Systems and methods for efficiently and securely processing, accessing, and transmitting data via a blockchain network

Abstract

The present invention provides improved methods and systems for storing, sharing, retrieving, writing, and accessing data (content) on a blockchain. The present invention may form part of a protocol for storing, searching, and accessing data. Embodiments of the present invention include the steps of processing at least one blockchain transaction (Tx) comprising: a protocol flag; a freely chosen public key (DPK); and a freely chosen transaction ID (DTxID). They are freely chosen in the sense that they are not required as part of the underlying blockchain protocol but according to the present invention. This combination of features enables parts of data to be identified, retrieved, and shared on the blockchain and, when provided in multiple transactions, can also be linked / associated with each other. It enables the construction of a graphical or tree-like structure that reflects the hierarchical relationship between parts of the data, thereby facilitating their processing, searching, and sharing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to improvements in data communication and exchange across electronic networks, particularly peer-to-peer networks such as blockchain networks and the like. It relates to data storage, access, retrieval, and processing, and particularly to such data-related activities on a blockchain. The present invention is particularly suitable for but not limited to use when processing data in a manner similar to that provided by websites and web pages, but using a blockchain as the underlying mechanism or platform instead of a web server. Accordingly, the present invention provides a secure, efficient, cryptographically implemented alternative infrastructure for data processing and transfer. Background Art

[0002] In this document, we use the term "blockchain" to include all forms of electronic computer-based distributed ledgers. These include consensus-based blockchain and transaction chain technologies, permissioned and unpermissioned ledgers, shared ledgers, and their variants. It should be noted that alternative blockchain implementations and protocols fall within the scope of the present invention. The term "user" may refer to a person or a processor-based resource in this document.

[0003] A blockchain is a peer-to-peer electronic ledger that is implemented as a computer-based decentralized distributed system consisting of blocks, which in turn consist of transactions. Each transaction is a data structure that encodes the transfer of digital asset control rights among participants in the blockchain system and includes at least one input and at least one output. Each block contains the hash value of the previous block, such that the blocks are linked together to create a permanent, immutable record of all transactions that have been written to the blockchain since its inception. Transactions contain small programs called scripts embedded in their inputs and outputs that specify how and by whom the outputs of the transaction can be accessed.

[0004] In order to write a transaction to the blockchain, it must be "verified". Network nodes perform work to ensure that each transaction is valid, and invalid transactions are rejected by the network. The software client installed on the node performs this verification work on unspent transactions (UTXOs) by executing their locking scripts and unlocking scripts. If the execution of the locking script and the unlocking script evaluates to TRUE, the transaction is valid and the transaction is written to the blockchain. Thus, in order to write a transaction to the blockchain, it must: i) be verified by the first node receiving the transaction - if the transaction is verified, the node relays it to other nodes in the network; ii) be added to a new block; and iii) the transaction is mined, i.e., added to the public ledger of past transactions.

[0005] Digital entrepreneurs have started exploring the use of both cryptographic security systems and data that can be stored on a blockchain to enable new systems. It would be highly advantageous if the blockchain could be used for tasks and processes. Such a scenario would be able to leverage the benefits of the blockchain (e.g., permanence of events, tamper-proof records, distributed processing, etc.) while having more uses in its applications.

[0006] One such area of concern is using the blockchain to store, share, access, and control data among users. Today, this is achieved via the Internet, where servers host websites and pages that users typically access through search engines to access the desired data.

[0007] However, some observers have started envisioning using the blockchain to address certain drawbacks of the Internet, such as the control of large amounts of data and content by centralized parties. See, for example, "Life After Google: The Fall of Big Data and the Rise of the Blockchain Economy", George Gilder, Gateway Editions, July 2018, ISBN-10: 9781621575764 and ISBN-13: 978-1621575764. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an arrangement that enables the advantageous use of the distributed, immutable, and permanent nature of the blockchain to store, process, retrieve, search, and / or share such data on the blockchain. Such an improved scenario has now been devised.

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide at least alternative efficient and secure techniques for implementing blockchain scenarios and for storing, processing, searching, and / or retrieving data thereon or therefrom. Embodiments also provide at least an alternative technical infrastructure for a blockchain implementation for storing, processing, retrieving, transferring, searching, and / or sharing data among computing nodes. Since the present invention enables the use of the blockchain network in a new way and for providing improved technical results, the present invention provides an improved network for blockchain implementation.

[0010] Embodiments also provide a scenario for securely controlling access to digital resources on technically different and improved computing platforms that include a blockchain and a blockchain protocol.

[0011] The invention is defined in the appended claims.

[0012] According to the present invention, a computer-implemented method and a corresponding system can be provided. The method can be described as a method for enabling or controlling the processing, storage, retrieval, identification, and / or sharing of data via a blockchain. Additionally or alternatively, it can be described as a method for associating or linking data stored in (separate / different) blockchain transactions to achieve the identification, retrieval, and / or sharing of the data.

[0013] The method can include the following steps: processing at least one blockchain transaction (Tx) including a transaction ID (TxID), the at least one blockchain transaction including:

[0014] A protocol flag;

[0015] A discretionary public key (DPK); and

[0016] A discretionary transaction ID (DTxID).

[0017] This combination of features enables the parts of the data to be identified on the blockchain and, when provided in multiple transactions, also enables them to be linked / associated with each other. It enables the construction of a graphical or tree-like structure that reflects the hierarchical relationship between the parts of the data, thereby facilitating their processing, searching, accessing, generation, and sharing. Herein, "sharing" can include providing, sending, communicating, transmitting parts of the data to a node or user or providing access to parts of the data.

[0018] As is known in the blockchain protocol field, a transaction ID (TxID) is an identifier of a transaction - each blockchain transaction has a unique ID as part of the underlying blockchain protocol. In contrast, the discretionary public key (DPK) and / or the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) can be "discretionary" in that they are provided as part of the present invention rather than as an essential part of a transaction as stipulated by the underlying blockchain protocol. In other words, according to the protocol of the underlying blockchain, they are not required for a transaction to be valid. Additionally or alternatively, they can be described as additional non-essential items provided as part of the present invention rather than because they are required by the blockchain protocol. Preferably, the protocol flag is associated with and / or indicates a blockchain-based protocol used for searching, storing, and / or retrieving data in one or more blockchain transactions. The protocol flag can be an indicator or a marker. It can indicate that the transaction is formed according to a predetermined protocol. This may be a protocol other than the protocol of the underlying blockchain. It can be a search protocol according to any embodiment described herein (i.e., a search protocol that can be referred to as the "meta-network" protocol described herein).

[0019] The term "processing" can be interpreted to mean any activity related to a transaction or data associated therewith, including generating, transmitting, verifying, accessing, searching, sharing, submitting to a blockchain network, and / or identifying.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a discretionary transaction ID can be an identifier, label, indicator, or marker associated with a transaction (Tx). We use the term "indicator" to include all of these terms. It should be noted that, as is known in the art and as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, each transaction on a blockchain is uniquely identified by an identifier, which is commonly referred to in the art as a TxID. The TxID is a fundamental, necessary, and non-discretionary part of the underlying blockchain protocol. This non-discretionary TxID should not be confused with the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) mentioned herein.

[0021] Preferably, a blockchain transaction (Tx) also includes a portion of data, or a reference to a portion of data. The reference to a portion of data can be a pointer, address, or other indicator of the location of data storage. The portion of data can be any type of data or digital content, such as, for example, computer-executable items, text, video, images, sound files, etc. The portion of data can be referred to as "content". The portion of data or the reference thereto can be in a processed form. For example, it can be a hash digest of the portion of data. The data can be stored on the blockchain or off-chain (i.e., "off-chain").

[0022] Preferably, a portion of data, or a reference to a portion of data, protocol flags, a discretionary public key (DPK), and / or a discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) are provided in the output (UTXO) of a blockchain transaction. One or more of them can be provided in a locking script associated with the output (UTXO).

[0023] Preferably, a portion of data, a reference to that portion of data, protocol flags, a discretionary public key (DPK), and / or a discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) are provided at a position after a script opcode within the transaction (Tx), the script opcode being used to mark the output as invalid for subsequent use as an input to a subsequent transaction.

[0024] The script opcode can be an OP_RETURN opcode or a functionally similar / equivalent opcode of another blockchain protocol.

[0025] Preferably, the transaction (Tx) also includes one or more attributes. This makes the method of searching for data / content more detailed. Attributes can also be referred to as "values", "labels", or "markers" or "identifiers". They can be used to describe or annotate a portion of data, or to provide additional information related to the portion of data.

[0026] Preferably, one or more attributes include keywords, tags, or identifiers associated with:

[0027] i) a portion of data provided in or referenced in a transaction (Tx); and / or

[0028] ii) the transaction (Tx).

