Granted Patent B2

US 12,619,982 · App. 17/791,154 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventors: Bassem Ammar (London, GB); Wei Zhang (Zug, CH); Craig Steven Wright (Zug, CH)

Assignee: nChain Licensing AG

G06Q20/385G06Q20/38215G06Q20/3825G06Q20/3827G06Q20/3829G06Q20/389G06Q20/407G06Q2220/00

Abstract

Claims (63)

1 . A computer-implemented method of using blockchain transactions to issue a single-use token for use by a token redeemer, wherein the method is performed by a token issuer and comprises:

receiving a blockchain address from the token redeemer, wherein the blockchain address comprises a public key linked to the redeemer or a hash of the public key linked to the redeemer;

generating token data representing the single-use token;

generating a cryptographic hash of the token data by inputting the token data to a cryptographic hash function and executing the cryptographic hash function using the token data;

generating a set of cryptographically-linked public keys, wherein the set comprises a first public key, a second public key and a third public key, and wherein the second public key is certified by a certificate authority as being linked to the token issuer;

receiving, from the certificate authority, a reference to a certificate transaction recorded on the blockchain, wherein the certificate transaction comprises a certificate certifying the second public key of the token issuer;

generating a token transaction, wherein generating the token transaction comprises:

generating a token output of the token transaction,

including the cryptographic hash of the token data in the token output;

including, in the token output, the reference to a certificate transaction to enable the token redeemer to identify the certificate transaction and verify that the first and third public keys are cryptographically linked to the second public key that has been certified by the certificate authority;

locking the token output or a different output of the token transaction to the blockchain address of the token redeemer, said locking comprising constructing a locking script that requires, when executed during validation of the token transaction by one or more nodes of a blockchain network, an input of a redemption transaction to comprise a signature generated using a private key corresponding to the public key linked to the token redeemer; and

generating one or more inputs of the token transaction,

generating a first digital signature linked to the first public key of the token issuer, and including the first digital signature into one of the one or more inputs,

generating a second digital signature linked to the third public key of the token issuer, and including the second digital signature into one of the one or more inputs; and

transmitting the token transaction to one or more nodes of a blockchain network to be recorded in the blockchain.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the token output is a spendable transaction output.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the token output is an m-of-n multi-signature output, and wherein the m-of-n multi-signature output is configured such that, in order to be unlocked by the input of the token redemption transaction, the input of the token redemption transaction must comprise at least m signatures that are linked to respective ones of n public keys.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the m-of-n multi-signature output requires the input of the token redemption transaction to comprise a signature that is linked to a second public key of a token redeemer and/or a signature that is linked to a public key of the token issuer.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein token output comprises a if-else statement that defines two or more alternative conditions, and wherein each alternative condition is configured such that, in order to be unlocked by the input of the token redemption transaction, the input of the redemption transaction must meet one of the two or more defined conditions.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the token output is an unspendable output.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the different output of the token transaction is a spendable output associated with the single-use token and is an m-of-n multi-signature output configured such that, in order to be unlocked by the input of the token redemption transaction, the input of the token redemption transaction must comprise a signature that is linked to a public key of a token redeemer and/or a signature that is linked to the second public key of the token issuer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the token transaction comprises a plurality of inputs.

9 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

generating a token update transaction, wherein the token update transaction comprises an input that references the token output of the token transaction, wherein the token update transaction comprises a token update output, wherein the token update output comprises token data representing an updated version of the single-use token; and

transmitting the token update transaction to one or more nodes of a blockchain network to be recorded in the blockchain.

10 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

generating a token cancel transaction, wherein the token cancel transaction comprises an input that references of the token output of the token transaction, wherein the token cancel transaction comprises a token cancel output, wherein the token cancel output comprises token data representing a cancelled version of the single-use token; and

transmitting the token cancel transaction to one or more nodes of a blockchain network to be recorded in the blockchain.

11 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

transmitting, to the token redeemer, a transaction identifier of the token transaction.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the single-use token is associated with a tangible asset.

