Abstract: A specialized network (“merchant”) node to facilitate fast distribution of blockchain transactions over a network of interconnected nodes, as subset of which are merchant nodes interconnected by an overlay network. The merchant node includes a memory storing an assigned portion of a distributed mempool structured as a distributed hash table, the distributed mempool containing pending transactions awaiting confirmation. The merchant node operates by receiving a transaction, including a transaction identifier; hashing the new transaction identifier to obtain a key; determining, using the key, whether the transaction is stored in the distributed mempool or not and, if not, then storing the transaction in the distributed mempool as a pending transaction; and sending the transaction to a set of nodes other than merchant nodes using peer-to-peer connections. The invention may be used in conjunction with the Bitcoin blockchain or an alternative.

Abstract: Methods and devices that manage the secure distribution of credentials from a group of autonomous specialized nodes to a requesting node. The secure distribution of credentials may uses secret share and a group private key that none of the nodes reconstructs or possesses. The credentials include an identifier for the requesting node and a secret point that the node assembles from portions of the secret point provided by each of a plurality of the specialized nodes, where the secret point is based on the group private key and a map-to-point hash of the requesting node's identifier.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to techniques in which multiple parties each generate and exchange quantities that are based on a shared secret (e.g., powers of the shared secret) without exposing the shared secret. According to a protocol, two or more parties may exchange sets of elliptic curve points generated over polynomials that can be used, by each of the two or more parties, to determine a power of a shared secret. The protocol may be utilised as part of determining parameters for a smart contract that is broadcast to a blockchain network (e.g., Bitcoin). Based on the protocol, an additional party (e.g., a third party different from the two or more parties) may perform a computational task such as execution of the smart contract.

Abstract: The invention relates to distributed ledger technologies such as consensus-based blockchains. A blockchain transaction may include digital resources that are encumbered by a locking script that encodes a set of conditions that must be fulfilled before the encumbered resources may be used (e.g., transferring ownership/control of encumbered resources). A worker (e.g., a computer system) performs one or more computations to generate a proof, which is encoded as part of an unlocking script. A verification algorithm may utilize the proof, a verification key, and additional data such as a cryptographic material associated with the worker (e.g., a digital signature) to verify that digital assets of the transaction should be transferred. As a result of the validation of this transaction, any third party is able to check the contract was executed corrected rather than re-executing the contract, thus saving computational power.

Abstract: Validator nodes and methods of operating a validator node to process blockchain transactions. The validator node provides a plurality of mining nodes with access to a set of unconfirmed transactions, typically by providing a hash of those transactions, in exchange for a token from each of the mining nodes. If one of the plurality of mining nodes successfully mines a block containing the set of unconfirmed transactions, the validator node refunds the token to that mining node and retains the remaining tokens. If a miner other than one of the plurality of mining nodes successfully mines a block before any of the plurality of mining nodes is able to mine a block containing the set of unconfirmed transactions, then the validator node transfers to each of the plurality of mining nodes a modified token.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and system is described which uses blockchain technology as a storage system for data acquired from a digital twin. The blockchain can be used to generate an immutable transaction history of data produced by the digital twin. In the case of an error, failure, incident, or accident, parties of interest can then access and analyse an immutable set of data. The blockchain network can also execute a digital smart contract based on the data received from a digital twin. The invention may be used in conjunction with the Bitcoin blockchain or another blockchain protocol.

Abstract: A system converts high level source code into an arithmetic circuit that represents the functionality expressed in the source code, such as a smart contract as used in relation to a blockchain platform. The system processes a portion of high level source code to generate an arithmetic circuit. The arithmetic circuit comprises one or more arithmetic gates arranged to represent at least some of the functionality expressed in the source code.

Abstract: Techniques described herein may be utilized to serialise and de-serialise arithmetic circuits that are utilized in the execution of computer programs. The arithmetic circuit may be utilized to build a Quadratic Arithmetic Problem (QAP) that is compiled into a set of cryptographic routines for a client and a prover. The client and prover may utilize a protocol to delegate execution of a program to the prover in a manner that allows the client to efficiently verify the prover correctly executed the program. The arithmetic circuit may comprise a set of symbols (e.g., arithmetic gates and values) that is compressed to produce a serialised circuit comprising a set of codes, wherein the set of symbols is derivable from the set of codes in a lossless manner. Serialisation and de-serialisation techniques may be utilized by nodes of a blockchain network.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided which are suitable for implementation in transaction validation nodes of a blockchain network. Modified blockchain node structures, network architectures, and protocols for handling large numbers of transactions and large transaction blocks are described. The invention is particularly suited, but not limited, to use with the Bitcoin blockchain. A computer-implemented method is provided which includes: (i) receiving transactions from the blockchain network; (ii) validating transactions received from the blockchain network; (iii) maintaining a distributed, decentralized storage of validated transactions with other transaction validation nodes in the blockchain network; and (iv) distributing data corresponding to said validated transactions to the blockchain network for mining.

Abstract: The invention relates to method for adjusting the minimum and maximum number of peer nodes that a node on the blockchain network will connect with. The adjustment takes in to account the bandwidth and processing capability of the node. Bandwidth capacity of a node is determined based on a maximum data amount processable by the node over a time period. Data is monitored passing through interfaces of the node, to and from peer nodes, and a profile factor of the node is determined from the difference between the input data to output data. Over a plurality of time periods monitoring said data the data analysed is used to set a minimum number of peer nodes and a maximum number of peer nodes connectable to the node according to said monitored data and the maximum number of peers connectable to the node. The method enables a node to adjust the number of connections according to performance limitation factors, such as bandwidth availability and processing performance.

