Nchain Licensing Ag

Nchain Holdings Limited

Alexandra Covaci

Stephane Vincent

Simone Madeo

Patrick Motylinski

Giuseppe Destefanis

Craig Steven Wright

The invention relates to distributed ledger technologies such as consensus-based blockchains. A blockchain transaction may include digital resources that are encumbered by a locking script that encodes a set of conditions that must be fulfilled before the encumbered resources may be used (e.g., transferring ownership/control of encumbered resources). A worker (e.g., a computer system) performs one or more computations to generate a proof, which is encoded as part of an unlocking script. A verification algorithm may utilize the proof, a verification key, and additional data such as a cryptographic material associated with the worker (e.g., a digital signature) to verify that digital assets of the transaction should be transferred. As a result of the validation of this transaction, any third party is able to check the contract was executed corrected rather than re-executing the contract, thus saving computational power.

System for securing verification key from alteration and verifying validity of a proof of correctness

A computer implemented method and system is described which uses blockchain technology as a storage system for data acquired from a digital twin. The blockchain can be used to generate an immutable transaction history of data produced by the digital twin. In the case of an error, failure, incident, or accident, parties of interest can then access and analyse an immutable set of data. The blockchain network can also execute a digital smart contract based on the data received from a digital twin. The invention may be used in conjunction with the Bitcoin blockchain or another blockchain protocol.

Computer-implemented systems and methods for combining blockchain technology with digital twins

A computer-implemented method implemented in a blockchain network is described. Validation nodes receive data regarding a newly mined block comprising a plurality of transactions and send a delete request to a distributed memory pool to delete the plurality of transactions from the distributed memory pool. Nodes storing the distributed memory pool store a plurality of transactions, the plurality of transactions forming at least part of a distributed memory pool of transactions waiting to be mined into a block of a blockchain. The computer-implemented method further comprises receiving a delete request from a validation node of the blockchain network, the delete request identifying one or more transactions which have been included in a newly mined block, the delete request indicating that the one or more transactions should be deleted from the distributed memory pool.

Computer-implemented system and method for managing a large distributed memory pool in a blockchain network

Techniques described herein may be utilized to serialise and de-serialise arithmetic circuits that are utilized in the execution of computer programs. The arithmetic circuit may be utilized to build a Quadratic Arithmetic Problem (QAP) that is compiled into a set of cryptographic routines for a client and a prover. The client and prover may utilize a protocol to delegate execution of a program to the prover in a manner that allows the client to efficiently verify the prover correctly executed the program. The arithmetic circuit may comprise a set of symbols (e.g., arithmetic gates and values) that is compressed to produce a serialised circuit comprising a set of codes, wherein the set of symbols is derivable from the set of codes in a lossless manner. Serialisation and de-serialisation techniques may be utilized by nodes of a blockchain network.

Computer-implemented systems and methods for serialisation of arithmetic circuits

The invention provides systems and methods for converting high level source code into an arithmetic circuit which represents the functionality expressed in the source code. The invention comprises a translation/interpretation component for performing this conversion. In a preferred embodiment, the source code is a smart contract such as those used in relation to a blockchain platform. The invention could be used in relation to the Bitcoin network, for example. A method in accordance with an embodiment comprises the steps of: processing a portion of high level source code (e.g. a smart contract) to generate an arithmetic circuit. The arithmetic circuit comprises one or more arithmetic gates arranged to represent at least some of the functionality expressed in the source code. The processing involves evaluating one or more constants provided in the source code to produce one or more expressions that include Boolean and/or arithmetic operators. The arithmetic circuit comprises n-bit wires connected to arithmetic gates; it can be used to provide a hardware and/or software circuit. The arithmetic circuit can be used to generate a quadratic program which can be executed upon a processor.

