Secure affiliation of warranty to a good in a computing network

Abstract

A method includes receiving, from a first computing device, a request for ownership acquisition of a good using a digital exchange item associated with a digital chain of custody. The method further includes determining, based on the ownership acquisition request, a first warranty of a list of applicable warranties is associated with the good. The method further includes generating a representation of the first warranty and executing the ownership acquisition. The method further includes generating a second secure data block of the digital chain of custody to include the representation for the first warranty, and information regarding the ownership acquisition of the good by the first computing device using the digital exchange item. The method further includes adding the second secure data block to the digital chain of custody of the digital exchange item to automatically affiliate the first warranty to the good and to the first computing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprises:
 receiving, by a second computing device of a computing network from a first computing device of the computing network, a request for ownership acquisition of a good using a digital exchange item, wherein the digital exchange item is associated with a digital chain of custody that includes a first secure data block, and wherein the first secure data block includes an identity of the first computing device as an owner of the digital exchange item;   determining, based on the request for ownership acquisition and by at least one of the second computing device and a third computing device of the computing network, a first warranty of a list of applicable warranties is associated with the good;   generating, by at least one of the second computing device and the third computing device, a representation of the first warranty;   executing, by at least one of the second computing device and the third computing device, the ownership acquisition of the good by the first computing device using the digital exchange item;   in response to the executing the ownership acquisition, generating, by at least one of the second computing device and the third computing device, a second secure data block of the digital chain of custody, wherein the second secure data block includes the representation for the first warranty, and information regarding the ownership acquisition of the good by the first computing device using the digital exchange item; and   adding, by at least one of the second computing device and the third computing device, the second secure data block to the digital chain of custody of the digital exchange item to affiliate the first warranty to the good and to the first computing device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and second secure data blocks includes a header section and a transaction section. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the header section includes one or more of:
 a unique data block identifier;   a representation of previous secure data blocks of the digital chain of custody; and   a representation of a current transaction.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the unique data block identifier is a unique random number. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the transaction section includes one or more of:
 a public key associated with the first computing device;   a signature associated with the second computing device;   a description of the transaction; and   information regarding the transaction.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the information regarding the transaction includes one or more of:
 time restrictions associated with the exchange item;   use restrictions associated with the exchange item;   a digital image of the exchange item; and   an authenticated value of the exchange item.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the transaction section includes the representation of the first warranty. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining a first warranty of the list of applicable warranties is associated with the good comprises:
 accessing a warranty database of the computing network that includes identifiers regarding a plurality of goods that are each associated with one or more warranties of a plurality of warranties, wherein the plurality of goods includes the good, and wherein the plurality of warranties includes the list of applicable warranties;   obtaining the list of applicable warranties for the good based on an entry in the warranty database that corresponds with an identifier associated with the good; and   determining the first warranty is to be automatically affiliated with the good during the ownership acquisition of the good.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprises:
 determining a second warranty of the list of applicable warranties is to be offered during the ownership acquisition; 
 offering the second warranty to the first computing device; 
 determining whether the first computing device accepts the second warranty; 
 when the first computing device accepts the second warranty, obtaining a representation of the second warranty; and 
 generating the second secure data block to include the representation of the second warranty. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the adding the second secure data block to the digital chain of custody automatically affiliates the second warranty to the good and to the first computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the representation of the first warranty comprises a basic manufacturer warranty associated with the good. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the representation of the first warranty comprises one or more of:
 a complete copy of a basic manufacturer warranty;   a portion of the basic manufacturer warranty; and   an identifier of the basic manufacturer warranty.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the good comprises one or more of:
 an object;   an item; and   a computer file.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the computer file comprises one or more of:
 a text file;   a video file;   an audio file; and   an image file.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the second secure data block further comprises:
 accessing, by the second computing device or the third computing device, the first secure data block regarding the identity of the first computing device as an owner of the digital exchange item, wherein the first secure data block includes a first secure header section and a first secure transaction section, wherein the first secure header section includes encoded information regarding one or more previous transactions, and wherein the first secure transaction section includes information regarding the first computing device obtaining ownership of the digital exchange item that is secured using an encryption key of the first computing device and is signed by the second computing device or the third computing device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprises:
 registering, by the second computing device or the third computing device, the first warranty based on the digital chain of custody of digital exchange item. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprises:
 updating, by the second computing device or the third computing device, the digital chain of custody of digital exchange item to include one or more of a warranty registration rebate, a credit, and a bonus in return for registering the first warranty. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second secure data block includes a representation of previous secure data blocks of the digital chain of custody. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the representation comprises one or more of:
 a hash function;   a deterministic function; and   an encoding function.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the encoding function comprises one or more of:
 scrambling;   compacting; and   encrypting.