[0029] Preferably, the transaction (T X ) further includes an input that includes:

[0030] a parent public key (PPK) associated with a logical parent transaction (LPTx), the logical parent transaction being identified by a discretionary transaction ID (DTxID); and

[0031] a signature generated using the parent public key (PPK).

[0032] This enables the construction of a logical hierarchy between the transaction and the data embedded therein. Thus, multiple associated or logically linked transactions on a blockchain can be processed efficiently, securely, and quickly. Logically associated transactions may not be stored at consecutive block heights on the blockchain, but they can be easily and securely identified and / or accessed.

[0033] Preferably, the method further includes the step of using a discretionary public key (DPK) and a transaction ID (TxID) to identify a transaction (Tx) or a logical parent transaction within the blockchain.

[0034] Additionally or alternatively, the present invention provides a computer-implemented method including the steps of:

[0035] associating a public key with a blockchain transaction (Tx) that includes a transaction ID; and

[0036] searching for the blockchain transaction (Tx) based on the transaction ID and the transaction public key.

[0037] Thus, the method can be an improved scheme for storing, searching, identifying, communicating, and / or accessing data via a blockchain. The method provides an improvement for data communication and exchange across an electronic network, particularly a peer-to-peer blockchain network.

[0038] As described above, the public key and / or the transaction ID can be discretionary. According to this embodiment of the present invention, any of the features described above or herein can also be utilized, but for the sake of brevity and clarity, they are not repeated or reproduced herein.

[0039] The method may further include the step of accessing or otherwise processing a portion of data provided in or referenced from the transaction (Tx).

[0040] A transaction may include a transaction ID (TxID), a protocol flag, a discretionary public key (DPK), and a discretionary transaction ID (DTxID). The transaction (Tx) may also include a portion of data or a reference to a portion of data. The portion of data or the reference to the portion of data, the protocol flag, the discretionary public key (DPK), and / or the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) may be provided in an output (UTXO), preferably in a locking script associated with the output (UTXO).

[0041] The portion of data, the reference to the portion of data, the protocol flag, the discretionary public key (DPK), and / or the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) may be provided at a position after a script opcode within the transaction (Tx), the script opcode being for marking the output as invalid for subsequent use as an input to a subsequent transaction.

[0042] The transaction (Tx) may include one or more attributes. The one or more attributes may include keywords, tags, or identifiers associated with:

[0043] i) a portion of data provided in the transaction (Tx) or referenced in the transaction (Tx); and / or ii) the transaction (Tx).

[0044] The transaction (T X ) may further include an input that includes: a parent public key (PPK) associated with a logical parent transaction (LPTx), wherein the logical parent transaction (LPTx) is identified by a discretionary transaction ID (DTxID); and a signature generated using the parent public key (PPK).

[0045] The method may include: using a discretionary public key (DPK) and a transaction ID (TxID) to identify a transaction (Tx) or a logical parent transaction within a blockchain. This may be performed during a search step.

[0046] The protocol flag may be associated with and / or indicate a blockchain-based protocol for searching, storing, and / or retrieving data in one or more blockchain transactions.

[0047] The present invention also provides a corresponding system that is arranged and configured to perform the steps of any embodiment of the methods described herein. It may include a computer-implemented system that includes:

[0048] a processor; and

[0049] a memory including executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform any embodiment of the computer-implemented methods described herein.

[0050] The present invention also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform at least an embodiment of the method described herein.

[0051] Some embodiments of the method / system of the present invention may include one or more features as described below, particularly the features in the section entitled "Naming and Addressing". BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from and be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described herein. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0053] Figure 1 illustrates a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention, in which data is stored in multiple outputs;

[0054] Figure 2 illustrates a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention, in which data is stored in inputs.

[0055] Figure 3 illustrates a series of blockchain transactions embodying the present invention, in which data is stored on the outputs of multiple blockchain transactions;

[0056] Figure 4 illustrates a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention that transfers a payment to allow access to data by means of an atomic swap;

[0057] Figure 5 illustrates a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention for exchange Figure 4 of payments for transactions;

[0058] Figure 6 illustrates a secret value held by a participant in a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention that issues a token to allow access to data by means of an atomic swap;

[0059] Figure 7 and Figure 8 illustrates a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention for issuing a token to allow access to data by means of an atomic swap;

[0060] Figure 9 and Figure 10 illustrates a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention for exchanging tokens issued by transactions using Figure 7 and Figure 8 ;

[0061] Figure 11 and Figure 12 shows a blockchain transaction for accessing the secrets of a transaction exchange by Figure 9 and Figure 10 ;

[0062] Figure 13 provides an illustration of the meta-network graph structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] Figure 14 shows an illustration of a meta-network graph tree for a domain "bobsblog" including an MURL search path according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Figure 15 shows a schematic diagram of a browser wallet according to an example of the present invention and an illustrative embodiment of how to split its core functions among different components of an application.

[0065] Figure 16 provides a diagram showing how to perform a search for content within the infrastructure of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] Figure 17 shows an illustrative interaction between a local full-copy peer and a global full-copy peer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] Figure 18 shows a meta-network tree (or graph) for use in reference to the illustrative use cases described below.

[0068] Figure 19 shows a flowchart that illustrates the process embodied by the illustrative use cases provided below.

[0069] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram showing a computing environment in which various embodiments can be implemented. Detailed Description

[0070] In the remainder of this document, the protocol that determines the operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be referred to as the "meta-network protocol".

[0071] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the terms "content", "digital content", and "data" may be used interchangeably herein to refer to data stored in a blockchain transaction, data referenced via a blockchain transaction, or otherwise accessed. Data is additional / optional data transmitted, communicated, or stored via the blockchain, as opposed to data required by the underlying blockchain protocol that is part of the transaction code itself.

[0072] Overview

[0073] As described above, there is a recognized need for an improved and / or alternative infrastructure for storing, writing, accessing, and viewing data between and by computing nodes. Leveraging the inherent advantages of blockchain technology (such as immutable records, cryptographically enforced control and access, built-in payment mechanisms, the ability to publicly inspect the ledger, distributed architecture, etc.) would be advantageous. However, building an "Internet implemented with blockchain" is challenging from many technical perspectives.

[0074] These challenges may include, but are not limited to: how to locate a specific portion of data in the network; how to protect and control access to the data so that only authorized parties can gain access; how to transfer data from one party to another in a peer-to-peer manner; how to arrange the data such that it can be logically related but still stored in different locations within the network, and subsequently how to combine it from different locations to provide an overall and enhanced result; how to provide and / or store data in a hierarchical manner; how to allow users and parties with different computing platforms to access the required data; how to store, provide, and share data across (potentially global) computing networks without relying on or requiring large storage servers and centralized data controllers, and how to increase the efficiency of such data-related activities on the network.

[0075] The present invention provides such an improved solution in a way that is in some respects similar to the Internet, but uses a platform of hardware components and software components that are completely different from those known in the prior art to achieve its results in a completely different way. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the servers that store Internet / network data and provide it to end users are replaced by blockchain exchanges residing on a blockchain network. To achieve this, several innovations must be designed. These will be described in the following sections.

[0076] Insert data into the blockchain "MetaNet"

[0077] Referring to Figure 1 , a blockchain transaction embodying the present invention is shown, in which first data to be stored on the blockchain is stored in one or more first outputs of the transaction, and second data representing the attributes of the first data is stored in one or more second outputs of the transaction. One or more first parts <content1> of the first data are stored in the spendable outputs of the transaction. Data <attribute1> and <attribute2> representing the corresponding attributes of the first data and a flag indicating that the data is being stored according to the meta-network protocol are stored in the second non-spendable output of the transaction. The term "non-spendable" is used to indicate that at least one of the first and / or second outputs of the transaction may include a script opcode (OP RETURN) that is used to mark the output as invalid for subsequent use as an input to a subsequent transaction.

[0078] It is advantageous to store the content and attribute parts of the data separately in separate outputs (UTXOs) of a transaction.

[0079] Figure 2 A blockchain transaction embodying the present invention is shown, in which first data <Content 1> to be stored on the blockchain is stored in the input of the transaction. The metanet flag and the attribute data <Attribute 1> and <Attribute 2> are stored in the unspendable output of the transaction in a manner similar to Figure 1 the arrangement shown.

[0080] Data insertion

[0081] Data insertion method

[0082] It is desired to be able to insert the following data into the blockchain

[0083] a) Metanet flag

[0084] b) Attributes

[0085] c) Content

[0086] The content is the data to be stored on the blockchain, the metanet flag is a 4-byte prefix that serves as an identifier for any data related to the metanet protocol, and the attributes contain index, permission, and encoding information about the content. This can include, but is not limited to, data type, encryption, and / or compression schemes. Such attributes are often also referred to as metadata. To avoid confusion with transaction metadata, the term will be avoided in this document.

