Abstract: A data structure embodied in one or more blockchain transactions has a plurality of nodes, each node embodied as a hash value contained in a blockchain transaction of the one or more blockchain transactions; and a plurality of directional edges plurality of nodes comprises leaf nodes and non-leaf nodes. In a first aspect, at least one of the non-leaf nodes has at least one child leaf node and at least one child non-leaf node, the hash value of the at least one non-leaf node being a hash of a concatenation of the respective hash values of the child leaf node and the child non-leaf node. In a second aspect, a first of the non-leaf nodes has a different number of child nodes than a second of the non-leaf nodes. In a third aspect, a first of the leaf nodes has a different level than a second of the leaf nodes.

Abstract: A blockchain payment channel is effected based on a series of spending transactions exchanged between parties, in which each transaction of the series of spending transactions has a future lock time, before which it cannot be committed to the blockchain, and comprises at least two spendable transaction outputs having respective digital asset values. At computer equipment of the party, a previous transaction of the series of spending transactions is received, and a function is applied to one or more function variables contained in the previous transaction to at least partially determine the current transaction. A portion of the current transaction is cryptographically signed, the signed portion comprising the at least two spendable transaction outputs, using a private key counterpart to the public key of the party, thereby computing a transaction signature for inclusion in the transaction input of the current transaction.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of pseudo-randomly generating winning game elements for use in playing a game. An oracle obtains: a set of seed data items, the set of seed data items comprising one or more user seed data items; and a sequence of first public keys, each first public key representing a respective one of the set of first game elements. The oracle generates an output of a game transaction that comprises an output script. The script comprises the sequence of at least some of the first public keys, and wherein the output script is configured to, when executed, generate at least one pseudorandom number, the pseudorandom number being based on the set of seed data items, and to select a winning key, the winning public key being the public key at a position in the sequence of first public keys corresponding to the pseudorandom number.

Abstract: A blockchain payment channel based on a series of spending transactions exchanged between parties, in which: a funding transaction, committed to a blockchain, comprises at least one spendable transaction output locked to at least two public keys of the parties, wherein the funding transaction contains or otherwise evidences a function for at least partially computing the series of spending transactions. A previous transaction of the series is received at computer equipment of one of the parties. The function contained or otherwise evidenced in the funding transaction is used to at least partially compute the current transaction. A portion of the current transaction is cryptographically signed by the party, the signed portion comprising the at least two spendable transaction outputs, using a private key counterpart to the public key of the party, thereby computing a transaction signature for inclusion in the transaction input of the current transaction.

Abstract: Contributions to a work by contributors having respective levels in a defined hierarchy are recorded in one or more blockchain transactions. One or more lower-level contributors provide, to a higher-level contributor, one or more lower-level contributions respectively, and the higher-level contributor provides a higher-level contribution responsive to the one or more lower-level contributions. A higher-level contributor transaction comprises one or more inputs, which in turn comprise: one or more pointers to one or more spendable outputs of one or more lower-level contributor transactions and one or more transaction signatures. The transactions contain contributions commitments which, together with the one or more pointers, represent the relationship between the higher-level contributor and the lower-level contributors within the defined hierarchy. The one or more transaction signatures prove that relationship.

Abstract: The invention provides improved methods and corresponding systems for the sharing, storage, creation and accessing of data stored on a blockchain eg the Bitcoin blockchain. It may form part of a protocol for searching the blockchain for content/data. A method in accordance with the invention may be used for associating or linking data stored within (separate/different) blockchain transactions to enable the identification, retrieval and/or sharing of data stored therein. Additionally, or alternatively, it facilitates identification of transactions (TX) in a blockchain which store content/data that needs to be shared, transmitted, stored and/or accessed by a user. Such a method comprises the step of mapping a mnemonic to: 1) a public key (PK) associated with the transaction (TX); and 2) the transaction ID (TXID) of the transaction (TX).

