Abstract: A computer-implemented method of executing a script formed from a locking script of a first blockchain transaction and an unlocking script of a second blockchain transaction, wherein the script comprises a first script portion, a version function, and a second script portion, and wherein the method comprises: a native script engine executing the first script portion; upon encountering the version function, the native script engine terminating execution of the script and determining whether the first script portion is valid according to a blockchain protocol; in response to determining that the first script portion is valid, the native script engine supplying a sub-script comprising at least the version function and the second script portion to a versioned script engine; and the versioned script engine executing the sub-script, wherein the execution of the sub-script by the versioned script engine does not affect the validity of the first and/or second blockchain transactions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for granting permission to a requestor to join a first network. The first network comprises a set of bridging nodes and a set of devices controllable by one or more of the set of bridging nodes. Each bridging node is also a respective node of a blockchain network. The method is performed by a registration authority and comprises generating a first blockchain transaction. The first blockchain transaction comprises an input comprising a signature linked to a first public key of the registration authority. The first blockchain transaction also comprises a first output comprising a first certificate, the first certificate comprising an identifier assigned to the requestor. The method further comprises transmitting the first blockchain transaction to the blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling one or more devices of a first network. The first network comprises a set of bridging nodes and a set of devices controllable by one or more of the set of bridging nodes. Each bridging node is also a node of a blockchain network, and each device has a respective device identifier. The method is performed by a first one of the bridging nodes and comprises generating a first blockchain transaction. The first blockchain transaction comprises a first input comprising a signature linked to a first public key of the first node, and a first output comprising command data. The command data comprises a respective identifier of a first one of the devices controlled by a second one of the bridging nodes, and a command message for controlling the first device.

Abstract: A method of executing a transaction of a blockchain. The transaction comprises at least one output comprising a locking script, and the locking script comprises an instance of a first opcode and one or more instances of a second opcode. Each instance of the second opcode separates portions of the locking script. Upon calling the instance of the first opcode, a first data element is read from at least one stack, the first data element being generated during execution of the locking script with an unlocking script of a different transaction. A first part of the locking script that follows an instance of the second opcode corresponding to the first data element is output.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for granting permission to a requestor to join a first network. The first network comprises a set of bridging nodes and a set of devices controllable by one or more of the set of bridging nodes. Each bridging node is also a respective node of a blockchain network. The method is performed by a registration authority and comprises generating a first blockchain transaction. The first blockchain transaction comprises an input comprising a signature linked to a first public key of the registration authority. The first blockchain transaction also comprises a first output comprising a first certificate, the first certificate comprising an identifier assigned to the requestor. The method further comprises transmitting the first blockchain transaction to the blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain.

Abstract: A method of validating transactions for recordal in a blockchain comprises receiving one or more transactions at a node of a blockchain network. For each received transaction a protocol for validating the transaction is applied. The protocol is configured to allow a termination opcode to be included in an output script of the transaction. The termination opcode is configured to, upon being executed by the node, a) terminate execution of the output script, and b) not to invalidate the transaction based only on the inclusion of the termination opcode in the output script. The protocol is also configured to disallow any instance of the termination opcode from being included in an input script of the transaction, said disallowing comprising the node at least invalidating the transaction if any instance of the termination opcode is included in the input script.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of using a multi-level (ML) data chain protocol to embed a data chain on a core blockchain, comprising: obtaining one or more ML transactions, wherein each ML transaction comprises one or more carrier pairs, each carrier pair comprising an input and an output, wherein each output comprises data associated with the data chain, and wherein each input comprises a signature that signs the carrier pair; generating a first ML block of the ML data chain, wherein the first ML block is a core blockchain transaction and comprises the respective carrier pairs of the obtained one or more ML transactions, wherein for each carrier pair, a respective position index of the respective input corresponds to a respective position index of the respective output, and b) a first chain output, wherein the first chain output is for being spent by a respective chain input of a subsequent ML block.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of using a multi-level, ML, blockchain protocol to reach consensus on a data chain using a core blockchain, wherein the method comprises: obtaining a target data block associated with the data chain; generating a target ML block of the ML blockchain, wherein the target ML block is a respective core blockchain transaction and comprises a) the target data block, and b) a target chain output, wherein the target chain output is configured to be spent by a respective chain input of a subsequent ML block and comprises a locking script configured to implement a respective consensus-based locking mechanism, wherein the respective consensus-based locking mechanism of each respective ML block is a function of the respective data block of that respective ML block, and c) a target chain input that references the respective chain output of a previous ML block.

Abstract: A method of validating transactions for recordal in a blockchain comprises receiving one or more transactions at a node of a blockchain network. For each received transaction a protocol for validating the transaction is applied. The protocol is configured to allow a termination opcode to be included in an output script of the transaction. The termination opcode is configured to, upon being executed by the node, a) terminate execution of the output script, and b) not to invalidate the transaction based only on the inclusion of the termination opcode in the output script. The protocol is also configured to disallow any instance of the termination opcode from being included in an input script of the transaction, said disallowing comprising the node at least invalidating the transaction if any instance of the termination opcode is included in the input script.

