US telecom giant AT&T officially obtains Bitcoin blockchain patent, highlighting Bitcoin node advantages

US telecommunications giant AT&T has obtained a patent for a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) based on blockchain technology.

The so-called Home Subscriber Server (HSS) can provide authentication and media delivery functions for subscription holders. As previously reported, AT&T's patent aims to improve the resilience of these systems by creating a distributed network of nodes that can share information.

AT&T first applied for this patent in April 2015. According to records from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the patent was approved on May 30, 2017.

AT&T has not revealed much about its blockchain research before. Notably, this HSS patent application shows that AT&T is considering using the Bitcoin blockchain directly, rather than creating its own blockchain implementation.

According to the patent application document:

“…if the decentralized and distributed secure HSS system leverages the Bitcoin blockchain, then we can leverage the abundant nodes that the Bitcoin network uses to protect and maintain the security of Bitcoin transactions.”

Since this patent application was initially filed, the telecommunications giant has already begun seeking another patent that aims to use cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, for in-vehicle payments.If a new patent application from telecommunications giant AT&T comes to fruition, digital currency payments in motor vehicles may not be far away.