Blockchain Entitlement Control via Smart Contracts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current entitlement management systems for enterprise hardware and software lack a unified approach, leading to inconsistencies, inefficiencies, and vulnerabilities in creating, distributing, and authorizing licenses, with a lack of visibility and cohesion across the supply chain and within complex corporate structures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a blockchain-based system that uses self-executing tokens and smart contracts to manage and control software and hardware entitlements, providing a decentralized and secure method for creating, managing, and enforcing license agreements, ensuring consistent and transparent access control across multiple parties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a unified entitlement management system is implemented, then consistency and transparency are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the entitlement management system into modular components including entitlement objects, license objects, and distributed ledger nodes. Each component handles specific aspects of entitlement management independently, allowing the system to achieve consistency without overwhelming complexity. Entitlement objects represent discrete rights while license objects manage specific permissions, creating a structured approach to unified management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer consisting of smart contracts and automated validation mechanisms that mediate between different parties in the entitlement ecosystem. This intermediary automatically enforces license terms and manages entitlement verification, reducing the need for complex manual coordination while maintaining consistency across the system.
2Device complexity
If manual entitlement management processes are used, then system complexity is reduced, but administrative costs and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the system automatically performs entitlement creation, validation, and tracking without requiring manual intervention. Smart contracts automatically execute license terms, validate entitlement conditions, and update records on the distributed ledger, eliminating time-consuming manual processes while maintaining manageable system complexity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring entitlement templates and license terms before actual entitlement creation. Standardized templates with pre-defined parameters and automated validation rules are established in advance, allowing rapid generation of specific entitlement instances without time-consuming manual configuration each time.
3Loss of information
If centralized entitlement databases are used, then visibility is improved, but security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single centralized database to a distributed ledger architecture where entitlement information exists across multiple nodes simultaneously. This dimensional change from centralization to distribution provides both visibility (through shared access across nodes) and security (through decentralization that eliminates single points of failure and reduces vulnerability to breaches).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures homogeneity in the data structure and validation rules across all distributed nodes. Each node maintains an identical copy of the entitlement ledger with consistent schemas and validation logic, providing uniform visibility across the network while the distributed nature enhances security. This homogeneity allows any node to verify entitlement information without relying on a central authority.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for entitlement tracking and control with blockchain technology are provided. A server node may receive usage information indicating usage of a licensed component by a remote device. The server node may generate a datablock that includes the usage information and append the datablock to a blockchain. The server node may acquire, from the blockchain, a license smart contract. The license smart contract may include control logic to control access to the license component. The server node may control access to the license component by the remote device based on the usage information and the control logic.