Intel has received a patent relating to the use of blockchain-based shadow images to facilitate copyright protection of digital content.

This is performed on a client platform using a digital rights management (DRM)  engine, enabling the client to monitor all download operations performed by the platform and obtain a shadow image for a digital content item.

The shadow image includes a hash of the digital content item and copyright policy settings, indicating a set of security constraints associated with the digital content item. The platform is able to determine if the policy settings allow for modification for a specific piece of digital content and, if supported, users are then able to download and modify the digital content item.

Intel has just over 50 patents in the Cryptocurrency sector, with this patent representing their third patent document classified under the "digital rights" subcategory.