Delegable Print Rights via Blockchain Zero-Trust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing print on demand technologies rely on trust among providers, which can lead to limited content selection and restricted choices for users, as well as security concerns with content access.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a zero-trust architecture using blockchain technology and public-private key cryptography, where content providers maintain self-sovereign identities and cryptographic keys, allowing users to delegate printing rights to any device without preapproval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If print on demand technologies rely on trust among providers, then content security can be maintained, but user choice and content selection are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain-based permission system as an intermediary between content providers and printing devices. This intermediary enables secure content distribution without requiring trust among all parties. The system uses cryptographic permissions and smart contracts to mediate access control, allowing users to print content from any device while maintaining content security through decentralized verification rather than centralized trust.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical trust-based authorization system with a cryptographic and blockchain-based permission system. Instead of relying on providers to trust each other and manually approve printing requests, the system uses digital signatures, hash chains, and smart contracts to automatically verify and enforce printing permissions. This substitution eliminates the need for manual trust verification while enabling broader user choice.
2Reliability
If print on demand providers curate limited printing service providers, then content security is maintained, but device flexibility and user convenience are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal printing permission system that works across any printing device rather than requiring users to select from a curated list. The blockchain-based permission system provides multi-functional capabilities: it authenticates users, authorizes printing operations, and verifies device eligibility without requiring pre-established provider relationships. This universality allows users to print from any device while maintaining content security through cryptographic verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service printing authorization where users can independently obtain printing permissions from content providers through blockchain transactions. Instead of providers manually managing and curating printing service providers, the system allows users to autonomously acquire and manage printing rights. The smart contracts automatically handle permission verification and execution, eliminating the need for manual curation and providing device flexibility.
3Ease of operation
If content providers share cryptographic keys with print on demand providers, then content access is enabled, but security and control over content are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cryptographic key management into separate, distributed components rather than centralizing it. Each content provider maintains their own private keys independently, and the system uses blockchain-based permission tokens that grant access rights without transferring ownership of the underlying content or keys. This segmentation allows content access to be enabled through permissioned tokens while maintaining full security and control over the actual content and keys.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses blockchain-based permission tokens as copies of access rights rather than sharing actual cryptographic keys. These tokens are lightweight copies that grant printing permissions without containing sensitive content or keys. The tokens can be copied, transferred, and revoked independently, enabling content access while maintaining security. The actual content and keys remain with the content providers, and the tokens merely serve as access passes verified by the blockchain system.
Data Source
AI summary
A publisher device receives a blockchain transaction of a request to print content from a user device and generates a print stream of the content. The publisher device sends a blockchain transaction of a right to print the print stream to the user device, which sends a blockchain transaction of the right to print to a printing device. The printing device sends a blockchain transaction of an authorization request to print the print stream to the publisher device, and then receives from the publisher device a blockchain transaction of a link to the print stream at a portal device. The printing device downloads the print stream from the portal device at the link, and prints the print stream.