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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published two of Verisign’s (NASDAQ: VRSN) blockchain-related patent applications last week.

Application 17/325687 (pdf) is for Proving Top Level Domain Name Control on a Blockchain. The abstract states:

Systems, methods, and computer products for associating a top level network identifier with a blockchain address on a blockchain enable operations that may include: obtaining, from a root network segment file, an identification of a server that stores network infrastructure records associating network identifiers under the top level network identifier with network addresses and a signature on the identification of the server; obtaining, based on a first network infrastructure record, an association of the top level network identifier with the blockchain address; obtaining information sufficient to validate a trust chain, wherein the trust chain extends from a trusted authority to the association; and sending the association and the information sufficient to validate the trust chain to an executable program on the blockchain. The trust chain may be validatable by the executable program, and the association may be storable on the blockchain by the executable program.

Application 17/325726 (pdf) is for Lifecycle Administration of Domain Name Blockchain Addresses. The abstract states:

Systems, methods, and computer products for administering the association of a network identifier with a blockchain address for a blockchain enable operations that may include obtaining, by an authoritative record entity, an initiation of an administrative action regarding an association of the network identifier with the blockchain address, wherein the administrative action comprises at least one of deleting the association, updating the association, modifying the association, or renewing the association; and providing, in response to the obtaining, a registration entity proof message, wherein the registration entity proof message comprises a signature by a private key of the authoritative record entity, wherein the registration entity proof message specifies a registration entity of record for the network identifier. An executable program stored on the blockchain may be configured to obtain the signature, verify the signature, and implement the administrative action regarding the association of the network identifier with the blockchain address.

Verisign filed both applications on May 20, 2021. Andrew Kaizer and Swapneel Sheth are listed as inventors. Both are also listed as inventors on a blockchain patent that has already been granted.