NEWS

AT&T File Patent for Bitcoin Blockchain-Based Server

Release time:

2016-10-27 15:29

AT&T, the second largest mobile operator in the United States, is currently applying for a patent for a home user server that utilizes the Bitcoin blockchain.

According to Nanjing Hua Xun, the patent application was submitted on April 6 and published on October 5 this year. It outlines a "decentralized and distributed secure home user server device." Its submitters are AT&T researchers Roger Piqueras Jover and Joshua Lackey, who previously worked as security architects at Bloomberg.

Such a home subscriber server may perform authentication and media delivery functions for, for example, subscribers to a television service. According to the application, AT&T hopes to improve the security of these multimedia transmission networks by distributing and storing transmission information at nodes.

AT&T is seeking patents for its proposed device and method of using it. It is perhaps worth noting that these patent applications outline how to better utilize the Bitcoin blockchain rather than the internal private blockchain (although this approach is also mentioned in the application).

The author explains:

"... a decentralized and distributed secure home user server system that utilizes the Bitcoin blockchain, which can leverage a large number of nodes and maintain the security of Bitcoin transactions."

The application also mentions that the service system can continue to operate even in the event of an attack.

"… when a node (e. g., a base station device) is attacked and crashes, the rest of the distributed secure home subscriber service system will not be affected, and only mobile devices within the coverage of the victim base station device will be affected," the authors explain.

This is the first known technology patent filed by AT&T. Last month, social media watchers discovered that AT&T was hiring "senior blockchain developers". The job listing has now been removed.

As of Nanjing Huaxun press time, AT&T declined to comment.