Arithmetic enhancement of C-like smart contracts for verifiable computation

Determining when and/or how to execute a program or script published to a blockchain network may rely on data that is external to the blockchain (i.e., external data) such as data about the real-world state and events. A prover (e.g., a node of the blockchain network) may perform one or more computations on behalf of a client, such as the execution of the program. To execute the program properly, the prover may rely on external data, which the prover may obtain from a data provider that has a trust relationship with the client (e.g., the client accepts as valid data provided by a trusted data provider). Systems and methods described herein may be utilized by a prover to provide cryptographically verifiable assurances of the authenticity of input data purportedly obtained from a data provider, the input data utilized in the execution of a program or script published to a blockchain network. An example of a blockchain network is a Bitcoin-based network.

System and method for authenticating off-chain data based on proof verification

Systems and methods described relate to executing, by a third computing entity different from a first computing entity and a second computing entity, a smart contract generated by the first computing entity and the second computing entity. A verification key is determined based on a power of a secret, the power of the secret being based on first and second sets of elliptic curve points. The smart contract comprising a first input from the first computing entity and a second input from the second computing entity are received. The smart contract is executed by computation of a function on an input to produce an output. A proof of correct execution of the smart contract is produced. A blockchain transaction is generated using an output of the smart contract. The generated blockchain transaction using the verification key and the proof of correct execution is validated by a fourth computing entity.

System and method for multi-party generation of blockchain-based smart contract

In a distributed system, a first computer system may require computationally verifiable assurances of the authenticity and integrity of computations (e.g., performed as part of the execution of a program) performed by a second computer system. Methods described herein may be utilized to enforce and/or ensure the correct execution of a program. The first computer system may delegate execution of a program to a second computer system and a protocol may be employed to constrain the second computer system to perform a correct execution of the program. The protocol may include mitigation and correction routines that mitigate and/or correct the incorrect execution of a program. In various systems and methods described herein, the protocol may utilize a blockchain network such as a Bitcoin-based blockchain network.

Systems and methods for ensuring correct execution of computer program using a mediator computer system

Systems and methods described herein relate to techniques in which multiple parties each generate and exchange quantities that are based on a shared secret (e.g., powers of the shared secret) without exposing the shared secret. According to a protocol, two or more parties may exchange sets of elliptic curve points generated over polynomials that can be used, by each of the two or more parties, to determine a power of a shared secret. The protocol may be utilised as part of determining parameters for a smart contract that is broadcast to a blockchain network (e.g., Bitcoin). Based on the protocol, an additional party (e.g., a third party different from the two or more parties) may perform a computational task such as execution of the smart contract.

System and method for securely sharing cryptographic material

The invention relates to distributed ledger technologies such as consensus-based blockchains. Computer-implemented methods for reducing arithmetic circuits derived from smart contracts are described. The invention is implemented using a blockchain network, which may be, for example, a Bitcoin blockchain. A set of conditions encoded in a first programming language is obtained. The set of conditions is converted into a programmatic set of conditions encoded in a second programming language. The programmatic set of conditions is precompiled into precompiled program code. The precompiled program code is transformed into an arithmetic circuit. The arithmetic circuit is reduced to form a reduced arithmetic circuit, and the reduced arithmetic circuit is stored.

System for simplifying executable instructions for optimised verifiable computation

Computer-implemented systems and methods for linking a blockchain to a digital twin

Techniques are presented for removing a connection to a peer node determined to be malicious based on transactions received from the peer node.

Flow control for probabilistic relay in a blockchain network

Systems and methods described herein relate to techniques that allow for multiple parties to jointly generate or jointly agree upon the parameters for generation of a smart contract, such as a verification key. Execution of the smart contract may be performed by a third party, for example, a worker node on a blockchain network. Techniques described herein may be utilised as part of a protocol in which parties of a smart contract share powers of a secret in a manner that allows each party to determine an identical common reference string, agree on parameters for a smart contract, agree and/or make proportionate contributions the smart contract, and combinations thereof. The smart contract may be published to a blockchain network (e.g., Bitcoin Cash). The protocol may be a zero-knowledge protocol.

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London, United Kingdom

Alexandra Covaci