Blockchain-based trustable guarantees

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11212104-B2
Application number	US-202017138730-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2020
Priority date	Feb 3, 2020
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for processing blockchain-based guarantee information. One of the methods includes receiving a cyphertext of a digital document specifying a guarantee from a first computing device associated with a guarantor and one or more zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) related to one or more values associated with the guarantee; verifying that the one or more ZKPs are correct; storing the first cyphertext to a blockchain based on performing a consensus algorithm; receiving a first message from the first computing device associated with the guarantor, the first message including a request to cancel the guarantee; storing the request to cancel the guarantee in the blockchain; sending a second message to a second computing device associated with the beneficiary or a representative of the beneficiary; and receiving a third message from the second computing device associated with the beneficiary or the representative of the beneficiary.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by a blockchain node of a first blockchain network, a cyphertext of a digital document specifying a guarantee and one or more zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) from a first computing device associated with a first guarantor, wherein the one or more ZKPs are related to one or more values associated with the guarantee, wherein the guarantee is made by the first guarantor to a beneficiary, and wherein the digital document specifies one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee;
verifying, by the blockchain node, that the one or more ZKPs are correct;
upon verifying that the one or more ZKPs are correct, storing the cyphertext to a blockchain based on performing a consensus algorithm;
receiving, by the blockchain node, a first message from the first computing device associated with the first guarantor, the first message including a request to cancel the guarantee;
storing, by the blockchain node, the request to cancel the guarantee in the blockchain;
sending, by the blockchain node, a second message to a second computing device associated with the beneficiary or a representative of the beneficiary, wherein the second message includes the request to cancel the guarantee;
receiving, by the blockchain node, a third message from the second computing device associated with the beneficiary or the representative of the beneficiary, wherein the third message includes a confirmation that the beneficiary accepts cancellation of the guarantee, and wherein the third message is relayed from the second computing device via a second blockchain network different from the first blockchain network; and
updating, by the blockchain node, a status of the guarantee stored in the blockchain to indicate that the guarantee has been canceled.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the guarantee specifies that the first guarantor shall pay the beneficiary a predetermined amount when the one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee are met, the first guarantor is an offshore bank that serves an applicant of the guarantee, the predetermined amount is paid to the beneficiary through an onshore bank that serves the beneficiary when the one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee are met, and the digital document further includes information that specifies an identity of the onshore bank.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee include one or more of default conditions, amendment conditions, cancelation conditions, effective date, and expiration date.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more values comprise a plurality of values associated with the guarantee and wherein the one or more ZKPs comprise a plurality of ZKPs generated by separately encrypting the plurality of values using homomorphic encryption, and
verifying, by the blockchain node, that the one or more ZKPs are correct, comprises:
performing computation using the separately encrypted plurality of values associated with the guarantee.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more ZKPs includes one or more of a range proof and a zero test.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein an encryption key for encrypting the digital document is derived based on a linear secret sharing scheme.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the guarantee is made by the first guarantor and a second guarantor to the beneficiary, the guarantee is in a form of a standby letter of credit (SBLC), and the guarantee specifies that the first guarantor and the second guarantor shall pay the beneficiary a predetermined amount when the one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee are met.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the consensus algorithm is based on one of proof of work (PoW), proof of stake (PoS), and practical Byzantine fault tolerance (PBFT).

9. A computer-implemented system, comprising:
one or more computers; and
one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform one or more operations comprising:
receiving, by a blockchain node of a first blockchain network, a cyphertext of a digital document specifying a guarantee and one or more zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) from a first computing device associated with a first guarantor, wherein the one or more ZKPs are related to one or more values associated with the guarantee, wherein the guarantee is made by the first guarantor to a beneficiary, and wherein the digital document specifies one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee;

verifying, by the blockchain node, that the one or more ZKPs are correct;
upon verifying that the one or more ZKPs are correct, storing the cyphertext to a blockchain based on performing a consensus algorithm;
receiving, by the blockchain node, a first message from the first computing device associated with the first guarantor, the first message including a request to cancel the guarantee;
storing, by the blockchain node, the request to cancel the guarantee in the blockchain;
sending, by the blockchain node, a second message to a second computing device associated with the beneficiary or a representative of the beneficiary, wherein the second message includes the request to cancel the guarantee;
receiving, by the blockchain node, a third message from the second computing device associated with the beneficiary or the representative of the beneficiary, wherein the third message includes a confirmation that the beneficiary accepts cancellation of the guarantee, and wherein the third message is relayed from the second computing device via a second blockchain network different from the first blockchain network; and
updating, by the blockchain node, a status of the guarantee stored in the blockchain to indicate that the guarantee has been canceled.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 9 , wherein the guarantee specifies that the first guarantor shall pay the beneficiary a predetermined amount when the one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee are met, the first guarantor is an offshore bank that serves an applicant of the guarantee, the predetermined amount is paid to the beneficiary through an onshore bank that serves the beneficiary when the one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee are met, and the digital document further includes information that specifies an identity of the onshore bank.

11. The computer-implemented system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more predetermined conditions of executing the guarantee include one or more of default conditions, amendment conditions, cancelation conditions, effective date, and expiration date.

12. The computer-implemented system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more ZKPs is generated based on homomorphic encryption.

13. The computer-implemented system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more ZKPs includes one or more of a range proof and a zero test.

14. The computer-implemented system of claim 9 , wherein an encryption key for encrypting the digital document is derived based on a linear secret sharing scheme.

15. The computer-implemented system of claim 9 , wherein the guarantee is made by the first guarantor and a second guarantor to the beneficiary, the guarante

Assignees

• Alipay Hangzhou Inf Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lu Xuming
• Zhou Hui
• Ye Guojun

Classifications

• H04L9/50

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

• H04L2209/463

  Electronic voting · CPC title

• H04L9/3218

  using proof of knowledge, e.g. Fiat-Shamir, GQ, Schnorr, ornon-interactive zero-knowledge proofs · CPC title

• G06Q40/04

  Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange · CPC title

• H04L63/0435

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06) · CPC title