Systems and methods for blockchain rule synchronization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11314722-B2
Application number	US-201916513097-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Aug 5, 2016
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to implementation of a syntax for altering one or more rules by which a blockchain may be modified wherein the software implementing each client of a blockchain network are programmed to be responsive to requests or directives to alter one or more rules by which blocks may be added to a blockchain responsive to transactions received for storage therein, the requests/directives being processed by the client as a transaction and added to the block in accordance with the current state of the operating rules, thereby adding a new rule or modifying an existing rule for subsequent operation of the client.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for synchronizing rule changes in a system which implements a blockchain for transactions of a digital asset, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a data message comprising data indicative of a change to operation of the system with respect to authorized participants permissioned to hold, transact, or hold and transact the digital asset;
determining, by the processor, that the data message is valid according to one or more rules of the blockchain and a list of authorized participants stored in the blockchain;
generating, by the processor, a transaction in a new block comprising at least the data indicative of the change to the operation of the system to the blockchain; and
communicating, by the processor, data indicative of the new block to other systems implementing the blockchain; and
wherein transactions for the digital asset received subsequent to the new block are subject to the one or more rules of the blockchain and limited to participants of the list of authorized participants that are permissioned to hold, transact, or hold and transact the digital asset.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorized participants comprise valid signers of wallets.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change to operation of the system is a change to a certificate revocation list.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change to operation of the system is a removal of a participant from the list of authorized participants.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data message is digitally signed by two or more parties authorized to change the operation of the system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the data message further specifies when the change in operation of the system is to be effective, wherein the validity of transactions received subsequent to the added block is subject to the one or more rules stored in the data structure of the blockchain including the added change to the operation of the system when those transactions are received subsequent to when the change in operation of the system is to be effective.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein when the change in operation of the system is to be effective is specified by a block number.

8. A method for validating transactions in a system that implements a blockchain, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a data message comprising a transaction to be implemented by the blockchain;
determining, by the processor, a list of authorized participants stored in a plurality of blocks of the blockchain;
determining, by the processor, if the transaction is valid according to the list of authorized participants;
generating, by the processor, a new block of the blockchain including the transaction; and
communicating, by the processor, data indicative of the new block to other systems implementing the blockchain.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the list of authorized participants is determined from a plurality of removals and/or additions of authorized participants stored over a plurality of blocks in the blockchain.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a removal of an authorized participant in a more recently generated block takes precedence over an addition of an authorized participant in an older block.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the list of authorized participants comprises at least a whitelist of wallet addresses.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the list of authorized participants comprises at least a blacklist of revoked wallet addresses.

13. A system for facilitating interaction with a shared data structure, stored in a memory, by a plurality of authorized participants, the system comprising:
a transaction receiver, coupled with a network interface, operative to receive a data transaction message from an authorized participant of the plurality of authorized participants, the data transaction message comprising change data relating to a removal or addition of a participant to the plurality of authorized participants;
a validation processor, coupled to the transaction receiver, operative to determine based on a set of validation rules stored in the memory and the change data whether the data transaction message is a valid transaction;
a data structure generator, coupled to the transaction receiver, operative to generate a new data structure of the shared data structure containing at least the change data; and
a transmitter, coupled to the data structure generator, operative to transmit the new data structure to the plurality of participants of the shard data structure.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of authorized participants comprises valid signers of wallets.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the change data relates to a change to a certificate revocation list.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of authorized participants comprises a whitelist of addresses.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of authorized participants comprises a blacklist of revoked addresses.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein a reference to each participant of the plurality of authorized participants is stored in the shared data structure.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein a removal of a participant in a more recently generated data structure of the shared data structure takes precedence over an addition of an authorized participant in an older data structure of the shared data structure.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein an addition of a participant in a more recently generated data structure of the shared data structure takes precedence over a removal of an authorized participant in an older data structure of the shared data structure.

Assignees

• Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc

Inventors

• Pierce Ryan
• Madhavan Ajay
• Liberman Stanislav
• Ahmed Mansoor

Classifications

• G06Q40/042

  using financial market analysis, e.g. trading predictions, or forecasting · CPC title

• G06F16/2365 Primary

  Ensuring data consistency and integrity · CPC title

• H04L9/50

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

• H04L2209/56

  Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash · CPC title

• G06Q20/02

  involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP] · CPC title