[0087] The following techniques can be used to embed this data into a blockchain script:

[0088] 1. OP_RETURN - In this method, all data (attributes and content) is placed after OP_RETURN in the locking script of a provably unspendable transaction output.

[0089] An example of an output script using this operator is as follows:

[0090] UTXO0: OP_RETURN <Metanet Flag> <attributes> <content>

[0091] 2. OP_RETURN with OP_DROP - In this case, OP_RETURN contains attributes, and the content is stored in the spendable transaction script (lock or unlock) before OP_DROP. The content can be split into multiple data packets in the transaction inputs and outputs. However, it is advantageous to insert the data into the transaction outputs. If the data is inserted into the transaction inputs, OP_MOD can be used as a checksum for the data instead of network node verification to ensure its validity. For example, a 32-bit OP_MOD operation can be performed and checked if it is equal to a pre-computed value.

[0092] In this case, the attributes can contain information on how to reconstruct the content data packets. Additionally, providing the hash of the reconstructed data packet H(content1 + content2) as an attribute enables verification that the recommended reconstruction scheme has been used.

[0093] Figure 1 A transaction implementing the second data insertion method is shown. For simplicity, the transaction only includes inserting the content in its output, which is signed by its single input. Using Figure 2 the method shown to use the OP_DROP statement can also insert the content into additional inputs.

[0094] If the content is large, it may be advantageous to split it across multiple transactions. Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 3 . Figure 3 A pair of blockchain transactions embodying the present invention is shown, in which the first data <content> to be stored on the blockchain is split into two chunks <content chunk1> and <content chunk2>, which can then be recombined as <content> = <content chunk1> ∥ <content chunk2>, where the operator "∥" concatenates the content data of the two chunks. This concatenation operator can be replaced by any desired bitwise or similar segmented binary operator. Then the two chunks <content chunk1> and <content chunk2> are stored in the corresponding spendable outputs of separate blockchain transactions, while the data related to the attributes of the content data is stored in the corresponding unspendable outputs of the blockchain transactions. Again, the attributes can contain information on the reconstruction scheme. For example, the content can be raw data, an executable program, or an HTML web page. Additionally, content1 can include a pointer to the location of content2 on the blockchain, which functions in the same manner as an embedded HTML link within a web page.

[0095] Note that both transactions will take the same public key P (and ECDSA signature) as input, such that although <Chunk 1> and <Chunk 2> are stored in different transactions with TxID1 and TxID2 respectively, they can be related by the same public key P.

[0096] Role of network node verification

[0097] Here, the transaction verification process performed by network nodes is used to gain an advantage when storing this data. This is because all data in the transaction output will be signed by the owner of the public key P in at least one transaction input (if the SIGHASH|ALL flag is present), and this signature will be checked during the transaction verification process performed by all network nodes.

[0098] This ensures

[0099] ● Data integrity - If the data is corrupted, the CHECKSIG operation will fail.

[0100] ● Data authenticity - The owner of P has provably witnessed and signed the data.

[0101] This is especially beneficial for content split across multiple transactions, as the input signature of P provides a provable link between the split components of the data, as described by the arrangement shown in the reference above Figure 3 as described.

[0102] Rabin signature

[0103] Another way to ensure data authenticity is to use Rabin signatures, which can be used to sign the data itself rather than the entire message. This can be beneficial because the signer does not need to sign each individual transaction in which the data appears, and the signature can be reused across multiple transactions.

[0104] Rabin signatures can be easily verified in a script. By inserting Rabin signature verification before the OP_DROP command, these can be incorporated into case (2) above, i.e.,

[0105] <content1><Rabin Sig(content1)>FUNC_CHECKRABSIG OP_DROP<H(P1)>[CheckSigP1]

[0106] Note that this cannot be done in case (1) above, because in any case, a script containing OP_RETURN fails, and thus verification cannot be achieved.

[0107] Specific example of using Rabin signature

[0108] Introduction

[0109] Digital signatures are a fundamental part of blockchain protocols. They ensure that any transaction recorded on the blockchain has been authorized by the legitimate holder of the tokens being sent. In standard P2PKH transactions, the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) is used to sign the transaction message. However, ECDSA signatures are typically applied to the entire transaction.

[0110] There are some use cases for blockchains where participants from outside the network may want to provide signatures for arbitrary data types, which can then be used by network participants. By using Rabin digital signatures, any data segment can be signed - even if it originates outside the blockchain - and then placed in one or more transactions.

[0111] Now it will be shown how data can be directly signed and verified in a script by leveraging the algebraic structure of the Rabin cryptosystem.

[0112] Rabin Digital Signature

[0113] Rabin Digital Signature Algorithm

[0114] Background Mathematics

[0115] Definition - Integers modulo p

[0116] Integers modulo p are defined as the following set

[0117]

[0118] Fermat's Little Theorem

[0119] Let p be a prime number. Then for any integer a, the following condition holds

[0120] a p-1 ≡ 1 mod p

[0121] Euler's Criterion

[0122] Let p be a prime number. Then r is a quadratic residue modulo p if and only if the following equation holds

[0123]

[0124] Modular square root (p = 3 mod 4)

[0125] Let p be a prime number such that p ≡ 3 mod 4. Then for any integer r satisfying Euler's criterion, if a is an integer, then such that

[0126] a 2 ≡ r mod p

[0127] Then, a has a solution in the form of the following formula

[0128]

[0129] Chinese Remainder Theorem

[0130] Given pairs of relatively prime positive integers n1, n2,..., n k and arbitrary integers a1, a2,..., a k , the system of simultaneous congruences

[0131]

[0132] has a unique solution modulo N = n1n2...n k . As a special case of the Chinese Remainder Theorem, it can be shown that:

[0133] if and only if

[0134] x ≡ r mod n1·n2, then

[0135] x ≡ r mod n1 and x ≡ r mod n2

[0136] Rabin Digital Signature Algorithm

[0137] The Rabin digital signature algorithm can be described as follows:

[0138] For any message m, let H be a collision-resistant hash algorithm with k output bits.

[0139] To generate the key, choose prime numbers p and q, each with a bit length approximately k / 2, such that p ≡ 3 mod 4, q ≡ 3 mod 4 and calculate the product n = p·q. The private key is (p, q), and the public key is n = p·q.

[0140] To sign the message m, the signer chooses padding U such that H(m||U) satisfies

[0141]

[0142] The signature S is calculated using the following formula

[0143]

[0144] The signature of the message m is the pair (S, U). Verification can be simply performed by checking the following equation for the given m, U, and S

[0145] H(m||U) ≡ S 2 mod n (Equation 1).

[0146] This is true if and only if there exists an integer λ in the range 0,…, n - 1 such that

[0147] H(m||U)+λ·n = S 2 (Equation 2).

[0148] The factor λ can be safely included in the signature to provide the combination (S, λ, U).

[0149] The advantageous features of the Rabin signature scheme are as follows:

[0150] a) Signature generation is computationally expensive, while signature verification is computationally easy.

[0151] b) The security of the signature only depends on the difficulty of integer factorization. Therefore, the Rabin signature is inherently unforgeable (unlike RSA).

[0152] c) The hash function value H(m||U) must have a size similar to the public key n.

[0153] Verification in the script is straightforward because it only requires squaring the given signature, performing modular reduction, and then checking whether the result is equal to H(m||U).

[0154] Rabin signature proof

[0155] Let p, q be relatively prime, and n = p·q. By the Chinese Remainder Theorem, it can be shown that:

[0156] if and only if

[0157] S 2 ≡ H(m||U) mod p

[0158] S 2 ≡ H(m||U) mod q, then

[0159] then

[0160] S 2 ≡ H(m||U) mod n

[0161] Using the following equation

[0162]

[0163] It can be shown that:

[0164] S 2 ≡ H(m||U) mod q

[0165] Therefore

[0166]

[0167] where it has been assumed that H(m||U) satisfies Euler's criterion. By similar calculations, it can also be shown that:

[0168] S 2 ≡ H(m||U) mod p.

