Apple seeks patent for device-to-device digital ID provisioning

Apple is building out a patent portfolio for services related to its digital ID functions. Specifically, engineers are looking for ways that enable Apple device owners to share credential information without the cloud.

Digital ID for Wallet, announced this year, is a hard push by the consumer electronics company to make iPhones and Watches primary identification devices. Apple is working with states, for example, to recognize digital driving licenses.

In this case, according to Patently Apple, the company has designs for sharing private, identifiable information securely among multiple mobile devices. Its patent filing published December 2 is application number 20210377056.

That invention may have future applications well beyond Apple’s proposed digital driving licenses.

The example used is provisioning passes for an event or venue. One person could buy electronic tickets for a group of friends and securely provide access among them.

Certificates would be issued by a provisioning system that has no knowledge of any identities involved until a device reaches out to it for authentication and redemption, according to Patently Apple.

The provisioning system would not store the credentials.

Other than the original buyer and seller of the tickets, no one would need to know or share any personally identifiable information in order to access the venue.

If the friends use end-to-end encryption (something Apple, of course, provides), they would enjoy greater protection against theft or data leaks.

Article Topics

Apple  |  biometrics  |  consumer electronics  |  credentials  |  data sharing  |  digital ID  |  digital wallets  |  mobile device  |  patents  |  privacy  |  research and development