Abstract: The invention provides improved methods and systems for storing, sharing retrieving, writing and accessing data (content) on a blockchain. The invention may form part of a protocol for storing, searching and accessing the data. An embodiment of the invention comprises the step of processing at least one blockchain transaction (Tx) comprising: a protocol flag; a discretionary public key (DPK); and a discretionary transaction ID (DTx ID). These are discretionary in the sense that they are not required as part of the underlying blockchain protocol but in accordance with the present invention. This combination of features enables portions of data to be identified, retrieved and shared on a blockchain, and also to be linked/associated with one another when provided in a plurality of transactions. It enables a graph or tree-like structure to be constructed, which reflects the hierarchical relationships between portions of data, facilitating their processing, searching and sharing.

Abstract: The present disclosure proposes methods and devices for facilitating IP transaction involving digital assets over the Internet directly based on IP addresses for entities. The aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure enable secure IP address transactions by ensuring that the public key of the recipient is never used in the generation of payment destination addresses, thereby making message replay and MITM attacks extremely hard to implement by an attacker. Furthermore, the aspects and embodiments ensure that the payment destination addresses for digital assets are based on new or single use private as well as public keys that are computed or provided based on the public key for the recipient and are specific to a given transaction.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for ensuring the security of a blockchain and associated network, and for enabling the establishment of consensus regarding the state of the blockchain. A method of the disclosure may be implemented by one or more nodes on a blockchain network, using a non-parallelisable algorithm to calculate an output based on a computational difficulty parameter, a hash of at least one blockchain transaction; and/or a hash of at least one blockchain block header. The non-parallelisable, inherently sequential algorithm comprises at least one of the following operations or a combination thereof: a recursive operation, a modular exponentiation and/or a repeated squaring operation.

Abstract: The invention provides improved verification solutions for blockchain-implemented transfers. It is suited for, but not limited to, implementation in an SPV wallet. In accordance with one embodiment, a method, system or resource is provided which enables Alice to transfer an asset eg cryptocurrency or token to Bob across a blockchain. Alice stores complete transaction data relating to at least one blockchain transaction; and the complete Merkle path of the at least one blockchain transaction. This enables her to send Bob the full transaction data for all input transactions (eg Tx1, Tx2) comprising at least one output that she wants to spend as inputs to a transfer (eg Tx3); the Merkle path for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) linking them to their respective Merkle roots associated with their respective block headers; a transfer transaction (Tx3). Alice also provides her signature.

Abstract: The invention provides improved verification solutions for blockchain-implemented transfers. It is suited for, but not limited to, implementation in an SPV wallet. In accordance with one embodiment, a system or resource is provided which comprises a plurality of novel SPV verification components, the activities of which are coordinated by a coordination component. The system enables Bob to send Alice a payment transaction template (template Tx3) and requests: the full transaction data for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) comprising at least one output that Alice wants to spend as inputs to a transfer (Tx3); the Merkle path for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) linking them to their respective Merkle roots associated with their respective block headers; the completed transfer transaction (Tx3). Alice provides this information plus her signature.

Abstract: The invention provides improved Simplified Payment Verification (SPV) solutions for blockchain-implemented transfers. It is suited for, but not limited to, implementation in one or more SPV wallets, or on smart cards etc. In accordance with one embodiment, a method, system or resource(s) is provided which enables Alice to transfer an asset to Bob. Bob sends Alice a payment transaction template (template Tx3) and requests: the full transaction data for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) comprising at least one output that Alice wants to spend as inputs to a transfer (Tx3); the Merkle path for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) linking them to their respective Merkle roots associated with their respective block headers; the completed transfer transaction (Tx3). Alice provides this information plus her signature and optionally a change address.

Abstract: The invention provides improved verification solutions for blockchain-implemented transfers. It is suited for, but not limited to, implementation in an SPV wallet. In accordance with one embodiment, a method, system or resource is provided in which Bob verifies a Merkle proof for a first transaction and, upon successful verification, submits a second transaction to the blockchain. The second transaction has an input that spends an output (UTXO) from the first transaction. Generally, the invention provides an arrangement in which Bob sends Alice a payment transaction template (template Tx3) and requests: the full transaction data for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) comprising at least one output that Alice wants to spend as inputs to a transfer (Tx3); the Merkle path for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) linking them to their respective Merkle roots associated with their respective block headers; the completed transfer transaction (Tx3).