[0169] Rabin signature in blockchain

[0170] Signature verification in script

[0171] A small number of arithmetic and stack manipulation opcodes are required to verify a Rabin signature. Consider a redemption script of the following form

[0172] OP_DUP OP_HASH160 <H 160 (n)> OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_MUL OP_SWAP OP_2OP_ROLL OP_CAT FUNC_HASH3072 OP_ADD OP_SWAP OP_DUP OP_MUL OP_EQUAL

[0173] where n is the public key of the signer. This will evaluate to true if and only if the following input is available

[0174] <s> <m><λ> <n>

[0175] Where m is an arbitrary message and (S, λ, U) is a valid Rabin signature. Alternatively, if the Rabin signature is verified using Equation 1 above, the redemption script is given by:

[0176] OP_DUP OP_HASH160<H 160 (n)>OP_DUP OP_TOALTSTACK OP_SWAP<roll index>OP_ROLL OP_CAT FUNC_HASH3072 OP_SWAP OP_MOD OP_SWAP OP_DUP OP_MUL OP_FROMALTSTACK OP_MOD OP_EQUAL

[0177] In this case, this will evaluate to true if and only if the following inputs are present

[0178] S> <m> <n>

[0179] In both of these exchange scripts, the 3072-bit hash projection function "FUNC_HASH3072" is used. For a given message / padding concatenation, the following script is used to generate the FUNC_HASH3072 hash projection:

[0180] OP_SHA256{OP_2OP_SPLIT OP_SWAP OP_SHA256 OP_SWAP}(x11)

[0181] OP_SHA256 OP_SWAP OP_SHA256{OP_CAT}(x11)

[0182] Data compression

[0183] Internet data consists of JavaScript and common file types (e.g., text files (SML, HTML, etc.), video files (MPEG, M-JPEG, etc.), image files (GIF, JPEG, etc.), and audio files (AU, WAV, etc.)), as described in more detail, for example, at the following link: https: / / www.doc.ic.ac.uk / ~nd / surprise_97 / journal / vol1 / mmp / #text Using the above data insertion techniques, these different data types can also be embedded on the blockchain.

[0184] Before embedding a larger file size on the blockchain, it can be compressed using one of several existing coding schemes. Lossless data compression algorithms such as run-length and Huffman coding can be used for several applications, including ZIP files, executable programs, text documents, and source code.

[0185] Depending on the specific input data, there are many different algorithms. Apple Lossless and Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding can be used to compress audio files, PNG and TIFF for graphic files, and movie files can be compressed using one of many lossless video codecs. Flags within the attributes can be used to indicate any compression of the data content. For example, the flag for the LZW lossless coding scheme in the attribute would be <lzw>。

[0186] Encryption and decryption of payment

[0187] Data encryption

[0188] The owner of the content can choose to protect the content before embedding it on the blockchain. This ensures that the content cannot be viewed without obtaining the necessary permissions.

[0189] There are many well - recognized techniques for encrypting data (plaintext or other data types). These techniques can be classified as asymmetric encryption or symmetric encryption.

[0190] Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is asymmetric because it relies on a public - private key pair. It is one of the most secure cryptographic systems. For ECC cryptography, the Koblitz algorithm can be used to encrypt data.

[0191] In the symmetric scheme, a single key is used to both encrypt and decrypt data. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm is considered one of the most secure symmetric algorithms seeded by such a secret, for example, as described in more detail in: Chapter 4 of C. Paar and J. Pelzl, "Understanding Cryptography", Springer - Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2nd Edition, 2010, pp. 87 - 118.

[0192] When encrypting data stored on the blockchain, there are advantages to using the same cryptographic system as the underlying blockchain. This can be the secp256k1 convention for ECC key pairs in asymmetric cryptography, and the SHA - 256 hash function in symmetric cryptography. These advantages are:

[0193] - The security level of the encryption is the same as the underlying system on which the data is stored.

[0194] - The software architecture required to store the encrypted data will have a smaller codebase.

[0195] - Key management in the wallet can be used for both transactions and encryption / decryption.

[0196] - Since the same key can be used for encryption and payment, it is more efficient and thus fewer keys are required. This also reduces storage space.

[0197] - The ability to exchange / buy decrypted data may require fewer communication channels.

[0198] - Since the keys used for encryption and transactions are the same data structure, security is enhanced, thus mitigating targeted attacks on specific key types.

[0199] For illustrative purposes, it will be described how the Koblitz algorithm can be used to encrypt data using ECC.

[0200] Koblitz algorithm

[0201] Given an ECC key pair P1 = S1·G, the Koblitz algorithm allows anyone to encrypt a message using the public key P1 such that only the person who knows the corresponding private key S1 can decrypt the message.

[0202] Suppose it is desired to encrypt the plaintext message 'hello world' using the Koblitz method. This is done character by character. The first character 'h' is encrypted and decrypted as follows.

[0203] 1. The character 'h' ′ is mapped to a point on the secp256k1 curve. This can be achieved by mapping the plaintext character to an 8 - bit number using the ASCII convention. Then the point on the curve is calculated by multiplying the base point G by that number. In this example, 'h' maps to 104 in ASCII, and the elliptic curve point is given by P m = 104·G.

[0204] 2. Then the public key P1 is used to encrypt the point P m This is done by choosing a random temporary key k0 and calculating the pair of points C m = {k0·G, Q} (where Q := P m + k0·P1), and then this pair of points can be broadcast.

[0205] 3. The owner of the private key S1 can decrypt the original point by calculating P m = Q - S1·k0·G. Then they can recover the original ASCII number by trial - and - error or by means of a lookup table to establish which number x corresponds to P m = x·G.

[0206] Use blockchain to purchase license

[0207] Storing data on the blockchain has the distinct advantage of having a payment mechanism built into the system. Payments can be used to purchase

[0208] - decrypt data for viewing / use

[0209] - permission to insert data at a specific address

[0210] In both cases, the buyer uses a token to purchase a secret that grants permission to do something. The secret can be a hash preimage or a private key.

[0211] An efficient and secure way to make such a purchase is to use an atomic swap. This keeps the secure communication channel minimal and ensures that payment is made to the seller and the secret is revealed to the buyer, or that nothing happens.

[0212] It is also convenient to use an access token to purchase a permission. This is a secret value (usually a hash preimage) that the buyer has and can use to make the purchase. The buyer can purchase a large number of such access tokens in advance and then activate them when they actually want to use the permission.

[0213] Now we will refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 to describe how to perform an atomic swap.

[0214] Atomic swap using hash puzzle or private key puzzle

[0215] Suppose Alice is the owner of the secret. The secret can be a hash preimage of a known hash digest or a private key of a known public key. Suppose Bob wants to use a token to buy the secret from Alice. Describe a mechanism called an atomic swap that enables this transaction to occur. This is atomic in the sense that either Alice receives the token for payment and reveals the secret to Bob, or nothing happens.

[0216] The method is as follows:

[0217] Alice has a public key / private key pair P A = S A ·G's private key S A , and Bob has a public key / private key pair P B = S B ·G's private key S B .

[0218] Alice has a secret that is either the preimage X of a known hash digest H(X) or the private key S1 of a known public key P1 = S1·G.

[0219] They agree that Alice will sell the secret to Bob at a token price.

[0220] Before that, Bob must set up the transaction to send a temporary key k0 to Alice outside the block so that Alice can calculate the component r0 of the digital signature.

[0221] Now referring to Figure 4 ,

[0222] 1. Bob transfers the token locked by the following redemption script R (written schematically) to Alice:

[0223] For the hash preimage:

[0224] R = [Hash Puzzle H(X)][CheckSig P A

[0225] This forces the preimage X to be exposed in the input of the redemption script.

[0226] For the private key:

[0227] R = [Private Key Puzzle P1,r0][CheckSig P A

[0228] This forces the private key S1 to be computable from the input of the redemption script. In this case, Bob and Alice must agree on a temporary key k0 used to construct r0, where (r0, R y ) = k0·G.

[0229] 2. Since Alice knows her secret (X or S1), she can spend her funds on the blockchain by means of Figure 5 the transaction shown. This enables Bob to determine her secret.

[0230] As an optional security feature, Alice and Bob can use their public keys P A , P B to establish a shared secret S known only to the two of them. This can be achieved in the manner outlined in International Patent Publication No. WO 2017 / 145016. In this case, S can be added to the preimage X in the hash puzzle so as not to publicly disclose X on the blockchain. Similarly, in the private key puzzle, S can be used as the temporary key k0 to ensure that only Alice or Bob can compute the private key.

[0231] If Alice decides not to spend her funds, a time-locked refund can be introduced into the program to prevent Bob's funds from being locked by Alice.

[0232] Purchase using tokens

[0233] Suppose the same situation as described above exists, but Bob wishes to redeem an access token purchased in advance in exchange for the secret.

[0234] The procedure that Alice and Bob must follow is similar to the situation described in the previous section, but uses a sequence of similar atomic swaps. The process has two phases; token issuance and token redemption.

[0235] Phase 1: Token issuance

[0236] ​​The token issuance phase is actually Bob's single purchase of tokens. For example, consider the following scenario: Alice has 10 different secrets X1, X2, …, X 10 , and Bob wishes to purchase 10 tokens T1, T2, …, T 10 that each grant him access to the corresponding secret.

