Method and apparatus for automated committed settlement of digital assets
The present disclosure relates to a system for locking a digital asset. In one implementation, the system may include a first computer node that reads a private data store associated with the first computer node and/or reads a distributed ledger to confirm a digital asset is unlocked and can be transferred from the first computer node. The first computer node cryptographically signs and sends a proposed digital lock to a second computer node. When activated, the digital lock prevents transfer of the digital asset from the first computer node to another computer node that is not the second computer node. The first computer node also reads a distributed ledger to confirm the distributed ledger contains the digital lock in an activated state. The first computer node transfers the digital asset from the first computer node to the second computer node.
1. A system for managing transfer of digital assets with digital locks, recorded on a distributed ledger, between a plurality of participants, the system comprising:
a processor of a first computer node of a first participant; and
memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the processor of the first computer node of the first participant, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
sending a first proposed digital lock including a first inactive digital lock for a transaction of the transfer of a first digital asset from the first participant to a receiving participant, wherein the first digital lock, when activated, can prevent the transfer of the first digital asset from the first participant to another participant that is not the receiving participant, wherein the proposed first digital lock comprises a cryptographic signature of the first participant, the inactive first digital lock, an identifier of the first digital asset, an identifier of the receiving participant, parameters associated with the transfer of the first digital asset, and code segments, wherein the code segments are executable to activate the first digital lock, transfer the first digital asset, and deactivate the first digital lock;
receiving a second proposed digital lock including a second inactive digital lock for a transaction of the transfer of a second digital asset from a sending participant to the first participant, wherein the second digital lock, when activated, can prevent the transfer of the second digital asset from the sending participant to another participant that is not the first participant, wherein the proposed second digital lock comprises a cryptographic signature of the sending participant, the inactive second digital lock, an identifier of the second digital asset, an identifier of the first participant, parameters associated with the transfer of the second digital asset, and code segments, wherein the code segments are executable to activate the second digital lock, transfer the second digital asset, and deactivate the second digital lock;
authenticating the received proposed second digital lock using the cryptographic signature of the sending participant, wherein the authenticating further comprises verifying that the received proposed second digital lock includes the inactive second digital lock;
receiving an acceptance of the proposed first digital lock, wherein the acceptance indicates activation of the proposed first digital lock;
upon receiving the acceptance of the proposed first digital lock, activating the proposed second digital lock;
receiving, from a computer node of the sending participant, the second digital asset;
upon receiving the second digital asset, deactivating the activated second digital lock; and
in connection with the deactivating the activated second digital lock, transferring the second digital asset to the receiving participant.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiving participant and the sending participant are a same second participant of the plurality of participants.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the sending the first proposed digital lock to the second participant is to a computer node of the second participant indirectly through a computer node of a third participant, wherein the receiving the second proposed digital lock from the second participant is to the computer node of the second participant indirectly through the computer node of the third participant, and wherein the activating the proposed second digital lock is performed upon receiving the acceptance of the proposed first digital lock from computer nodes of both the second participant and the third participant.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiving participant is a second participant of the plurality of participants, and wherein the sending participant is a different third participant of the plurality of participants.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the activating the proposed second digital lock is performed by the processor further upon receiving acceptance of a proposed third digital lock from the computer node of a fourth participant.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the fourth participant is the sending participant, the proposed third digital lock including a third inactive digital lock for a transaction of the transfer of a third digital asset from the receiving participant to the sending participant, wherein the third digital lock, when activated, can prevent the transfer of the third digital asset from the receiving participant to another participant that is not the sending participant, wherein the proposed third digital lock comprises a cryptographic signature of the receiving participant, the inactive third digital lock, an identifier of the third digital asset, an identifier of the sending participant, parameters associated with the transfer of the third digital asset, and code segments, wherein the code segments are executable to activate the third digital lock, transfer the third digital asset, and deactivate the third digital lock.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the acceptance of the proposed first digital lock comprises receiving the acceptance from a computer node of the receiving participant.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor of the first computer node, cause the processor to perform the steps of:
upon activating the inactive first digital lock, transmitting a first message to the distributed ledger including details of the first and second activated digital locks; and
upon transferring the second digital asset to the receiving participant, transmitting a second message to the distributed ledger including details of the deactivated second digital lock and completion of the transfer of the second digital asset.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the receiving the acceptance of the proposed first digital lock comprises receiving a message from the distributed ledger indicating the acceptance.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the system further comprises a private data store of the first participant, and the program instructions, when executed by the processor of the first computer node, cause the processor to perform the step of storing the received proposed second digital lock in the private data store of the first participant, wherein the private data store is separate from the distributed ledger.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the recording the activating the inactive second digital lock to the ledger comprises broadcasting the activating the inactive second digital lock to a writer node of the ledger.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the deactivating the activated digital lock comprises sending a token of deactivation to a writer node of the ledger.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the code segments of activated first digital lock are executable to deactivate the first digital lock in response to either one of receipt by the receiving participant of the first digital asset or expiration of a predetermined period of time, and wherein the code segments of activated second digital lock are executable to deactivate the second digital lock in response to either one of receipt by the first participant of the second digital asset or expiration of the predetermined period of time.