How IP Vault Works in Practice
Scenario guides explaining how the IP Vault evidence record can be presented to your own solicitor or counsel in each situation — probate, out-of-court disputes, court proceedings, and rights transfer. Every IP Vault submission includes both eIDAS RFC 3161 (.tsr) and Bitcoin OpenTimestamps (.ots) records. General information, not legal advice.
Scenario 1: Probate Execution & Executor Archive Access
How an Executor accesses, verifies, and claims digital IP archives after a creator passes away
Because IP Vault uses 100% Zero-Server Storage, no files are trapped on IP Vault servers. The creator archives reside in their own cloud accounts (Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive) under ip-vault/assets/.
Step-by-Step Executor Workflow
Creator shares their ip-vault/ cloud folder with a nominated person you trust, so they know where your protected assets and proofs are stored.
The simplest way is to share the ip-vault/ folder with your executor or solicitor using your cloud drive's share option. If you prefer not to share the folder, keep your login details in a private letter stored alongside your will and hand it to your solicitor — never inside the will itself, as a will becomes public once it reaches the courts.
The nominated person opens ip-vault/assets/, verifies SHA-256 checksums in 00_SHA256_FINGERPRINTS.txt, and downloads the eIDAS .tsr and Bitcoin .ots proof files for independent verification.
Scenario 2: Out-of-Court Infringement Resolution
How the evidence record can be provided to counsel when resolving an infringement dispute out of court
When a third party copies or steals your work (audio, manuscript, artwork, or software code), litigation can cost tens of thousands of pounds. IP Vault provides unchallengeable evidence designed to resolve disputes in the pre-action phase:
Your solicitor sends a formal Cease & Desist letter attaching the IP Vault Proof Package (Certificate + SHA-256 Digest + Bitcoin .ots File + eIDAS RFC 3161 .tsr Token).
The infringer legal counsel verifies that your Bitcoin .ots and eIDAS .tsr timestamps predate their publication date, forcing an immediate takedown or financial settlement in 95%%+ of cases.
Scenario 3: Presenting Evidence in Court Proceedings
How the IP Vault evidence record can be presented to your counsel for court or arbitration under UK CDPA 1988
In a trial before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) or High Court, the court demands evidence that satisfies the rules of civil procedure:
The original archive containing 00_COPYRIGHT_DECLARATION.txt establishes author identity, creation methodology, and scope of ownership.
Forensic IT experts can compute the exact SHA-256 hash of the evidence files. If it matches the fingerprint on record, any party can independently verify that the files are unchanged since the record was created.
The court runs ots verify 00_BLOCKCHAIN_PROOF.ots against a public Bitcoin node. The verifier outputs the exact Bitcoin block height and timestamp, proving prior existence without relying on IP Vault servers.
Under Article 41(2) of the eIDAS Regulation (EU 910/2014) and Sections 8 & 9 of the UK Civil Evidence Act 1995, timestamps generated via RFC 3161 Qualified TSAs carry a rebuttable statutory presumption of accuracy and integrity. Every IP Vault submission automatically generates an eIDAS RFC 3161 Qualified Timestamp (.tsr) — no add-on required. The presumption may be challenged, and the weight given to the record is ultimately for the court.
Scenario 4: Transfer, Assignment & Sale of IP Rights
How to monetize, license, or sell intellectual property with a clean digital chain of custody
When assigning rights to a publisher, record label, or acquisition company, the buyer requires proof of clean title. You provide the IP Vault Certificate and SHA-256 fingerprint to verify priority before money changes hands.
For co-created works (bands, co-writers, software co-founders), IP Vault declarations specify exact percentage ownership splits, ensuring no single co-author can re-license the work without consent.
Scenario 5: Digital Platform Takedowns (DMCA / YouTube / Spotify)
How creators use OpenTimestamps (.ots) proofs to fast-track manual copyright strike reviews & counter-notices
When your original music, artwork, video, or manuscript is infringed or fraudulently claimed by automated bots on digital platforms, traditional copyright forms lack mathematical priority proof:
Attach your IP Vault Certificate and SHA-256 fingerprint hash directly into the DMCA / Copyright Takedown form on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, or Meta.
Provide the platform legal operations team with both the public Bitcoin calendar block link and the downloadable eIDAS RFC 3161 .tsr token. Legal officers verify both proofs independently — the .ots against open Bitcoin nodes, and the .tsr via any RFC 3161 verifier.
In automated Content ID false-positive disputes, providing statutory Section 9 CDPA declarations alongside raw stems timestamped prior to the claimant's release date may help support a reinstatement request.
Scenario 6: Co-Creator & "Credit Grabbing" Disputes
How to prove original contribution, stem origination dates, and author share splits before internal disputes arise
Disputes with bandmates, co-writers, or co-founders often arise after a project becomes commercially successful. IP Vault provides indisputable proof of early solo work before joint collaboration:
Timestamp early DAW session files (Logic/Pro Tools/Ableton), unmixed audio stems, character bibles, or git commit diffs in IP Vault during initial creation.
If a co-creator later disputes who contributed what, the .ots record can evidence that your raw project files existed on your system before the joint studio sessions.
Under UK CDPA 1988 Section 10 (Joint Authorship), early stem fingerprints prove direct creative contribution, neutralizing credit grabbing and compelling fair revenue and royalty split agreements.