[0237] First, Bob generates a set of 10 tokens from a secret seed value known only to him. These tokens are created by hashing the sequence of the seed to form a hash chain, where each token is computed as:

[0238] T i = H 10-i (Y) for i ∈ {1, 2, …, 10}.

[0239] Alice and Bob now each have 10 secret values that can be revealed in a hash puzzle for, e.g., redeeming tokens. However, to issue these tokens, they must also generate secret initialisation values I Alice and I Bob . These values are given as follows:

[0240]

[0241] I Bob = H 10 (Y).

[0242] Note that Alice's initialiser is simply a random integer with no specific meaning, but Bob's initialiser should be the hash of his first token T1 = H 9 (Y). Extending the token chain to the initialiser allows token issuance to also define the tokens to be used for successive redemption later. Figure 6 shows all the secret values held by each participant.

[0243] Now Alice and Bob can agree to purchase 10 tokens at a price of 10 units. The purchase of these tokens can be done in various ways, and here atomic swap is used for illustration. The atomic swap starts with Alice and Bob broadcasting the transactions shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8 respectively, where the outputs in both transactions require the solutions of two hash puzzles and valid signatures.

[0244] Once the two transactions appear in the blockchain, Alice and Bob can share their shared initialisation values I Alice and I Bob , and complete the atomic swap for token issuance.

[0245] Due to this atomic swap, Alice receives payment for the purchase of 10 tokens and two initialization value secrets are revealed. It should be noted that here only Bob's secret I Bob = H 10 (Y) is meaningful because it will define the first hash puzzle to be solved [hash puzzle (T1)], the solution of which is the initialization value H 10 The preimage H of (Y) 9 (Y).

[0246] Phase 2: Token Exchange

[0247] At some future point, Bob wants to exchange his first token T1 = H 9 (Y) and receive his first secret X1, but as mentioned before he has already paid for this secret by purchasing a valid token. The process of exchanging the token will take the form of another atomic swap, where the solution to the locked hash puzzle is the token T i and the corresponding secret X i .

[0248] To exchange his token, Bob should broadcast the transaction shown in Figure 9 , the output of which is locked with two hash puzzles. When Alice sees this transaction, she broadcasts her own similar transaction as shown in Figure 10 , the output of which is locked with the same two hash puzzles. The two participants can now exchange their secrets T1 and X1 and unlock the outputs of these transactions. The two parties can now exchange the nominal fee x by providing the correct unlocking scripts that also expose the two secrets. Figure 11 and Figure 12 show the transactions with these unlocking scripts.

[0249] The completion of this atomic swap for token exchange reveals Alice's first secret X1 to Bob, Bob's first token T1 to Alice, and given that the amount x is large enough to encourage both parties to spend the locked output, there is a net zero exchange of funds. Crucially, this also establishes that the next token that Bob can use must be the solution T2 of the hash puzzle [hash puzzle H(T2)], where the target hash H(T2) = T1 has just been revealed to Alice. This process can be recursively repeated until Bob has used his last token T 10 = Y.

[0250] Naming and addressing

[0251] Node and edge structure

[0252] As explained above, data can be inserted into the blockchain by providing data within a transaction. Now presented is a protocol for structuring these transactions in a logical manner that allows for node addressing, permissioning, and content version control. The structure of this distributed peer-to-peer metanet is similar to the existing Internet.

[0253] It should be noted that this is a "tier-2" protocol that does not modify the protocol or consensus rules of the underlying blockchain.

[0254] The goals of the structure described herein are:

[0255] (i) To associate relevant content in different transactions to enable searching, identifying, and accessing of data

[0256] (ii) To allow the identification of content using human-readable keyword searches to improve search speed, accuracy, and efficiency

[0257] (iii) To construct and simulate a server-like structure within the blockchain

[0258] Our approach is to structure the data associated with the metanet as a directed graph. The nodes and edges of this graph correspond to:

[0259] Nodes - Transactions associated with the metanet protocol. Nodes store content. (The terms "content" and "data" are used interchangeably within this document).

[0260] Nodes are created by including an OP_RETURN just before <Metanet Flag>. Each node is assigned a public key P node . The combination of the public key and the transaction ID uniquely specifies the index ID of the node node := H(P node || TxID node ).

[0261] The hash function used should conform to the underlying blockchain protocol of the present invention which will be used with, for example, SHA-256 or RIPEMD-160.

[0262] Edges - The association of child nodes with parent nodes.

[0263] Edges are created when the signature Sig P parent appears in the input of a metanet transaction, so only the parent can give permission to create an edge. All nodes can have at most one parent, and a parent node can have any number of children. In the language of graph theory, the in-degree of each node is at most 1, and the out-degree of each node is arbitrary.

[0264] Note that the edge is an aspect of the MetaNet protocol and is not itself a transaction associated with the underlying blockchain.

[0265] A valid MetaNet node (with a parent) is given by a transaction of the following form:

[0266]

[0267] This transaction contains all the information necessary to specify the index of the node and its parent:

[0268] ID node = H(P node ||TxID node ),

[0269] ID parent = H(P arent ||TxID parent ).

[0270] In addition, since the signature of the parent node is required, only the parent can create an edge to the child. If the <TxID parent > field does not exist or it does not point to a valid MetaNet transaction, the node is an orphan. There is no higher-level node that can reach it.

[0271] Additional attributes can be added to each node. These attributes can include flags, names, and keywords. These attributes are discussed later in this document.

[0272] As shown, the index of the node (transaction) can be divided into

[0273] a) Public key P node , which we interpret as the address of the node

[0274] b) Transaction ID TxID node , which we interpret as the version of the node

[0275] This structuring yields two advantageous features:

[0276] 1. Version control - If there are two nodes with the same public key, then we interpret the node with the transaction ID that has the maximum proof of work as the latest version of that node. If the nodes are in different blocks, this can be checked by the block height. For transactions in the same block, this is determined by the topological transaction ordering rule (TTOR).

[0277] 2. Permission - A child of a node can only be created if the owner of the public key P node signs the transaction input when creating the child node. Thus, P node It not only represents the address of a node but also represents the permission to create child nodes. This is deliberately similar to a standard blockchain transaction - the public key is not only an address but also the permission associated with that address.

[0278] Note that since the signature of the parent node appears in the UXTO unlocking script, it is verified through the standard network node verification process when the network accepts the transaction. This means that the permission to create child nodes is verified by the blockchain network itself.

[0279] It is worth noting that standard Internet Protocol (IP) addresses are only unique within a network at a given point in time. On the other hand, the indices of nodes in the metaweb are unique at all times, and there is no concept of separate networks, which allows data to be permanently anchored to a single object ID. node 。

[0280] The node and edge structure allows the metaweb to be visualized as a graph, as Figure 13 shown.

[0281] Domain, naming and location content in MetaNet

[0282] The hierarchical structure of the metaweb graph allows for rich domain-like structures to emerge. We interpret orphan nodes as top-level domains (TLDs), the children of orphan nodes as subdomains, the grandchildren as sub-subdomains, etc., and nodes with no children as end-points. See Figure 13 。

[0283] Domain names are interpreted as IDs node 。Each top-level domain in the metaweb can be considered a tree, where the root is the orphan node and the leaves are nodes with no children. The metaweb itself is a global collection of trees that form a graph.

[0284] The metaweb protocol does not stipulate that any node contains content data, but leaf (childless) nodes represent the ends of directed paths in the data tree and will therefore typically be used to store content data. However, content can be stored at any node in the tree. Protocol-specific flags included as attributes in the nodes can be used to specify the role of the nodes in the data tree (disk space, folder, file, or permission to change).

[0285] It was previously mentioned that the Internet uses the Domain Name System (DNS) to associate human-readable names with Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. DNS is decentralized in a sense, although in practice it is controlled by a small number of key players (e.g., governments and large companies). Depending on your DNS provider, the same name can take you to different addresses. This problem is inherent in mapping human-readable short names to computer-generated numbers.

[0286] We assume the existence of a decentralized index ID that maps human-readable top-level domain names to root nodes root of an equivalent distributed system. In other words, there exists a one-to-one function κ that maps human-readable names to the metaweb root node index, e.g.:

[0287] κ('bobsblog') = ID bobsblog (= H(P bobsblog ||TxID bobsblog ))

[0288] The input on the left is the human-readable word, while the output on the right is the hash digest, which will typically be a 256-bit data structure. It should be noted that P bobsblog and TxID bobsblog are not typically human-readable either. In the standard IP protocol, this would be the mapping from www.bobsblog.com to the IP address of the corresponding domain within the network.

[0289] The mapping k should be interpreted as a measure to ensure backward compatibility between the metaweb and the Internet when replicating the human readability of domain names published by DNS, but the naming and addressing scheme that provides the structure of the metaweb does not explicitly depend on this mapping.

