NFT Access Control for Item-Linked Supplemental Content
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges in maintaining and organizing a multitude of digital content associated with primary items, which can be lost over time as they switch between computing devices and network accounts, leading to the loss of associated functionality.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on a blockchain to verify and track possession of items, enabling access to supplemental digital content such as offers and updates, by generating an application that controls access to these contents based on NFT possession.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users maintain multiple digital content items across different computing devices and network accounts, then the functionality and information associated with primary digital content items can be preserved, but the complexity of organizing and tracking these supplemental digital content items increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple supplemental digital content items (owner's manuals, digital receipts, bills of sale, product keys, shipping information) into a single unified NFT (non-fungible token) that is stored on a blockchain. This merging approach preserves all associated functionality while eliminating the complexity of organizing and tracking separate digital files across multiple devices and accounts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an NFT as an intermediary object that mediates between the primary digital content item and its supplemental content. The NFT serves as a centralized access point that automatically provides all supplemental materials when the primary item is accessed, eliminating the need for users to manually organize and retrieve separate files across different computing devices and network accounts.
2Ease of operation
If users switch between computing devices and network accounts, then accessibility to digital content is improved, but supplemental digital content can be lost and functionality can no longer be accessed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal NFT-based system that works across all computing devices and network accounts. The NFT contains all supplemental digital content and can be accessed universally from any device through the primary digital content item, ensuring that users never lose supplemental content when switching between devices or accounts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional file-based storage (two-dimensional, device-specific) to blockchain-based NFT storage (adding a third dimension of decentralized, account-agnostic accessibility). This dimensional change enables supplemental content to follow the primary item across all devices and accounts without being tied to any single storage location or network account.
3Speed
If supplemental digital content is stored locally on computing devices, then access speed is improved, but portability and accessibility across different devices are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service system where the NFT automatically provides supplemental digital content when the primary item is accessed, without requiring manual user intervention to locate or transfer files. The system serves itself by automatically retrieving and displaying all supplemental materials from the blockchain, maintaining fast access speeds while enabling universal cross-device accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described, as implemented by computing devices, to control access to digital content through use of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). This is performed by leveraging a blockchain such that digital content associated with an item is made available to supplement use of the item (e.g., to supplement use of a physical item, digital content, and so forth) or make other functionality available based on a user's possession of the item.