Abstract: A specialized network (“merchant”) node to facilitate fast distribution of blockchain transactions over a network of interconnected nodes, as subset of which are merchant nodes interconnected by an overlay network. The merchant node includes a memory storing an assigned portion of a distributed mempool structured as a distributed hash table, the distributed mempool containing pending transactions awaiting confirmation. The merchant node operates by receiving a transaction, including a transaction identifier; hashing the new transaction identifier to obtain a key; determining, using the key, whether the transaction is stored in the distributed mempool or not and, if not, then storing the transaction in the distributed mempool as a pending transaction; and sending the transaction to a set of nodes other than merchant nodes using peer-to-peer connections. The invention may be used in conjunction with the Bitcoin blockchain or an alternative.

Abstract: Methods and devices for propagating transactions in a network of nodes, each node having one or more connections to other nodes. The method includes receiving a plurality of incoming transactions over a time period; combining the plurality of incoming transactions using network coding to generate a composite message; sending the composite message to one or more nodes in the network; and determining an adjusted time period based on an equilibrium constant parameter and a count of transactions in the plurality of incoming transactions received over the time periodk.

Abstract: The invention relates to distributed ledger technologies such as consensus-based blockchains. Computer-implemented N methods for reducing arithmetic circuits derived from smart contracts are described. The invention is implemented using a blockchain network, which may be, for example, a Bitcoin blockchain. A set of conditions encoded in a first programming language is obtained. The set of conditions is converted into a programmatic set of conditions encoded in a second programming language. The programmatic set of conditions is precompiled into precompiled program code. The precompiled program code is transformed into an arithmetic circuit. The arithmetic circuit is reduced to form a reduced arithmetic circuit, and the reduced arithmetic circuit is stored.

Abstract: In a distributed system, a first computer system may require computationally verifiable assurances of the authenticity and integrity of computations (e.g., performed as part of the execution of a program) performed by a second computer system. Methods described herein may be utilized to enforce and/or ensure the correct execution of a program. The first computer system may delegate execution of a program to a second computer system and a protocol may be employed to constrain the second computer system to perform a correct execution of the program. The protocol may include mitigation and correction routines that mitigate and/or correct the incorrect execution of a program. In various systems and methods described herein, the protocol may utilize a blockchain network such as a Bitcoin-based blockchain network.

Abstract: Validator nodes and methods of operating a validator node to process blockchain transactions. The validator node provides a plurality of mining nodes with access to a set of unconfirmed transactions, typically by providing a hash of those transactions, in exchange for a token from each of the mining nodes. If one of the plurality of mining nodes successfully mines a block containing the set of unconfirmed transactions, the validator node refunds the token to that mining node and retains the remaining tokens. If a miner other than one of the plurality of mining nodes successfully mines a block before any of the plurality of mining nodes is able to mine a block containing the set of unconfirmed transactions, then the validator node transfers to each of the plurality of mining nodes a modified token.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and systems are provided which are suitable for implementation in transaction validation nodes of a blockchain network. Modified blockchain node structures, network architectures, and protocols for handling large numbers of transactions and large transaction blocks are described. The invention is particularly suited, but not limited, to use with the Bitcoin blockchain. A computer-implemented method is provided which includes: (i) receiving transactions from the blockchain network; (ii) validating transactions received from the blockchain network; (iii) maintaining a distributed, decentralized storage of validated transactions with other transaction validation nodes in the blockchain network; and (iv) distributing data corresponding to said validated transactions to the blockchain network for mining.

Abstract: Methods and devices for two nodes to authenticate each other as credentialed by a group of autonomous specialized nodes, without involving the group or involving a centralized certificate manager or authenticator. The method may involve a first node and a second node using bilinear pairing operations involving their respective identifiers and secret points to derive the same session key. Provided the secret points and identifiers were obtained from the group using the group private key, the bilinear pairing operation leads to generation of the same session key at each of the two nodes, thereby authenticating their respective credentials and enabling trusted communications between the two nodes.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for a node of a blockchain network comprising receiving or generating data for distribution in the blockchain network, said node having a plurality of interfaces, said data corresponding to an object such as a transaction or a block. The transaction can be a Bitcoin transaction for recordal in a blockchain. The method determines a correlation matrix having correlation coefficients representing the correlation between data processed at each interface of said node. From the correlation matrix a correlation index for each interface is determined. A threshold or indicator is calculated and data or objects such as Bitcoin transactions are relayed from nodes via interfaces according to a set of correlation coefficients of interface receiving the data. An indicator or threshold can derived from the correlation matrix and data is relayed if the correlation between the receiving interface and the other interface is lower than the indicator.

Abstract: Systems and methods described herein relate to techniques that allow for multiple parties to jointly generate or jointly agree upon the parameters for generation of a smart contract, such as a verification key. Execution of the smart contract may be performed by a third party, for example, a worker node on a blockchain network. Techniques described herein may be utilised as part of a protocol in which parties of a smart contract share powers of a secret in a manner that allows each party to determine an identical common reference string, agree on parameters for a smart contract, agree and/or make proportionate contributions the smart contract, and combinations thereof. The smart contract may be published to a blockchain network (e.g., Bitcoin Cash). The protocol may be a zero-knowledge protocol.

Abstract: Techniques described herein may be utilized to serialise and de-serialise arithmetic circuits that are utilized in the execution of computer programs. The arithmetic circuit may be utilized to build a Quadratic Arithmetic Problem (QAP) that is compiled into a set of cryptographic routines for a client and a prover. The client and prover may utilize a protocol to delegate execution of a program to the prover in a manner that allows the client to efficiently verify the prover correctly executed the program. The arithmetic circuit may comprise a set of symbols (e.g., arithmetic gates and values) that is compressed to produce a serialised circuit comprising a set of codes, wherein the set of symbols is derivable from the set of codes in a lossless manner. Serialisation and de-serialisation techniques may be utilized by nodes of a blockchain network.