[0290] Possible existing forms of the mapping function include the DNSLink system adopted by the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) or the OpenNIC service (https: / / www.openic.org). This mapping can be stored as part of DNS in existing TXT records. This is similar to DNSLink in IPFS, see https: / / docs.ipfs.io / guides / concepts / dnslink / . However, generally speaking, these sacrifice some elements of decentralization in order to provide a one-to-one mapping, see https: / / hackernoon.com / ten-terrible-attempts-to-make-the-inter-planetary- file-system-human-friendly-e4e95df0c6fa

[0291] The public keys used as addresses of metaweb nodes are not human-readable objects. This can make the search, reference, and input activities of human users error-prone and slow. However, human-recognizable public key addresses can be created, which include a plaintext prefix that can be directly interpreted by the user.

[0292] The difficulty of creating such an address depends on the character length of the required prefix. This means that human-recognizable addresses can be used as node addresses that only depend on the creation effort of the owner rather than central publication. For a given prefix, there are many different human-recognizable addresses due to the remaining characters in the suffix, so many node addresses can share a common prefix while still remaining unique.

[0293] Examples of human-readable addresses with the required prefix are:

[0294] P bobsblog :bobsblogHtKNngkdXEeobR76b53LETtpyT

[0295] Prefix:bobsblog

[0296] Suffix:HtKNngkdXEeobR76b53LETtpyT

[0297] The human-readable address above can be used to sense-check the mapping from the name 'bobsblog' to the node index ID bobsblog and assist the metanet nodes through the searchability of the address. It should be noted that the prefix is not unique here, but the entire address itself is a unique entity.

[0298] The selected address P vanity combined with the TxID to form the ID node is also beneficial because it means that there is no central publisher of domain names (TxIDs are generated by decentralized proof-of-work), and the names are recoverable from the blockchain itself. Advantageously, there are no longer points of failure existing within the Internet DNS.

[0299] Since the metanet domain already provides a permissioning system (public key), there is no need to publish credentials to prove ownership. Using the blockchain for this purpose has been explored. However, according to the present invention, there is no need to use a separate blockchain for this function because everything can be achieved within one blockchain.

[0300] Compared to the prior art, this significantly reduces the amount of resources (hardware, processing resources, and energy) required by the present invention. In terms of the arrangement of device and system components, it also provides a completely different architecture.

[0301] The advantage of this naming system is that users can identify the top-level domain in the metanet by memorable words (e.g., company names) instead of hash digests. This also makes searching for domains faster because searching by keywords is faster than by hash digests. This also reduces input errors, thus providing an improved search tool for the data stored in the blockchain.

[0302] Given the mapping from domain names to node indices, we can establish a resource locator similar to the Internet's Uniform Resource Locator (URL). We call this the metanet URL (MURL), and it has the following form

[0303] MURL ='mnp:' + ′ / / domain name ′+′ / path′ + ′ / file′.

[0304] Each component of the URL - protocol, domain name, path, and file - has been mapped to the structure of the MURL, making the object more user-intuitive and enabling it to integrate with the existing structure of the Internet.

[0305] This assumes that each node has a name associated with its public key (address), which is unique at the level within the domain tree. This name is always the rightmost component of the MURL for a given node. If two nodes at the same level in the tree have the same name, they will have the same public key and thus the latest version will be adopted.

[0306] The following table gives the analogy between the Metaweb protocol and the Internet protocol:

[0307]

[0308] Table: Summary of the analogy between Internet protocols and Metaweb protocols

[0309] Search MetaNet

[0310] We have defined the Metaweb graph structure of the exemplary embodiments such that each node has a unique index and may have a name attributed to it. This allows content to be located using the MURL. To also implement a fast search function, we allow additional keywords to be attributed to the nodes.

[0311] The fixed attributes of a node are the index and the index of the parent node, and the optional attributes are the name and keywords.

[0312] Node attributes

[0313]

[0314] In one example, a utility method for searching the Metaweb could be to first trawl through the blockchain using a block explorer and identify all transactions via the Metaweb flag, check if they are valid Metaweb nodes, and if so, record their index and keywords in a database or other storage resource. The database can then be used to efficiently search for nodes by the required keywords. Once the index of a node is found by the required keyword, its content can be extracted from the block explorer and viewed.

[0315] For example, consider Figure 14 branch P1, where the nodes corresponding to public keys P0, P1, and P 1,1 represent the home page, topic page, and sub-topic page respectively. These nodes are given the names 'bobsblog','summer', and 'caribbean', and their attributes are shown below:

[0316]

[0317]

[0318] In this example, the leaf nodes P 1,1,1 , P 1,1,2 and P 1,1,3 are given the names ‘beaches’, ‘nightlife’ and ‘food’ respectively and are used to store individual blog posts. The complete domain structure is shown on the diagram overleaf, including the MURL search paths associated with each node in the tree.

[0319] We should note that the metaweb can also be incorporated into a content-addressable network (CAN) by storing the hash of the content stored by node transactions as an additional attribute. This means that metaweb nodes can also be indexed and searched by content hash.

[0320] The naming and addressing methods described above provide numerous technical advantages over the prior art, including:

[0321] 1. Public key addresses - The system uses the same public-private key pairs as the blockchain to assign node addresses. This means that the same set of keys is used for both the management of funds and the permission of content data. This provides an efficient and secure solution.

[0322] 2. Decentralized domains - The publication of domain names is fully decentralized by including only TxIDs generated by proof-of-work node Domain names can also incorporate human-readable public keys that achieve a fair distribution of the required domain public keys. Again, this solution provides enhanced efficiency and security.

[0323] 3. Graph structure - The naming and addressing architecture specifies a graph that can be constructed from a subset of the blockchain data including metaweb nodes. This design uses an ordered structure to map the complexity of the Internet onto the blockchain, such that the blockchain fully replicates its functionality and scalability while maintaining security.

[0324] Browser wallet application

[0325] As previously described, in the metaweb protocol, all data exists directly on the blockchain itself. In this section, we provide an example of an illustrative computer application that can effectively access, display, and interact with the metaweb data stored on the blockchain, referred to herein for convenience as a "browser wallet".

[0326] We will first discuss how the browser wallet interfaces with the core components and functionality of the distributed peer-to-peer Internet, and then provide a more detailed description in the remainder of this section.

[0327] Overview

[0328] Components

[0329] A browser wallet is an application designed to allow end-users to interact with the Metaweb infrastructure on the blockchain. The application should allow for exploratory searching of the Metaweb graph to find specific content embedded within the tree. Additionally, the browser wallet will handle the retrieval, decryption, recombination, and caching (optional) of content.

[0330] The browser wallet application will combine these elements with a payment mechanism by supporting a local (or external) wallet. The browser wallet will include the following core elements combined into a single computer application.

[0331] Blockchain search engine - Supports third-party search engines to query Metaweb nodes through various indexes (including ID node , node name, keyword, block height, and TxID).

[0332] Display window - Software that unpacks the content returned from the full-copy blockchain peer to the browser. This covers the decryption, recombination, caching, and redemption of access tokens.

[0333] Wallet - Dedicated key management for the currency of the blockchain. Can be application-local or authorized to communicate and synchronize with an external wallet (software or hardware). Capable of writing standard blockchain transactions as well as new Metaweb node transactions. Can mediate on-chain purchases of access keys and access tokens.

[0334] Hierarchical deterministic key management can be used for both public keys and Metaweb node addresses simultaneously.

[0335] Access key / token wallet - Dedicated key management for access keys or tokens used for purchases. Can use the wallet to receive purchased keys or tokens, but does not have permission to the keys or tokens. The keys or tokens can be hidden from the user to allow for later expiration. This can be achieved by using a trusted execution environment. Can guarantee timed access by synchronizing with the blockchain and querying the current block height.

[0336] Functionality

[0337] The specification of the Metaweb browser wallet ensures the following functions of the application.

[0338] 1. Hierarchical key management - The keys used to control funds and manage the Metaweb tree (graph) utilize the same hierarchical deterministic key infrastructure, thus reducing the burden on the user to maintain the key records of their Metaweb content.

[0339] 2. Pointing to an external wallet - The ability to authorize and synchronize with an external (non-application-local) wallet allows for additional security by removing the browser wallet as a point of failure.

[0340] The application can write blockchain transactions and requires the signature of an external wallet that holds the keys, thus delegating this responsibility to separate software or hardware.

[0341] 3. Search for Metaweb content - The browser wallet can support and query third-party search engines, whose functions can include crawling, indexing, serving, and rating Metaweb node transaction data in the global database. A database of OP_RETURN transactions containing Metaweb protocol flags can be constructed. See BitDB 2.0 - https: / / bitdb.network / .

