Systems and methods for certification of data units and/or certification verification

Abstract

In some implementations, a data unit may be hashed to generate a hash. A cryptographic structure, such as a Merkle tree or other cryptographic structure, maybe generated based on the hash and published on a block chain or distributed ledger. A proof associated with the data unit may be provided. The proof may allow for independent verification that the data unit is certified. Responsive to obtaining the data unit as at least one data unit to be verified, the data unit may be hashed. The associated proof may be obtained, where the obtained proof includes an index describing a position of the hash among one or more other hashes in the published cryptographic structure. The cryptographic structure may be reconstructed based on the index of the proof. Certification of the data unit may be verified by proving that the hash belongs to a root of the published cryptographic structure.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system configured for facilitating certification of data units or hashes thereof, the system comprising:
 one or more processors configured to:
 obtain hashes of data units, the hashes comprising a hash of a data unit; 
 generate a cryptographic structure based on the hashes; 
 provide a proof associated with the data unit or the hash on a block chain or distributed ledger, the proof allowing independent verification that the data unit or the hash is certified; 
   obtain the data unit or the hash as data that is to be verified;   responsive to obtaining the data unit or the hash as data to be verified:
 obtain the proof associated with the data unit or the hash; 
 reconstruct the cryptographic structure based on the proof; and 
 verify certification of the data unit or the hash based on the reconstructed cryptographic structure. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the data units comprise at least one million data units, and the cryptographic structure is associated with the at least one million data units. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein generating the cryptographic structure comprises:
 hashing the hashes to obtain a given hash of the hashes; and   generating the cryptographic structure based on the given hash of the hashes.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the cryptographic structure comprises a Merkle tree, Patricia tree, or a Tiger hash tree. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the proof comprises an index describing a position of the hash among one or more other hashes in the cryptographic structure provided on the block chain or distributed ledger. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein reconstructing the cryptographic structure comprises reconstructing a Merkle tree based on the proof. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the reconstructed Merkle tree describes the position of the hash among one or more other hashes in the cryptographic structure provided on the block chain or distributed ledger. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the proof lists the hash and one or more other hashes, and wherein reconstructing the cryptographic structure comprises reconstructing a Merkle tree based on the hash and the one or more other hashes. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein reconstructing the cryptographic structure reconstructing a Patricia tree or a Tiger hash tree based on the proof. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the block chain or distributed ledger is a Bitcoin block chain, and wherein the cryptographic structure is provided on the Bitcoin block chain using an OP_RETURN feature of Bitcoin. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the proof includes a Bitcoin transaction identification in which a root of the cryptographic structure was provided. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the block chain or distributed ledger is an Ethereum block chain. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the cryptographic structure on the Ethereum block chain via the data field feature of Ethereum. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the cryptographic structure on the Ethereum block chain via the contract creation feature of Ethereum. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the block chain or distributed ledger is a private block chain or distributed ledger. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the block chain or distributed ledger is based on a digital token. 
     
     
         37 . A method being performed by one or more processors, the method comprising:
 obtaining hashes of data units, the hashes comprising a hash of a data unit;   generating a cryptographic structure based on the hashes;   providing a proof associated with the data unit or the hash on a block chain or distributed ledger, the proof allowing independent verification that the data unit or the hash is certified;   obtaining the data unit or the hash as data that is to be verified;   responsive to obtaining the data unit or the hash as data to be verified:
 obtaining the proof associated with the data unit or the hash; 
 reconstructing the cryptographic structure based on the proof; and 
 verifying certification of the data unit or the hash based on the reconstructed cryptographic structure. 
   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein reconstructing the cryptographic structure comprises reconstructing a Merkle tree, a Patricia tree, or a Tiger hash tree based on the proof, and wherein the block chain or distributed ledger is a Bitcoin block chain, an Ethereum block chain, or a private block chain or distributed ledger. 
     
     
         39 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors configured to:
 obtain hashes of data units, the hashes comprising a hash of a data unit; 
 generate a cryptographic structure based on the hashes; 
 provide a proof associated with the data unit on a block chain or distributed ledger, the proof allowing independent verification that the data unit is certified; 
 obtain the data unit as data that is to be verified; 
 responsive to obtaining the data unit as data to be verified:
 obtain the proof associated with the data unit; 
 reconstruct the cryptographic structure based on the proof; and 
 verify certification of the data unit based on the reconstructed cryptographic structure. 
 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the proof lists the hash and one or more other hashes, wherein reconstructing the cryptographic structure comprises reconstructing a tree based on the hash and the one or more other hashes, and wherein the reconstructed tree describes the position of the hash among the one or more other hashes in the cryptographic structure provided on the block chain or distributed ledger.