13 . Computer equipment, comprising:

memory comprising one or more memory units; and

processing apparatus comprising one or more processing units, wherein the memory stores code arranged to run on the processing apparatus, the code being configured so as when run on the processing apparatus, the processing apparatus performs a method of using blockchain transactions to issue a single-uses tokens for use by a token redeemers, wherein the method is performed by a token issuer, the method including:

receiving a blockchain address from the token redeemer, wherein the blockchain address comprises a public key linked to the redeemer or a hash of the public key linked to the redeemer;

generating token data representing the single-use token;

generating an encrypted version of the token data by: a) inputting the token data to a cryptographic hash function and executing the cryptographic hash function using the token data;

generating a set of cryptographically-linked public keys, wherein the set comprises a first public key, a second public key and a third public key, and wherein the second public key is certified by a certificate authority as being linked to the token issuer;

receiving, from the certificate authority, a reference to a certificate transaction recorded on the blockchain, wherein the certificate transaction comprises a certificate certifying the first public key of the token issuer or the second public key of the token issuer;

generating a token transaction, wherein generating the token transaction comprises:

generating a token output of the token transaction,

including the hash of the token data in the token output,

including, in the token output, the reference to a certificate transaction to enable the token redeemer to identify the certificate transaction and verify that the first and third public keys are cryptographically linked to the second public key that has been certified by the certificate authority;

locking the token output or a different output of the token transaction to the blockchain address of the token redeemer, said locking comprising constructing a locking script that requires, when executed during validation of the token transaction by one or more nodes of a blockchain network, an input of a redemption transaction to comprise a signature generated using a private key corresponding to the public key linked to the token redeemer; and

generating one or more inputs of the token transaction,

generating a first digital signature linked to the first public key of the token issuer, and including the first digital signature into one of the one or more inputs,

generating a second digital signature linked to the third public key of the token issuer, and including the second digital signature into one of the one or more inputs; and

transmitting the token transaction to one or more nodes of a blockchain network to be recorded in the blockchain.

14 . A computer program product, comprising computer program code embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer program code being configured so as, when run on computer equipment, the computer equipment performs a method of using blockchain transactions to issue a single-use token for use by a token redeemers, wherein the method is performed by a token issuer and includes:

receiving a blockchain address from the token redeemer, wherein the blockchain address comprises a public key linked to the redeemer or a hash of the public key linked to the redeemer;

generating token data representing the single-use token;

generating an encrypted version of the token data by: a) inputting the token data to a cryptographic hash function and executing the cryptographic hash function using the token data;

generating a set of cryptographically-linked public keys, wherein the set comprises a first public key, a second public key and a third public key, and wherein the second public key is certified by a certificate authority as being linked to the token issuer;

receiving, from the certificate authority, a reference to a certificate transaction recorded on the blockchain, wherein the certificate transaction comprises a certificate certifying the first public key of the token issuer or the second public key of the token issuer;

generating a token transaction, wherein generating the token transaction comprises:

generating a token output of the token transaction,

including the hash of the token data in the token output,

including, in the token output, the reference to a certificate transaction to enable the token redeemer to identify the certificate transaction and verify that the first and third public keys are cryptographically linked to the second public key that has been certified by the certificate authority;

locking the token output or a different output of the token transaction to the blockchain address of the token redeemer, said locking comprising constructing a locking script that requires, when executed during validation of the token transaction by one or more nodes of a blockchain network, an input of a redemption transaction to comprise a signature generated using a private key corresponding to the public key linked to the token redeemer; and

generating one or more inputs of the token transaction,

generating a first digital signature linked to the first public key of the token issuer, and including the first digital signature into one of the one or more inputs,

generating a second digital signature linked to the third public key of the token issuer, and including the second digital signature into one of the one or more inputs; and

transmitting the token transaction to one or more nodes of a blockchain network to be recorded in the blockchain.

Assignments (2)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (35)