[0342] The search engine can provide the browser wallet with a node index, which allows for data to be found.

[0343] 4. Reading and writing data to the blockchain - In addition to using the search engine and full nodes to provide content to the browser, support for the wallet also allows content to be written directly from the browser wallet to the Metaweb.

[0344] 5. Decompression and decryption of data - The browser wallet processes decryption keys and can perform decompression on Metaweb content in situ.

[0345] 6. Caching node identity (ID node ) - The unique node identity can be cached locally for more efficient lookup and query.

[0346] 7. Bypassing the web server - Given a node index, the browser wallet can query any full-copy member of the peer-to-peer (P2P) blockchain network for content located at the node. Since the Metaweb exists on the chain, any full-copy peer must have a local copy of the node and its content.

[0347] This means that the user's browser wallet only needs to query a single peer, which can be done directly without an intermediate web server.

[0348] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of the browser wallet is shown, as well as how its core functions are split between different components of the application.

[0349] Blockchain search engine

[0350] Search engine – Prior art

[0351] Search engines (SEs) known in the prior art rely on powerful web crawlers to locate, index, and rank web content based on user queries. (The same basic principle can be extended to third-party blockchain SEs that crawl the metaweb.)

[0352] The SE searches for relevant HTML meta tags and content by keywords in the query. The crawled results are then indexed, where any embedded images / videos / media files are analyzed and cataloged. Then, the most relevant results in the index are programmatically ranked considering the user's location, language, and device.

[0353] A typical SE should have the following functionality:

[0354] 1. Crawling - Identify Internet data and crawl it with relevant metadata such as domain names, linked pages, and relevant keywords. Discover new Internet content through existing content and also crawl for any relevant information.

[0355] 2. Indexing - Analyze and catalog content data. This information is stored in a database.

[0356] 3. Serving and ranking - Rank the content index in order of relevance to the user query.

[0357] Block explorer

[0358] The closest blockchain analogue to an Internet search engine (SE) is a blockchain explorer, which is sometimes referred to as a 'block explorer' or 'blockchain browser'. A blockchain explorer is a web application that enables user-friendly queries on a blockchain at a high level and functions similarly to a web browser, but connects to the blockchain instead of the Internet.

[0359] In most cases, these explorers allow blocks (indexed by the hash of the block header), transactions (indexed by TxID), addresses, and unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs) to be input and searched. Many explorers also provide their own application programming interfaces (APIs) for retrieving raw transaction and block data. See https: / / blockexplorer.com / api-ref .

[0360] Block explorers, while varying in capabilities, are generally useful for cataloging transactions in a user-friendly extractable form and displaying their basic information - for example, addresses. Many explorers also allow viewing of the individual inputs and locking scripts of transactions, although there is an inconsistency between these explorers and how more advanced sites (e.g., Blockchair https: / / blockchair.com / ) choose to present this information.

[0361] Recently, there have been many extensions to the basic blockchain detectors for running web applications based on blockchain data. These applications (e.g., Memo.cash https: / / memo.cash / protocol and Matter https: / / www.mttr.app / home ) catalog and organize blockchain transactions containing specific protocol identifiers like block detectors, and display the data encoded within those specific transactions.

[0362] However, there are two important problems with using blockchain detectors, which are solved by embodiments of the present invention:

[0363] 1. Generalizability - Currently, there is no industry standard for browsing content data stored in transactions. Content data refers to any data that does not relate to the protocols used to create and secure the underlying blockchain.

[0364] 2. Keyword search - The content data stored in transactions needs to be retrievable by human-readable keywords. This is generally not a function of current block detectors, as current block detectors are used to query the protocol-based nature of transactions (e.g., block height, TxID, and address), rather than using keywords as search inputs. (However, some detectors like Blockchair can search for words if they are directly included in the transaction's script).

[0365] Importantly, as described above, the powerful naming and addressing structure of the present invention facilitates and enables the construction of more complex blockchain detectors compared to those known in the art.

[0366] Proposed MetaNet search engine

[0367] The browser wallet application communicates with a third-party search engine to discover node identities (ID node ). It is envisioned that this third party can provide a powerful and versatile service that replicates the capabilities of existing Internet search engines.

[0368] The meta-web search engine third party maintains a database of all meta-web transactions mined into the blockchain that can be identified by meta-web protocol flags. This database can catalog all meta-web nodes through a range index including ID node , node name, keyword, TxID, and block height.

[0369] There already exist services that continuously synchronize with the blockchain and maintain transaction data in a standard database format. The browser wallet transfers the responsibility of crawling, indexing, serving, and rating meta-web transactions to this third party and connects to its service when locating content stored on the meta-web graph.

[0370] Efficiency can be saved by having a database dedicated solely to metanet data. This database will not store data associated with all transactions, but only those containing the metanet flag. Some databases, such as non-relational databases like MongoDB, may be more efficient in storing the graph structure of the metanet. This will allow for faster queries, lower storage space, and more efficient correlation of relevant content within the metanet domain.

[0371] Figure 16 Shows how the browser wallet interacts with a third-party search engine when a user searches for content within the metanet infrastructure. Importantly, it should be noted that, in contrast to the Internet, there is no need for routing, so the present invention provides significant advantages in terms of efficiency, speed, processing, and required resources.

[0372] The process is as follows:

[0373] 1. The end user enters a keyword in the browser wallet search bar.

[0374] 2. The browser wallet sends the keyword query to the third-party SE.

[0375] 3. The SE checks the keyword against its database and returns the IDs of any metanet nodes containing relevant content node . The third party may also return other indexes on each node to the user and provide suggestions for relevant content.

[0376] 4. The browser wallet uses the node identifier and the domain name associated with it to construct an MURL.

[0377] 5. The browser wallet requests the content belonging to the specified node from any network peer having a full copy of the blockchain.

[0378] 6. The network peer provides the requested content to the browser wallet. Since the peer has a copy of the blockchain, it must also have a copy of the content, so only one request is made and the request is never forwarded to other network peers.

[0379] It should be emphasized that the third-party SE is only responsible for indexing and maintaining the property records of the metanet nodes, while the original content data stored on the nodes is stored by network peers (e.g., full-copy peers, archives) having a full copy of the blockchain.

[0380] Content display – MetaNet browser

[0381] The browser wallet application emulates the same front-end capabilities that any typical web browser should provide. These functions include but are not limited to:

[0382] 1. Search - Provide access to a search engine (SE) to locate content.

[0383] 2. Retrieval - Communicate with the server to facilitate the transfer of content using a known protocol (e.g., Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)).

[0384] 3. Interpretation - Parse the original code (e.g., in JavaScript) and execute it.

[0385] 4. Rendering - Efficiently display the parsed content for the end - user to view.

[0386] 5. User Interface (UI) - Provide an intuitive interface for the user to interact with the content, including action buttons and mechanisms for user input.

[0387] 6. Storage - Local temporary storage capacity for caching Internet content, cookies, etc. to improve repeated access to content.

[0388] In some embodiments, the software component of the browser wallet application that acts as a web browser is capable of performing the above - mentioned functions on the meta - web content embedded in the blockchain, which is searchable using its attributes (using SE) and retrievable (from peers).

[0389] Reorganization, decompression and decryption

[0390] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the web browser software component of the browser wallet application is capable of handling all operations required to be performed on a given meta - web content. Generally speaking, there are many such operations to be performed, but we assume that at least the following operations are performed by the application using the meta - web protocol and infrastructure.

[0391] Re - assembly - In the case where the meta - web content needs to be split and inserted into multiple separate node transactions, the application will request the content from all relevant nodes and reconstruct the original content. The sorting and structure of the fragmented content can be encoded using additional flags in the attributes of each node.

[0392] De - compression - In the case where the content data is stored in compressed form on the blockchain, a flag indicating which standard compression scheme has been used should be included. The application will decompress the content based on this flag.

[0393] Decryption - In the case where the content is encrypted, a flag should be used to indicate the encryption scheme. The application will locate the key from its decryption key wallet (discussed below) and decrypt the content data for use according to the encryption scheme used.

[0394] When performing these operations on the content data, flags can be used to indicate to the browser wallet that a given operation needs to be performed. This applies to any other operation, for which a suitable <operation_flag> can be included as part of the attributes of the node to which the operation is applied.

[0395] Cache

[0396] The caching of local files and cookies is a common and important feature of typical web browsers. Browser wallet applications also use local storage in a similar way to optionally save records of IDs related to content of interest node and other node attributes. This allows for more efficient lookup and retrieval of content from frequently accessed metaweb nodes.

[0397] The metaweb addresses the inherent problem of caching Internet data, which is variable and can be changed or pruned by web browsing software according to the provider. When caching metaweb data, users can always easily verify that the data is in the same state as when it was originally included as an immutable record on the blockchain.

