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Recognition Boundary

OpenETR is focused on control-layer evidence.

Recognition frameworks decide what effect to give that evidence.

The recurring pattern is:

real-world object, product, document, or record
  -> canonical file or data artifact
  -> digest
  -> signed origin record
  -> signed control records or linked evidence records
  -> verifier, registry, authority, or relying party decides effect

OpenETR does not decide effect. It provides the control layer and preserves the evidence that a recognition layer can evaluate.

Control Questions

OpenETR can answer questions such as:

  • what object digest is being referenced?
  • which origin event created the object record?
  • which signed events reference the same object?
  • how do control events link through e references?
  • which profile key signed each event?
  • what candidate control state can be derived from the graph?
  • which linked evidence records point back to the object?

Recognition Questions

Other systems decide questions such as:

  • is this signer legally authorized?
  • is the issuer recognized as a warehouse operator?
  • does this profile satisfy KYC or onboarding requirements?
  • does a registry recognize the event?
  • does a statute give legal effect to the transition?
  • should a transfer, encumbrance, discharge, redemption, or termination be accepted under a policy?

Recognition Inputs

Recognition may depend on:

  • local allow lists or known entities;
  • contacts and references;
  • TRQP;
  • Web of Trust;
  • OpenETR attestation events;
  • KYC providers;
  • registries;
  • enterprise account systems;
  • contractual network rules;
  • statutory or regulatory requirements.

Verifier Rule Books

Because OpenETR is an open signed-event system, any organization can write a verifier rule book on top of the same graph.

A generic verifier should expose warnings rather than pretending invalid or unrecognized transitions do not exist.

A domain verifier can add stronger rules, safeguards, or exemptions.

Source Specs