Implementing a blockchain-based workflow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10698738-B1
Application number	US-201916712412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing a blockchain-based workflow. One of the methods includes receiving a workflow specification that indicates one or more state transition methods to be performed by a smart contract on a blockchain network and one or more client service methods to be performed by one or more client devices off the blockchain network participating in a workflow. The smart contract is generated according to the workflow specification and includes the one or more state transition methods. A configurable client service logic is generated according to the workflow specification for each of the one or more client devices and includes the one or more client service methods. The smart contract is deployed to the blockchain network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing a blockchain-based workflow, the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a workflow specification, wherein the workflow specification indicates one or more state transition methods to be performed by a smart contract on a blockchain network, and one or more client service methods to be executed by a plurality of client devices off the blockchain network participating in a workflow;
generating, according to the workflow specification, the smart contract to be executed on the blockchain network, the smart contract comprising the one or more state transition methods and one or more states, and wherein at least one state of the one or more states automatically triggers at least one of the one or more client service methods to be executed off the blockchain network, wherein the at least one of the one or more client service methods defines a triggering state, a triggering event, and a target state, wherein the at least one of the one or more client service methods generates the target state in response to determining a current state of the blockchain network being the triggering state and detecting the triggering event that causes a change from the triggering state to the target state;
generating, according to the workflow specification and for each client device of the plurality of client devices, a configurable client service logic;
sending, to each of the plurality of client devices, the configurable client service logic, the configurable client service logic to be modified, deployed, and executed by each of the plurality of client devices off the blockchain network, the configurable client service logic comprising one or more client service methods, wherein at least one client service method of the one or more client service methods changes the one or more states in the smart contract;
deploying the smart contract to the blockchain network;
in response to determining that the target state is generated by the at least one of the one or more client service methods, executing a state transition method to change the current state of the blockchain network to the target state;
recording the target state as the current state of the blockchain network;
sending, to a second client device, the target state, wherein the target state is a second triggering state of a second client service method executable by the second client device to output a second target state;
receiving, from the second client device, a request to execute a second state transition method to change the current state of the blockchain network to the second target state;
executing the second state transition method to change the current state of the blockchain network to the second target state; and
recording the second target state as the current state of the blockchain network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein execution of a state transition method on the blockchain network causes a transition from one state to another state, wherein the one or more states and one or more events are stored on the blockchain network, and wherein each of the one or more events indicates a change of a state of the blockchain network.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the smart contract further comprises one or more roles, wherein the one or more roles provide access control to the one or more state transition methods, such that a blockchain account associated with one of the one or more roles is permitted to access one or more of the one or more states transition methods.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the configurable client service logic comprises one or more application interfaces that access the one or more state transition methods defined in the smart contract.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the execution of the state transition method on the blockchain network is in response to a request made by one of the plurality of client devices after the one of the plurality of client devices executes a service method on the one of the plurality of client devices off the blockchain network.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the configurable client service logic comprises a software development kit (SDK) configurable by the plurality of client devices off the blockchain network.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
recording the triggering event that caused the change from the triggering state to the target state in the blockchain network.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the blockchain-based workflow comprises the one or more state transition methods of the smart contract and the one or more client service methods of the configurable client service logic.

9. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations for implementing a blockchain-based workflow, the operations comprising:
receiving a workflow specification, wherein the workflow specification indicates one or more state transition methods to be performed by a smart contract on a blockchain network, and one or more client service methods to be executed by a plurality of client devices off the blockchain network participating in a workflow;
generating, according to the workflow specification, the smart contract to be executed on the blockchain network, the smart contract comprising the one or more state transition methods and one or more states, and wherein at least one state of the one or more states automatically triggers at least one of the one or more client service methods to be executed off the blockchain network, wherein the at least one of the one or more client service methods defines a triggering state, a triggering event, and a target state, wherein the at least one of the one or more client service methods generates the target state in response to determining a current state of the blockchain network being the triggering state and detecting the triggering event that causes a change from the triggering state to the target state;
generating, according to the workflow specification and for each client device of the plurality of client devices, a configurable client service logic;
sending, to each of the plurality of client devices, the configurable client service logic, the configurable client service logic to be modified, deployed, and executed by each of the plurality of client devices off the blockchain network, the configurable client service logic comprising one or more client service methods, wherein at least one client service method of the one or more client service methods changes the one or more states in the smart contract;
deploying the smart contract to the blockchain network;
in response to determining that the target state is generated by the at least one of the one or more client service methods, executing a state transition method to change the current state of the blockchain network to the target state;
recording the target state as the current state of the blockchain network;
sending, to a second client device, the target state, wherein the target state is a second triggering state of a second client service method executable by the second client device to output a second target state;
receiving, from the second client device, a request to execute a second state transition method to change the current state of the blockchain network to the second target state;
executing the second state transition method to change the current state of the blockchain network to the second target state; and
recording the second target state as the current state of the blockchain network.

Assignees

• Alibaba Group Holding Ltd

Inventors

• Sun Shanlu
• Li Shubo

Classifications

• H04L9/50

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title

• H04L63/104

  Grouping of entities · CPC title

• H04L63/102

  Entity profiles · CPC title

• H04L9/3239

  involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD · CPC title

• H04L9/3297

  involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps · CPC title