Abstract: The invention provides improved verification solutions for blockchain-implemented transfers. It is suited for, but not limited to, implementation in an SPV wallet. In accordance with one embodiment, a method, system or resource is provided in which Bob verifies a Merkle proof for a first transaction and, upon successful verification, submits a second transaction to the blockchain. The second transaction has an input that spends an output (UTXO) from the first transaction. Generally, the invention provides an arrangement in which Bob sends Alice a payment transaction template (template Tx3) and requests: the full transaction data for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) comprising at least one output that Alice wants to spend as inputs to a transfer (Tx3); the Merkle path for all input transactions (Tx1, Tx2) linking them to their respective Merkle roots associated with their respective block headers; the completed transfer transaction (Tx3).

Abstract: A method of pseudo-randomly generating data is disclosed. The method Comprises receiving first data items (s1? s2? . . . sN?) from a plurality of first participants and combining the first data items to generate second data (?isi?). A one-way function is applied to the second data to generate third data (?isi?), wherein the one-way function is adapted to receive input data and generate output data based on the input data, wherein the input data is not deducible from the output data and the one-way function.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for searching a blockchain (e.g. Bitcoin) for data/content stored in one or more blockchain transactions, and accessing that data/content. It may be used in conjunction with a protocol for searching the blockchain. An embodiment of the invention can be arranged to enable a user to search for, access, view, write and/or retrieve a portion of data provided in at least one blockchain transaction (Tx), and also arranged to identify the at least one transaction (Tx) based on a transaction index (TXindex) comprising a transaction ID and a public key associated with the transaction (Tx). The system may comprise a search facility which is either provided within the blockchain search system; or arranged to interface and/or communicate with the blockchain search system. It may also comprise at least one cryptocurrency wallet.

Abstract: A method of enabling access to data stored on a blockchain is disclosed. The method comprises generating at least one first blockchain transaction of a blockchain, wherein the first data is stored in at least one first blockchain transaction and is inaccessible to a first participant in the absence of first access data. The method further comprises generating a second blockchain transaction of the blockchain, wherein the second blockchain transaction contains means for causing the first access data to be made available to the first participant.

Abstract: The disclosure provides improved methods and systems for processing, storing, sharing, retrieving, writing and accessing data (content) on a blockchain e.g. Bitcoin. The invention may form part of a protocol for storing, searching and accessing the data. In particular, improved efficiency and also enhanced access control permissions are provided. An embodiment of the disclosure comprises the step of processing at least one blockchain transaction (Tx) comprising: a protocol flag; a discretionary public key (DPK); and a discretionary transaction ID (DTxID). These are discretionary in the sense that they are not required as part of the underlying blockchain protocol but in accordance with the present invention. This combination of features enables portions of data to be identified, retrieved and shared on a blockchain, and also to be linked/associated with one another when provided in a plurality of transactions.

Abstract: The invention provides improved methods and systems for storing, sharing, accessing and processing data (content) on a blockchain. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of identifying a target transaction on a blockchain e.g. Bitcoin, comprising the steps of using a search path to identify the target transaction, the search path comprising: 1) a root transaction index (RTIndex) comprising a public key (RTPK) associated with the root transaction and an ID (RTID) associated with the root transaction; and 2) at least one attribute associated with the root transaction and/or the target transaction. This enables the creation and use of a search path analogous to that known in relation to the internet, but for the blockchain.

Abstract: A method of storing data on a blockchain, such as the Bitcoin blockchain, is disclosed. The method comprises generating a plurality of blockchain transactions, wherein a plurality of the blockchain transactions each store therein a respective part (<Content chunk 1>, <Content chunk 2>) of first data to be stored on the blockchain and second data (<Metanet Flag>) indicating that the parts of the first data are related to each other.