Granted Patent B2

US 12,278,898 · App. 18/099,145 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Inventor: Gavin Allen (London, GB)

Assignee: NCHAIN LICENSING AG

H04L9/14G06F21/305G06F21/645G06Q20/065G06Q20/0658G06Q20/36G06Q20/3829G06Q20/389H04L9/0637H04L9/0643H04L9/0861H04L9/3247H04L9/3263H04W4/70H04L9/50H04L2209/56

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A computer-implemented control method comprising steps of:

providing a blockchain transaction for a blockchain network, the blockchain transaction comprising a redeem script for an output, wherein the redeem script comprises:

i) a plurality of public keys, each associated with a corresponding private key, wherein each public key is uniquely associated with a potential state of at least one data source, wherein the at least one data source comprises a sensor or a signal generation component associated with a respective computing agent of a plurality of computing agents directly controlled by a blockchain of the blockchain network, wherein the computing agents are each configured to:

monitor a separate potential state of the at least one data source via the sensor or signal generation component to provide an input indicating a state of the at least one data source; and

derive a separate private key for each possible state; and

wherein a minimum number of said private keys must be used to sign an unlocking script of a further blockchain transaction in order to spend the output; and

ii) logic arranged to provide a result based on:

a determination of which of the plurality of associated private keys is used to sign the unlocking script, so as to provide an interim result; and

a comparison of a parameter supplied via the unlocking script against the interim result; and

attempting to spend the output more than once, each attempt supplying a different parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the logic is arranged to implement functionality of a logic gate.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the logic gate is a NOT, AND, OR, NOR, XOR, IMPLY, NAND, NONIMPLY or XNOR gate.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the state of the at least one data source is determined by a computing agent.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the computing agent is in communication with a control computing agent.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the result is a Boolean result.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein there are at least two data sources.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein two potential states are associated with each data source, each potential state being further associated with, or represented by, a public key.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

for each of the at least one data source:

associating a public key in the plurality with a potential state of the data source such that all possible states of the data source are represented by a respective public key.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one data source comprises a sensor or a signal generation component.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each public key represents a Boolean value indicative of a potential state of the at least one data source.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the parameter is a value, or a puzzle, or a value embedded in a key.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the logic is arranged to perform an equality check to compare an intermediate result with the parameter.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the interim result is derived from the logic provided within the redeem script, and/or is a Boolean value which is calculated by determining which of the associated private keys were used to sign the unlocking script.

15. The method according to claim 1 , and further comprising the step of:

generating or deriving one or more cryptographic keys from a base or master key.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein:

a key generation or derivation step is performed using a deterministic key generation technique.

17. A computer-implemented system comprising:

at least one computer-based hardware resource arranged to perform step(s) of claim 1 ; and

a blockchain.

18. The computer-implemented system according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one computer-based hardware resource is arranged to:

submit a transaction to a blockchain network;

generate a transaction;

digitally sign a locking script; and/or

generate a public/private cryptographic key.

19. The computer-implemented system according to claim 17 , wherein the result is used to control or influence an execution or operation of a process or apparatus.

20. The computer-implemented system according to claim 17 , further comprising at least one sensor or signal generation component arranged and configured to provide an input to the at least one computer-based hardware resource.

Assignments (4)

Priority Claims (3)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (130)