Nchain Licensing Ag

Nchain Holdings Limited

Martin Sewell

Dean Kramer

Bassem Ammar

Craig Steven Wright

Vera Vsevolozhsky

Daniel Joseph

John Fletcher

A computer implemented system and a method for providing user related data, such as reputational information, on users of a blockchain involved in transactions is detailed. The method includes an approach for evaluating fulfilment of transactions, particularly in the context of contracts, and then providing a record of that on the blockchain through reputational information. As a result, at a late time, this reputational information can be retrieved. Similar reputational information for other transactions can be retrieved and linked to the same user, for instance based on the use of a hash of the master public key for a user. Aggregate reputational information can be computed from the pieces of reputational information retrieved.

Computer-implemented system and method for generating and extracting user related data stored on a blockchain

There may be provided a computer-implemented method. The computer-implemented method includes: i) after a proof-of-stake token is transferred to an address of a determined type on a proof-of-stake blockchain, adding a record of the transfer of the proof-of-stake token to the proof-of-work blockchain; ii) identifying a node, from a group of nodes, to participate in adding a block to the proof-of-stake blockchain, the identifying based on the proof-of-work blockchain; and iii) including a block submitted by the identified node in the proof-of-stake blockchain.

Computer-implemented systems and methods relating to a binary blockchain comprising a pair of coupled blockchains

A computer-implemented method and system is provided that maintains blocks of a blockchain across nodes of a sharded blockchain network, wherein each node is a member of one or more shards of a plurality of active shards. The method and system employ a given node that is a member of a particular subset of the plurality of active shards to generate data representing a new block of the blockchain and store the data representing the new block. Such data includes i) a list of transaction identifiers for transactions that are part of the new block and associated with the particular subset of the plurality of active shards, and/or ii) a Partial Merkle Tree for the new block.

Maintaining blocks of a blockchain in a partitioned blockchain network

A computer-implemented method of validating a blockchain transaction is disclosed. The method comprises requesting at least one UTXO referenced by at least one respective input of the transaction from a member node of at least one shard comprising at least one UTXO, obtaining validity data of at least one UTXO from at least one node, and performing a validation check on at least one input using the validity data.

Partitioning a blockchain network

A computer-implemented method of partitioning a blockchain network into shards is disclosed. The method comprises identifying a parent blockchain transaction, the parent transaction defined by an output which corresponds to an input of a child blockchain transaction, and allocating the parent transaction and the child transaction to the same shard.

A computer-implemented method for transferring a total data record from an input node to an output node using a blockchain. The total data record may be a total payment, in some cases, such as using Bitcoin. The output node shares public key material and the input node selects unspent transaction outputs to use in paying the total value, and determines a plurality of outputs payable to the output node in fixed denominations. The input node generates an output address for each output using the public key material and a respective random number, and mixes the inputs and outputs in one or more coin mixing transactions. A nonce public key for each output, generated based on the respective random number, is shared with the output node either separately or through the blockchain, and the output node can derive the corresponding private key for each output address, enabling it to search for and identify the outputs to which it can then claim ownership.

System and method for distributing data records using a blockchain

A computer-implemented method for improving the security of a data record distribution process using a blockchain having a group of input nodes and a group of output nodes, each group having a private-public key pair, but wherein the nodes only have a key share of their respective private key and no node has a full private key. Using threshold signature scheme, secret share joining, and stealth addresses, data records from the input nodes are pooled at a stealth address determined through collaborative action of the input nodes, requiring cooperative determination of their public key, a shared secret, and the stealth address. The public key is copied into the transaction. The output nodes locate the transaction and extract the public key, collaboratively verify its authenticity, and collaboratively determine the shared secret. Having done so, the output nodes may, collectively, sign a second transaction for distributing data records from the stealth address to the output addresses. The invention may be used in conjunction with the Bitcoin blockchain, for example, or another blockchain implementation.

Method and system for secure data record distribution using a blockchain

A computer-implemented method of partitioning a blockchain network into shards is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of identifying a transaction id of a blockchain transaction and allocating the transaction to a shard based on the transaction id.

A system and method for providing reputational information on users involved in transactions is detailed. The method includes evaluating fulfilment of transactions, particularly in the context of contracts, and providing a record of that on a blockchain through reputational information, which can be retrieved later. Similar reputational information for other transactions can be retrieved and linked to the same user, based on a hash of a master public key for a user. Aggregate reputational information can be computed from pieces of reputational information retrieved. The evaluation and record provision can be implemented using a deterministic finite automaton (DFA). For each user involved in each contract, the DFA not only configures and allows for implementation of the contract, but also considers the extent of fulfilment of the contract's terms. The DFA generates reputational information in relation to each user in each contract, and this reputational information is published to and stored on the blockchain.

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London, United Kingdom

Martin Sewell