Method for Controlled Release of Decryption Key Based on Predefined Trigger Events
Summary
The USPTO published patent application US20260111569A1 by inventor Rodney Edward Ast, covering a method and system for encrypting and transferring digital data to trusted trustees using a third-party server, with decryption controlled by predefined trigger events set by the data owner. The system manages trustee role assignments, decentralized encrypted storage, unanimous trigger-event validation by trustees, and decryption capability after event confirmation. The application was filed on 2024-10-19 under Application No. 18920860.
“The third-party server manages the assignment of trustee roles for the distribution and decentralized storage of the encrypted data, ensures trustee collaboration for unanimous validation of the trigger event before decryption, and enables the designated trustees to decrypt the data after the event is confirmed.”
About this source
USPTO classification H04L covers transmission of digital information: network protocols, modulation schemes, wireless signal processing, coding, encryption in transit, and multiplexing. With 5G, 6G, and satellite internet driving new filings, H04L is one of the largest active patent classes. Every newly published application in H04L lands in this feed, around 215 a month. Applications publish 18 months after filing, so this feed reveals what MediaTek, Qualcomm, Ericsson, Samsung, Huawei, and dozens of smaller companies were working on in the prior year and a half. Watch this if you compete in networking hardware, advise telecoms on IP strategy, or scout acquisition targets in wireless infrastructure.
What changed
The USPTO published patent application US20260111569A1, filed 2024-10-19, covering a method and system for controlled decryption-key release. The invention describes a third-party server that registers data owners and trustees, assigns trustee roles for decentralized encrypted storage, manages predefined trigger events linked to encrypted data, and coordinates trustee collaboration for unanimous validation of trigger events before decryption is permitted.
For intellectual property professionals and technology developers, this patent represents protectable IP in the cryptographic-key-management space. The trigger-event decryption mechanism — where decryption requires validation by multiple designated trustees — has potential applications in estate planning, digital asset inheritance, secure document escrow, and institutional data custodianship. Organizations developing similar dead-man-switch or multi-party authorization encryption systems should consider freedom-to-operate analysis and potential licensing implications.
Archived snapshot
Apr 23, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Method for Controlled Release of Decryption Key, Decryption, and Distribution of Encrypted Digital File Vault Based on Predefined Trigger Events
Application US20260111569A1 Kind: A1 Apr 23, 2026
Inventors
Rodney Edward Ast
Abstract
A robust, future-proof method and system for securely encrypting and transferring digital data from a data owner to trusted digital data trustees, enabling decentralized storage and future decryption based on predefined trigger events set by the data owner, facilitated by a third-party server. This process includes the secure registration of the data owner on the third-party server, as well as the registration of selected trustees, their assigned roles, and the predefined trigger events linked to the encrypted data. The third-party server manages the assignment of trustee roles for the distribution and decentralized storage of the encrypted data, ensures trustee collaboration for unanimous validation of the trigger event before decryption, and enables the designated trustees to decrypt the data after the event is confirmed. Additionally, the server facilitates trustee interaction with the data owner's encryption settings to enable event-triggered decryption when the specified conditions occur.
CPC Classifications
G06F 21/602 H04L 9/0877 H04L 9/0894
Filing Date
2024-10-19
Application No.
18920860
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