Abstract: A tool for feeding material into a mill having a roller and forming a nip gap. The tool broadly comprises a baseplate, a guide plate, and a ram. The baseplate is configured to be positioned on the mill over the roller and forms a slot. The guide plate is configured to be positioned in the slot of the baseplate near the nip gap. The guide plate forms a chute for feeding the material into the nip gap. The ram is configured to be inserted into the chute to urge the material into the nip gap while preventing a user's fingers and other foreign objects from nearing the nip gap through the chute.

Abstract: A system for enabling communication between blockchains on heterogeneous blockchain networks. The system can include a sending blockchain network comprised of a sending blockchain that includes a plurality of blocks, each block including a block header and one or more transaction values associated with an identification request transmitted by the sending blockchain. The system can include a directory service node configured to receive the identification request from the sending blockchain, and identify a receiving blockchain, which forms part of a receiving blockchain network. The system can include an identity service node configured to receive a trust request from the directory service node to determine whether a valid trust certificate is available for the receiving blockchain, and enable communication between the sending blockchain and the receiving blockchain, when the valid trust certificate is determined to be available.

Abstract: A method for processing of a cryptographically auditable transaction includes: receiving payment data, wherein the payment data includes at least a primary account number; transmitting the primary account number to a computing system; receiving a confirmation associated with the primary account number from the computing system; transmitting a payment request to the computing system, wherein the payment request includes at least a reference value associated with a payment transaction; receiving an acceptance request from the computing system, wherein the acceptance request includes at least the reference value, an acceptance address, one or more fee values, and a first digital signature generated by a third party; generating a second digital signature using at least the acceptance address; and transmitting at least the second digital signature to the computing system.

Abstract: A tool for feeding material into a mill having a roller and forming a nip gap. The tool broadly comprises a baseplate, a guide plate, and a ram. The baseplate is configured to be positioned on the mill over the roller and forms a slot. The guide plate is configured to be positioned in the slot of the baseplate near the nip gap. The guide plate forms a chute for feeding the material into the nip gap. The ram is configured to be inserted into the chute to urge the material into the nip gap while preventing a user's fingers and other foreign objects from nearing the nip gap through the chute.

Abstract: An electronic device comprises a semiconductor substrate including majority carrier dopants of a first conductivity type, a semiconductor surface layer including majority carrier dopants of a second conductivity type, field oxide that extends on the semiconductor surface layer, and an isolation structure. The isolation structure includes a trench that extends through the semiconductor surface layer and into one of the semiconductor substrate and a buried layer of the semiconductor substrate, and polysilicon including majority carrier dopants of the second conductivity type, the polysilicon fills the trench to a side of the semiconductor surface layer.

Abstract: An agricultural applicator, that applies material to an agricultural field, includes an on-board, real-time image sensor that senses targets for the material to be applied. A controller controls applicators, such as nozzles or other applicators, to apply the material to the sensed targets.

Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods for the addition of a block to a permissioned blockchain using efficient consensus are disclosed. The methods and systems may include receiving transaction messages having transaction values from consensus nodes and generating a Merkle root for the transaction messages using transaction references and a proposed block header having the Merkle root and a hash of the header of the most recently added block in a blockchain. The proposed block header may be hashed and transmitted with a proposal message having a digital signature to auditing nodes. A response message accepting the digital signature may be received and an accept message may be transmitted to the auditing nodes and a confirmation message may be transmitted to the consensus-nodes. A new block may be written to the blockchain having the transaction values from the transaction messages and a header including the proposed block header and digital signature.

Abstract: A method for linking blockchain transactions to privately verified identities includes: storing account profiles, each profile including data related to a transaction account including an account identifier and account data; receiving a transaction message, the message including a first data element configured to store a personal account number, a second data element configured to store a merchant identifier, and a third data element configured to store a blockchain network identifier; identifying a first account profile that includes the personal account number; identifying a second account profile that includes the merchant identifier; receiving a transaction notification, the notification indicating a transaction processed using a blockchain network associated with the blockchain network identifier and including a transaction identifier and an address identifier associated with the first or second account profile; and storing a linkage between the transaction identifier and the address identifier, the pers

Abstract: A system for communicating between blockchains on heterogeneous blockchain networks. The system can include a sending blockchain configured to transmit a first message via a sending blockchain protocol, wherein the sending blockchain forms a part of a sending blockchain network. The system can include a sending adapter node configured to receive the first message from the sending blockchain, and translate the first message from the sending blockchain protocol to an adapter protocol. The system can include a receiving adapter node configured to receive the first message from the sending adapter node, and translate the first message from the adapter protocol to a receiving blockchain protocol. The system can include a receiving blockchain configured to receive the first message from the receiving adapter node, and validate the first message, wherein the receiving blockchain forms a part of a receiving blockchain network.

Abstract: A method for performing authentication of a client device using a hash chain includes: receiving a first data request from a client device, the first data request including at least a user identifier and a first hash value; transmitting a first data response message to the client device; receiving a second data request from the client device, the second data request including at least the user identifier and a second hash value; generating a validating hash value by applying a hashing algorithm to the second hash value; validating the first hash value as being equal to the generated validating hash value; and transmitting a second data response message to the client device upon successful validation of the first hash value, wherein the second data response message includes one or more data values associated with the user identifier.

Abstract: A system for communicating between blockchains on heterogeneous blockchain networks. The system can include a sending blockchain configured to transmit a first message via a sending blockchain protocol, wherein the sending blockchain forms a part of a sending blockchain network. The system can include a sending adapter node configured to receive the first message from the sending blockchain and translate the first message from the sending blockchain protocol to an adapter protocol. The system can include a receiving adapter node configured to receive the first message from the sending adapter node and translate the first message from the adapter protocol to a receiving blockchain protocol. The system can include a receiving blockchain configured to receive the first message from the receiving adapter node, and validate the first message, wherein the receiving blockchain forms a part of a receiving blockchain network.

