Nchain Licensing Ag

Nchain Holdings Limited

Simone Madeo

Stephane Vincent

Patrick Motylinski

Giuseppe Destefanis

Alexandra Covaci

Silvia Bartolucci

Craig Steven Wright

Daniel Joseph

A protocol is described which: (i) allows storage nodes to be rewarded for maintaining a public blockchain; and (ii) verifies the integrity of the blockchain with the help of a Proof-of-Blockchain Storage (PoBS) scheme. The protocol provides a way to cryptographically check if a data file stored on a remote server is intact using a challenge-response method. The protocol is secured against a man-in-the-middle attack. A malicious peer cannot pass the challenge to a third party which is storing the data and give back the response. The scheme is also publicly verifiable.

Computer-implemented system and method enabling secure storage of a large blockchain over a plurality of storage nodes

Techniques are presented for a method of propagating data packets in a network of nodes. The method includes: generating at least one data packet of a first type; collecting a set of first data packets of the first type during a first time period the set including at least one data packet received from one or more other nodes in the network; arbitrarily selecting a subset of entry nodes to the first node to which a subset of the collected and generated data packets will be forwarded to; and transmitting the data packets to the subset of arbitrarily selected entry nodes.

Systems and methods for propagating data packets in a network of nodes

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 method of propagating data packets in a network of nodes is disclosed. The method, implemented at one of the nodes, includes: generating at least one data packet of a first type; collecting a set of data packets of the first type during a first time period, the set including the at least one generated data packet and one data packet of the first type received from one or more first nodes in the network; and for each data packet in the set: randomly select two or more neighbouring nodes connected to said one of the nodes; transmit, to each of the two or more selected neighbouring nodes: the data packet, wherein the two or more selected neighbouring nodes are configured to relay the data packet to one or more second nodes in the network using a mode of data propagation arbitrarily selected for that neighbouring node.

Computer-implemented system and method for propagation and communication of data in a network such as a blockchain network

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

A blockchain that can be used to generate an immutable transaction history of data produced by the set of digital twins. In the case of an error or failure, parties of interest can then access and analyze an immutable record of data. The invention may be used in conjunction with the Bitcoin blockchain or another blockchain protocol.

Computer-implemented systems and methods for linking a blockchain to a set of digital twins

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

A method of propagating data packets in a network of nodes is disclosed. The method, implemented at one of the nodes, includes: collecting a set of first data packets during a first time period, the set including at least one data packet received from one or more first nodes in the network; obtaining a plurality of encoded data packets, each one of the plurality of encoded data packets being generated by combining two or more first data packets of the set using network coding; determining a mapping of the plurality of encoded data packets and the first data packets of the set to one or more neighbouring nodes connected to the node; and transmitting the plurality of encoded data packets and the first data packets of the set to the one or more neighbouring nodes according to the determined mapping.

Systems and methods for random differential relay and network coding

A computer-implemented method for a node of a blockchain network comprising receiving or generating data for distribution in the blockchain network, said node having a plurality of interfaces, said data corresponding to an object such as a transaction or a block. The transaction can be a Bitcoin transaction for recordal in a blockchain. The method determines a correlation matrix having correlation coefficients representing the correlation between data processed at each interface of said node. From the correlation matrix a correlation index for each interface is determined. A threshold or indicator is calculated and data or objects such as Bitcoin transactions are relayed from nodes via interfaces according to a set of correlation coefficients of interface receiving the data. An indicator or threshold can derived from the correlation matrix and data is relayed if the correlation between the receiving interface and the other interface is lower than the indicator.

Probabilistic relay for efficient propagation in a blockchain network

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.

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London, United Kingdom

Simone Madeo