Verisign files more blockchain patent applications – Domain Name Wire

The USPTO publishes two more blockchain-related patent applications from Verisign.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published two of Verisign’s (NASDAQ: VRSN ) blockchain-related patent applications last week.

Application 17/325687 (pdf) is for Proving top-level domain name control on a blockchain. The summary says:

Systems, methods, and computer products for associating a top-level network identifier with a blockchain address on a blockchain enable operations that may include: retrieving, from a root network segment file, an identification of a server that stores network infrastructure records associating network identifiers under the top-level network identifier with network addresses and a signature on the identification of the server; obtaining, based on a first network infrastructure record, an association of the top-level network identifier with the blockchain address; obtaining information sufficient to validate a chain of trust, wherein the chain of trust extends from a trusted authority to the association; and send the association and information sufficient to validate the chain of trust to an executable program on the blockchain. The chain of trust may be validable by the executable program, and the association may be stored on the blockchain by the executable program.

Application 17/325726 (pdf) is for the lifecycle management of domain name blockchain addresses. The summary says:

Systems, methods, and computer products for managing the association of a network identifier with a blockchain address for a blockchain enable operations that may include obtaining, by an authoritative registry entity, an initiation of an administrative action regarding an association of the network identifier with a blockchain address, wherein the administrative action comprises at least one of deleting the association, updating the association, modifying the association or renewing the association; and providing, in response to the acquisition, a registration entity certificate message, wherein the registration entity certificate message comprises a signature of a private key of the authoritative registration entity, wherein the registration entity certificate message specifies a registration entity for the network identifier. An executable program stored on the blockchain can be configured to retrieve the signature, verify the signature, and implement the administrative action regarding the association of the network identifier with the blockchain address.

Verisign filed both applications on May 20, 2021. Andrew Kaizer and Swapneel Sheth are listed as inventors. Both are also listed as inventors on a blockchain patent that has already been granted.