Granted Patent B2

US 12,256,017 · App. 17/990,289 · Granted Mar 18, 2025

Inventor: Lyle Walter Paczkowski (Mission Hills, KS)

Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.

H04L9/3247H04L9/50H04L2209/80

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. A method performed by a system associated with a telecommunications network to restore an expected effect caused by executing a smart contract, the method comprising:

detecting a potential or actual effect caused in response to executing a primary smart contract,

wherein the primary smart contract is stored in association with a first block of a blockchain and configured to execute when a predetermined condition is satisfied by a software program to produce an expected effect, and

wherein the software program is stored at a wireless device that is subscribed to the telecommunications network;

determining that the potential or actual effect deviates from the expected effect;

in response to determining that the potential or actual effect deviates from the expected effect, retrieving a secondary smart contract from a repository,

wherein the secondary smart contract is selected from among multiple secondary smart contracts stored at the repository to restore the expected effect of the primary smart contract when the predetermined condition is satisfied by a software program; and

causing storage of the secondary smart contract in association with a second block of the blockchain subsequent to the first block;

wherein the primary smart contract and the secondary smart contract are configured to execute in concert when the predetermined condition is satisfied by the software program to jointly produce the expected effect.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

jointly execute the primary smart contract and the secondary smart contract in response to the predetermined condition being satisfied by the software program to produce the expected effect.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the secondary smart contract from the repository comprises:

selecting the secondary smart contract from among the multiple smart contracts to operate as a patch for the smart contract.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein to determine that the potential or actual effect deviates from the expected effect comprises:

testing the software program at runtime to determine a test result of the primary smart contract; and

detecting that the test result deviates from an expected result.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

hosting the primary smart contract on a memory of the wireless device; and

hosting the repository on the memory of the wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

hosting the primary smart contract on a memory of the wireless device; and

hosting the repository on a memory of a server located remote from the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein retrieving the secondary smart contract from the repository comprises:

searching an index of the multiple secondary smart contracts based on a criterion of the first smart contract,

wherein the index includes pointers from the multiple secondary smart contracts to locations of the repository storing the multiple secondary smart contracts; and

retrieving the secondary smart contract from a location of the repository based on a pointer of the index.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to detecting the potential or actual effect of the primary smart contract:

establish a secure network link between the primary smart contract and the repository storing the multiple secondary smart contracts; and

performing a handshake operation to test for a persistent logical connection between the primary smart contract and the repository.

9. The method of claim 1 :

wherein the expected effect occurs when the predetermined condition is satisfied by a first version of the software program, and

wherein an unexpected effect occurs when the predetermined condition is satisfied by a second version of the software program different from the first version of the software program.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary smart contract is stored in the first block of the blockchain and the secondary smart contract is stored in the second block of the blockchain, the method further comprising:

validating presence of a digital signature in the first block to authorize orchestrated execution of the secondary smart contract with the primary smart contract.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to causing storage of the secondary smart contract in association with the second block of the blockchain:

validating presence of a digital signature in the first block of the blockchain associated with the primary smart contract.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the potential or actual effect is associated with an operation of a communication function of the wireless device or an output of the software program in response to an input received over the telecommunications network.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by at least one data processor of a wireless device subscribed to a telecommunications network, cause the wireless device to:

cause storage of a primary smart contract in association with a block of a blockchain,

wherein the primary smart contract is configured to execute when a predetermined condition is satisfied by a software program stored at the wireless device to produce an expected result;

detect an error in response to the primary smart contract being executed;

in response to the error being detected, select a secondary smart contract stored at a repository,

wherein the repository stores multiple secondary smart contracts configured to correct errors caused by execution of smart contracts, and

wherein the secondary smart contract is selected to correct the error caused by execution of the primary smart contract; and

cause orchestrated execution of the primary smart contract and the secondary smart contract when the predetermined condition is satisfied by the software program to prevent the error.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 further causing the wireless device to:

retrieve the secondary smart contract from the repository; and

cause storage of the secondary smart contract in association with a subsequent block of the blockchain.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 further causing the wireless device to:

link the primary smart contract located at the wireless device and the secondary smart contract stored at the repository such that the primary smart contract and the secondary smart contract are capable of orchestrated execution.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 further causing the wireless device to:

host the primary smart contract on a memory of the wireless device; and

host the repository on the memory of the wireless device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 further causing the wireless device to:

host the primary smart contract on a memory of the wireless device; and

link, over a telecommunications network, to the repository on a memory of a server located remote from the wireless device.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (72)