type of encrypted digital asset, The method according to any one of claims 16 to 18.

20. The subset of the selected users includes: a first subset of users designated to receive the first type of encrypted digital asset from the first set of encrypted digital assets; and a second subset of users designated to receive the second type of encrypted digital asset from the second set of encrypted digital assets, The method according to claim 19.

21. Receiving confirmation of completion of the predefined activity includes receiving, via the distributed computing network from the user's personal computing device through the server computer, activity data indicating that the user has completed the predefined activity, The method according to any one of claims 16 to 20.

22. Increasing the likelihood that the user is selected to participate in the future transaction includes advancing the user to a new virtual position ahead of the virtual line based on the received activity data, The method according to claim 21.

23. Increasing the likelihood that the user is selected to participate in the future transaction includes providing the user with activity points that can be used to purchase an entry for receiving one of the encrypted digital assets, The method according to claim 21.

24. The pre-defined activity includes a virtual activity executed by the user in an augmented reality (AR) environment or a physical activity executed by the user in the real-world environment. The method according to claim 21.

25. The prompt for completing the pre-defined activity includes a specified time window before the future transaction, and the pre-defined activity must be completed during the time window. The method according to claim 21.

26. The server computer is further programmed to generate a smart contract operable to authenticate the ownership of the encrypted digital asset and track the future transaction of the encrypted digital asset. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 25.

27. The pre-defined activity includes obtaining a unique quick reference (QR) code from a ticket for an event at a specified venue, a tangible item within the specified venue, or a merchandise receipt generated within the specified venue. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 26.

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