Abstract: A method for moderation in a permissioned blockchain using a hash-oriented scheme includes: storing a blockchain including a most recent block; receiving transaction data values; receiving a first reference value and a second reference value; generating a first hash value by hashing the first reference value; generating a block proof including the first hash value, a second hash value, a third reference value, and a block value; verifying a block header of the most recent block using the block proof; receiving a new block value; generating a new block header including the first reference value, the second reference value, a fourth reference value, and the new block value; generating a new block for the blockchain including the new block header and the transaction data values; and transmitting the new block to one or more additional nodes associated with the blockchain.

Abstract: A system for enabling communication between blockchains on heterogeneous blockchain networks. The system can include a sending blockchain network comprised of a sending blockchain that includes a plurality of blocks, each block including a block header and one or more transaction values associated with an identification request transmitted by the sending blockchain. The system can include a directory service node configured to receive the identification request from the sending blockchain, and identify a receiving blockchain, which forms part of a receiving blockchain network. The system can include an identity service node configured to receive a trust request from the directory service node to determine whether a valid trust certificate is available for the receiving blockchain, and enable communication between the sending blockchain and the receiving blockchain, when the valid trust certificate is determined to be available.

Abstract: A method for verification of a data value via a Merkle root includes: storing, in a memory of a processing server, a Merkle root; receiving at least a data value, a nonce, and a plurality of hash path values; generating a combined value by combining the data value and the nonce; generating a first hash value via application of a hashing algorithm to the combined value; generating a subsequent hash value via application of the hashing algorithm to a combination of the first hash value and a first of the plurality of hash path values; repeating generation of the subsequent hash value using a combination of the next hash path value of the plurality of hash path values and the most recent subsequent hash value; and verifying the data value based on a comparison of the Merkle root and the last generated subsequent hash value.

Abstract: A method for maintaining a consistent blockchain ledger for storing commitments across multiple separate blockchains includes: storing a blockchain comprised of a plurality of blocks, each block including at least a block header and one or more blockchain data values; receiving a base commitment from a first node, where the first node is included in a first blockchain network; generating a first new block including at least a first block header and the received base commitment; storing the first new block in the blockchain; receiving a state commitment from an additional node included in each of at least two additional blockchain networks; generating an additional new block including at least an additional block header and each received state commitment; and storing the additional new block in the blockchain.

Abstract: A method for verification of a data value via a Merkle root includes: storing, in a memory of a processing server, a Merkle root; receiving at least a data value, a nonce, and a plurality of hash path values; generating a combined value by combining the data value and the nonce; generating a first hash value via application of a hashing algorithm to the combined value; generating a subsequent hash value via application of the hashing algorithm to a combination of the first hash value and a first of the plurality of hash path values; repeating generation of the subsequent hash value using a combination of the next hash path value of the plurality of hash path values and the most recent subsequent hash value; and verifying the data value based on a comparison of the Merkle root and the last generated subsequent hash value.

Abstract: A system for enabling communication between blockchains on heterogeneous blockchain networks. The system can include a sending blockchain network comprised of a sending blockchain that includes a plurality of blocks, each block including a block header and one or more transaction values associated with an identification request transmitted by the sending blockchain. The system can include a directory service node configured to receive the identification request from the sending blockchain, and identify a receiving blockchain, which forms part of a receiving blockchain network. The system can include an identity service node configured to receive a trust request from the directory service node to determine whether a valid trust certificate is available for the receiving blockchain and enable communication between the sending blockchain and the receiving blockchain, when the valid trust certificate is determined to be available.

Abstract: A method for generation of blocks for a partitioned blockchain includes: storing blocks comprising a partitioned blockchain, wherein each block includes a header and transaction entries; receiving transaction data entries for each of a plurality of subnets; generating a hash value of the header included in the most recently added block; generating a new block header, the new block header including the generated hash value, a timestamp, and a sequence of pairs including a pair for each of the plurality of subnets, each pair including a subnet identifier associated with the respective subnet and a merkle root of each of the transaction data entries received for the respective subnet; generating a new block, the new block including the generated new block header and the transaction data entries for each of the plurality of subnets; and transmitting the new block to a plurality of nodes associated with the partitioned blockchain.

Abstract: A method for atomic exchange of assets on multiple blockchains using transient key pairs includes: generating, by a first computing device, a proposal message, the proposal message including at least a first transaction value, a first network identifier corresponding to a first blockchain, a second transaction value, a second network identifier corresponding to a second blockchain, and a swap public key of a swap cryptographic key pair; generating, by the first computing device, a first digital signature for the proposal message; encrypting, by the first computing device, the first digital signature using the swap public key and a first private key of a first cryptographic key pair; appending, by the first computing device, the encrypted first digital signature to the generated proposal message; and transmitting, by the first computing device, the generated proposal message with appended encrypted first digital signature to a second computing device.

Abstract: A method for moderation in a permissioned blockchain using a hash-oriented scheme includes: storing a blockchain including a most recent block; receiving transaction data values; receiving a first reference value and a second reference value; generating a first hash value by hashing the first reference value; generating a block proof including the first hash value, a second hash value, a third reference value, and a block value; verifying a block header of the most recent block using the block proof; receiving a new block value; generating a new block header including the first reference value, the second reference value, a fourth reference value, and the new block value; generating a new block for the blockchain including the new block header and the transaction data values; and transmitting the new block to one or more additional nodes associated with the blockchain.