Abstract: Methods and computing devices for consolidating tokens in a token system. The method may include receiving an instruction to consolidate two or more serialized tokens, each token having a respective serial number that includes a root identifier, a denomination code, and a leaf identifier allocated to that denomination code. The tokens are of denominations that, when summed, equate to a larger denomination. The method may include identifying a candidate root identifier and candidate leaf identifier, wherein the candidate leaf identifier is allocated to the larger denomination; determining that the candidate root identifier and the candidate leaf identifier are available for use; generating a new token having a new serial number containing the candidate root identifier, the candidate leaf identifier, and a denomination code corresponding to the larger denomination; and notifying an issuer computing device of consolidation and deactivation of the two or more serialized tokens resulting in the new token.

Abstract: Methods and devices for splitting serialized tokens. The method may be triggered by receiving an instruction to transfer a selected denomination token to a second computing device. The method may include identifying a first token having a first denomination larger than the selected denomination, with a first serial number formed from a first denomination code, a unique root identifier, and a leaf identifier uniquely identifying a path of division from the unique root identifier to the first denomination in a root denomination tree. It may then include splitting the first token by generating a second serial number for a second token by concatenating a second denomination code for the selected denomination, the unique root identifier, and an extended leaf identifier, wherein the extended leaf identifier uniquely identifies a further path of division from the first denomination to the selected denomination in the root denomination tree.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of alerting users to on-chain events, wherein a primary user is associated with a primary user public key, and wherein the method is performed by an alerting entity and comprises: identifying one or more event transactions, wherein each event transaction comprising respective event data; generating a primary alert transaction, wherein the primary alert transaction comprises a first output locked to the primary user public key, and a second output comprising alert data, and wherein the alert data comprises a respective identifier of each identified event transaction; and transmitting the primary alert transaction to the blockchain network.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of executing blockchain transactions, wherein a first blockchain transaction comprises a first output, wherein the first output comprises a first locking script comprising a version opcode, wherein a second transaction comprises a first input that references the first output of the first transaction and comprises a first unlocking script, and wherein the method is performed by a blockchain node and comprises: executing the first locking script together with the first unlocking script, wherein said execution comprises, upon executing the version opcode, obtaining a node protocol version number of the blockchain node, and outputting the node protocol version number, wherein the node protocol version number is associated with a particular functionality that the blockchain node is configured to execute.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of deriving keys of a hierarchical key structure, wherein the method is performed by a first party and comprises: generating a target index of a target child key, wherein the target index is generated based on a first result of inputting at least a target message to a first hash function; and deriving the target child key of a level in a hierarchy of a key structure based on a) a parent key of a preceding level in the hierarchy, and b) a second result of inputting at least i) the parent key, and ii) the target index, to a second hash function.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of transmitting blockchain transactions to a blockchain network, wherein the method is performed by a first party and comprises: transmitting at least part of a blockchain transaction to an internet server via an internet service hosted by the internet server, wherein the internet server is configured to connect to one or more nodes of the blockchain network, and to transmit a blockchain transaction to the one or more blockchain nodes, wherein the transmitted blockchain transaction comprises the at least part of the blockchain transaction.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of pseudo-randomly selecting a data element using blockchain transactions, wherein the method is performed by a first party and comprises: obtaining an ordered list of data elements and a plurality of seed inputs; generating a first transaction; and causing the first transaction to be made available to one or more blockchain nodes for inclusion in the blockchain, wherein the first transaction comprises a first output script, and wherein when executed alongside an input script of a second transaction, the first output script is configured to: output a re-ordered list of the data elements; output a pseudorandom number generated based on the plurality of seed inputs; and output, as a selected data element, the data element positioned at a position in the re-ordered list of data elements corresponding to the pseudorandom number.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of generating a blockchain address based on a corresponding template output script of a blockchain transaction, wherein the blockchain address comprises a prefix component and a data component, and wherein the method is performed by a first party and comprises: generating a first blockchain address based on a first template output script, the first blockchain address comprising a first prefix component for identifying a first template output script, and a first data component representing one or more data items required to populate the first template output script; wherein the first prefix component is greater than one byte, and/or wherein the first data component is generated based on a plurality of data items required to populate the first template output script.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of accepting blockchain transactions, wherein the method is performed by a blockchain node of a blockchain network and comprises: generating a first transaction comprising a first output, the first output comprising a first output script; causing the first transaction to be published on the blockchain; receiving a second transaction comprising a second output, the second output comprising a second output script; and accepting the second transaction based on one or more conditions being met, wherein a first condition of said one or more conditions is that the second output script corresponds to the first output script.

Abstract: A system comprising a layered network, wherein the layered network comprises a plurality of LN nodes arranged in an ordered set of layers, the ordered set of layers comprising, in order, a core layer comprising a plurality of master nodes each connected to one or more blockchain nodes of a blockchain network, one or more intermediate layers comprising a respective set of intermediate nodes, and a device layer comprising a set of end devices, wherein: each master node is configured to control a respective subset of intermediate nodes; a first master node is configured to control a first subset of intermediate nodes; a second master node is configured to control a second subset of intermediate nodes; and each intermediate node is configured to control a respective subset of end devices.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of testing whether or not a blockchain transaction is a double spend attempt, the method being performed by a first party and comprising: generating a first blockchain transaction, wherein the first blockchain transaction comprises an input for unlocking an output of a blockchain transaction previously transmitted to one or more nodes of a blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain; generating a signature based on the first blockchain transaction and one or more time indicators, each time indicator indicating when the first blockchain transaction was generated and/or transmitted to a second party; and transmitting to the second party, the first blockchain transaction, the signature and the one or more time indicators, wherein at least the first blockchain transaction is transmitted to the second party via an off-chain communication channel.