Blockchain ledger growth management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023198743-A1
Application number	US-202318172786-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 22, 2023
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for blockchain ledger growth management using separation of a blockchain ledger into multiple blockchain ledgers (each ledger having a state that can be tracked and used). The systems and methods also include linking the separated ledgers by utilizing a linking application and smart contracts added to the separated ledgers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
generating, at a blockchain node, a first blockchain for an application, wherein the application is a distributed application executed at multiple servers, and wherein the first blockchain is a current blockchain in connection with the application during a first state of the first blockchain; permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the first blockchain during the first state of the first blockchain; generating a second blockchain for use as the current blockchain in connection with the application; during and after a second state of the first blockchain, prohibiting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the first blockchain; and during the second state of the first blockchain and a first state of the second blockchain, permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the second blockchain.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
permitting reading of transactions in connection with the application from the first blockchain during the second state of the first blockchain.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prohibiting reading of transactions in connection with the application from the first blockchain during a third state of the first blockchain.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
during and after a second state of the second blockchain, prohibiting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the second blockchain.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
generating a third blockchain for use as the current blockchain in connection with the application; and permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the third blockchain during the second state of the second blockchain.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the second blockchain and the third blockchain are generated at the blockchain node at which the first blockchain is generated.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first blockchain, the second blockchain and the third blockchain is generated at a different blockchain node.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
linking the first blockchain with the second blockchain.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the linking is performed by a linking application.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the linking is performed by the linking application when the application transitions from using the first blockchain as the current blockchain to using the second blockchain as the current blockchain.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
retrieving, by the linking application, a predetermined number of blocks from first blockchain; and writing, by the linking application, the retrieved blocks to a smart contract installed in the second blockchain.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state and the second state of the first blockchain are defined by a time period.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state and the second state of the first blockchain are defined by a blockchain size.

14 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processor associated with a
computing device perform a method comprising:
generating, at a blockchain node, a first blockchain for an application, wherein the application is a distributed application executed at multiple servers, and wherein the first blockchain is a current blockchain in connection with the application during a first state of the first blockchain;
permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the first blockchain during the first state of the first blockchain;
generating a second blockchain for use as the current blockchain in connection with the application;
during and after a second state of the first blockchain, prohibiting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the first blockchain; and
during the second state of the first blockchain and a first state of the second blockchain, permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the second blockchain.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
permitting reading of transactions in connection with the application from the first blockchain during the second state of the first blockchain.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
prohibiting reading of transactions in connection with the application from the first blockchain during a third state of the first blockchain.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
during and after a second state of the second blockchain, prohibiting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the second blockchain.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:
generating a third blockchain for use as the current blockchain in connection with the application; and permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the third blockchain during the second state of the second blockchain.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
linking the first blockchain with the second blockchain.

20 . A computing device comprising:
a processor; a non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic implementing a method comprising:
generating, at a blockchain node, a first blockchain for an application, wherein the application is a distributed application executed at multiple servers, and wherein the first blockchain is a current blockchain in connection with the application during a first state of the first blockchain;
permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the first blockchain during the first state of the first blockchain;
generating a second blockchain for use as the current blockchain in connection with the application;
during and after a second state of the first blockchain, prohibiting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the first blockchain; and
during the second state of the first blockchain and a first state of the second blockchain, permitting recording of transactions in connection with the application in the second blockchain.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Sardesai Ashish
• Pacella Dante J
• Maxwell Lachlan
• Josyula Venkata
• Tadayon Mani

Classifications

• H04L9/0637 Primary

  Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM] · CPC title

• H04L67/1042

  using topology management mechanisms · CPC title

• H04L67/125

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• H04L67/63

  Routing a service request depending on the request content or context · CPC title

• H04L9/3297

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