US 12,088,664 B2
Data distribution method, recording medium, and data distribution system
Yuji Unagami, Osaka (JP); Hideki Matsushima, Tokyo (JP); Tomoyuki Haga, Nara (JP); and Manabu Maeda, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA, Torrance, CA (US)
Filed by Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America, Torrance, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/843,408.
Application 17/843,408 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/047681, filed on Dec. 21, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/953,761, filed on Dec. 26, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0321649 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. H04L 67/1087 (2022.01); H04L 9/00 (2022.01); H04L 9/40 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 67/1091 (2013.01) [H04L 9/50 (2022.05); H04L 63/0807 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A data distribution method in a data distribution system that includes a plurality of authentication servers, a plurality of data servers, and an apparatus, the plurality of authentication servers each including a distributed ledger,
the plurality of authentication servers including a plurality of first authentication servers belonging to a first group, the plurality of data servers including one or more first data servers belonging to the first group,
the plurality of authentication servers including a plurality of second authentication servers that are different from the plurality of first authentication servers and belong to a second group different from the first group, the plurality of data servers including one or more second data servers that are different from the one or more first data servers and belong to the second group,
the data distribution method comprising:
obtaining, by one first authentication server among the plurality of first authentication servers, first transaction data that includes a data obtaining request indicating a request for obtaining or referring to data pertaining to the apparatus;
determining, using consent information indicating that a user has consented to utilization of the data, whether the one or more first data servers are allowed to provide the data to the one or more second data servers;
when determining that the provision of the data is allowed, causing the one or more first data servers to transfer the data pertaining to the apparatus held in the one or more first data servers to the one or more second data servers or to make the data pertaining to the apparatus held in the one or more first data servers available for reference by the one or more second data servers;
obtaining, by one second authentication server among the plurality of second authentication servers, the first transaction data; and
recording, by the one second authentication server, the block including the first transaction data into the distributed ledger of the one second authentication server belonging to the second group, wherein
the one first authentication server obtains a smart contract being programmed to be able to determine, based on the consent information, whether the data is allowed to be provided, and
in response to obtaining the first transaction data, the one first authentication server executes the smart contract based on the first transaction data obtained, and when the smart contract determines that the data is allowed to be provided from the one or more first data servers to the one or more second data servers, the one first authentication server causes the one or more first data servers to transfer the data pertaining to the apparatus held in the one or more first data servers to the one or more second data servers or to make the data pertaining to the apparatus held in the one or more first data servers available for reference by the one or more second data servers.