[0398] Hierarchical deterministic key management

[0399] A deterministic key Dk is a private key initialized from a single "seed" key. The seed is a randomly generated number that acts as the master key. A hash function can be used to combine the seed with other data (e.g., an index number or "chain code") to derive deterministic keys. These keys are related to each other and can be fully recovered from the seed key. If a user wishes to use an external wallet in combination with the metaweb browser wallet, the seed also allows for easy import / export of the wallet between different wallet implementations, thus giving additional freedom.

[0400] Hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallets are a well-known derivative method of deterministic keys. In an HD wallet, a parent key generates a series of child keys, which in turn generate a series of grandchild keys, and so on. This tree-like structure is a powerful mechanism for managing several keys.

[0401] In a preferred embodiment, the HD wallet can be incorporated into Figure 16 the metaweb architecture shown in

[0402] Advantages of using an HD wallet include:

[0403] 1. Structure Different branches of child keys can be used for different purposes to express additional organizational meaning. For example, a user can dedicate different branches (and their corresponding child keys) to different types of data.

[0404] 2. Security A user can create a series of public keys without the corresponding private key, thus enabling the HD wallet to have a receive-only capability and be suitable for use on an insecure server. Moreover, since fewer secrets need to be stored, the risk of exposure is lower.

[0405] 3. Recovery If the key is lost / corrupted, it can be recovered from the seed key.

[0406] Local (internal) and external wallet support

[0407] Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention can directly incorporate the functionality of a conventional web browser and one or more wallets. Fundamentally, this is how the Metaweb combines the payment for "Internet" content with its delivery to the end user.

[0408] To achieve this, embodiments of the browser wallet can have a dedicated built-in software component that serves as a wallet. The wallet is local to the application itself and can be used to manage private keys and authorize transactions as payments for Metaweb content within the browser wallet itself.

[0409] This means that the browser component of the application can prompt the wallet component to authorize the required payment - by purchasing a decryption key, access token, or other means - to view Metaweb content. The application does not need to call an external third party to process the payment, so the Metaweb content of interest is consumed by the application and paid for in place.

[0410] External Wallet

[0411] If the user wishes to manage or save their private keys on an external wallet (software or hardware) or even use multiple wallets, the same advantages and functionality can be achieved through embodiments of the application. This can be done instead of or in combination with the application's local wallet.

[0412] In such an embodiment, the application establishes a link or pairing with the external wallet and synchronizes with it, but does not store the private key within the browser wallet itself. Instead, when the browser component prompts for payment for content, the application requests authorization via digital signature from the selected external wallet. This authorization is made by the user, and the browser wallet can broadcast the transaction and view the paid content.

[0413] Read and write MetaNet transactions

[0414] The essential advantage of the Metaweb is that it uses the same data structure - the blockchain - to record both payment and content data. This means that software wallets can be used to write content data to the Metaweb infrastructure.

[0415] The local wallet built into the application is capable of writing transactions to the blockchain, which are more complex compared to a typical Simplified Payment Verification (SPV) client. The wallet allows the user to directly write Metaweb node transactions from the application to the blockchain by selecting the content data to be embedded in the blockchain from their computer.

[0416] Since browser wallet applications have a user interface (UI), they allow wallet components to create and broadcast transactions that include content data that has been pre-constructed in the browser component or on the user's computer. This would be very difficult to achieve for specially configured wallets that perform their own processing.

[0417] Access key / token wallet

[0418] As previously described, built into the MetaNet protocol is the ability to encrypt content using ECC key pairs or AES symmetric key pairs, and the ability to purchase the corresponding decryption keys or tokens. We refer to these keys or tokens as access keys or access tokens.

[0419] These keys / tokens grant the user permission to view or edit the content (either single-use or multi-instance use), and serve a different purpose than the keys that control the user's wallet (although the same key can be used for both purposes if needed). For this reason, it is advantageous to introduce a new wallet for storing and managing access keys and tokens that is separate from the application's local wallet.

[0420] The concept of timed access to MetaNet content can also be introduced by allowing access keys / tokens to be "burned" after a certain period of time. This can be achieved by requiring that access keys / tokens be stored in a trusted execution environment (TEE) and that the user does not have direct access to the access keys / tokens.

[0421] The fact that access keys / tokens can be "burned" is also a motivating factor for not storing them in the wallet to ensure that there is no risk of a private key being burned.

[0422] In a manner similar to wallets, decryption keys and access tokens can be deterministically stored and managed to facilitate efficient processing and deployment. Decryption keys (e.g., ECC private keys) can be generated and recovered by subsequent addition to a master key, while access tokens can be reconstructed using a hash chain seeded with some initial token.

[0423] What is important here is to distinguish between the deterministic key generation of the key pair used by the wallet for transactions with other users and for creating new MetaNet nodes, and the key / token wallet that processes keys and tokens that have been purchased by the wallet.

[0424] Block height permission

[0425] A time lock can be included in the script language to implement block height permission. The op_code OP_CHECKLOCKTIMEVERIFY (CLTV) setting allows the specification of the block height at which a transaction output (UTXO) can be spent.

[0426] The advantages of block height permission are twofold:

[0427] 1. Version control - In the MetaNet protocol, the latest version of a node can be identified from the node at the maximum block height. The browser wallet can be set to display only the most recent version of a file by block height, thus implementing proof-of-work version control.

[0428] 2. Timed access - The browser wallet application can periodically burn the decryption keys purchased atomically by the user. This ensures that viewers can access content data only during the period for which they have made a payment. Cloning of the decryption keys can be prevented by storing them in a trusted execution environment (TEE). Additionally, atomic swaps involve the purchase of a deterministic key Dk (for decrypting content data). Although this deterministic key is publicly visible, the TEE can be used to sign the combination of Dk and the securely enclaved private key.

[0429] The browser wallet can be arranged to synchronize with the current state of the blockchain so as to use the block height as its own time proxy rather than relying on any external clock or third-party time announcements.

[0430] Bypass network server

[0431] The present invention allows for a new mechanism for browsers (clients) and web servers to communicate and exchange information through distributed peer-to-peer Internet communication bypassing the Domain Name System (DNS) servers and typical network routers. See http: / / www.theshulers.com / whitepapers / internet_whitepaper / The present invention provides a new network architecture including peers that maintain a full copy of the blockchain, from which content can be provided to browser wallet applications.

[0432] Local full-copy peer

[0433] Consider a system of local peers in each geographical area (e.g., postal district, town, city). We assume that within this local area network, at least one peer maintains a full copy of the blockchain, which we refer to as the Local Full Copy Peer (LFCP). For our purposes, the LFCP only needs to store blockchain transactions including the MetaNet flag, but is not limited to this.

[0434] All users by default send 'get' requests to the LFCP. Since the peer maintains a complete and up-to-date copy of the entire blockchain, all requests can be satisfied because any node ID queried will be available to the LFCP. It should be noted that if the SE is powerful and large enough to store MetaNet content and perform the main functions of a typical SE, the MetaNet search engine can also act as the LFCP.

[0435] In the simplest case, each LFCP will have the same storage and disk space overhead, as each will need to be able to store the entire blockchain (about 200GB at the time of writing). The difference between each LFCP is that the LFCP should expand its capabilities to respond to the requirements of local requests from Metaweb users. Therefore, if by default every Metaweb user in the world queries their closest LFCP, each LCFP should strive to expand its operating capabilities to meet its local requirements. Populated areas such as cities will require LFCP operations that include many cluster servers, while sparsely populated areas such as small towns will require fewer LCFP operations.

[0436] It is important to note that the disk space requirements are universal, while the CPU requirements for each LFCP adapt to the local area network needs. This is an example of an adaptive network, for example, Freenet - see https: / / blockstack.org / papers / .

[0437] One advantage of such a system is that when retrieving content associated with a given ID node the user only needs to make a single (local) connection to their LFCP. The LFCP does not need to forward the request to other peers, as it guarantees that it can provide the required content itself.

[0438] Metaweb offers many advantages over the Internet - for example, decentralization and deduplication - similar to other peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing services such as IPFS. However, Metaweb improves these existing P2P models by ensuring immutability and, crucially, by removing the need to flood the network with requests for a given piece of content.

[0439] The Metaweb infrastructure is also robust to the failure of any one LFCP by employing a network of these peers. This means that if an LFCP is taken offline, the end user simply defaults to using their next closest LFCP. This can be made more efficient if the LFCPs communicate with each other to indicate at any given time which nearby peers are below or above capacity in terms of requests. This can allow users to send their requests to the most appropriate peer and establish a dynamic balance of request distribution among nearby LFCPs.

[0440] Global full-copy peer

[0441] Now consider the scenario when the universal disk space requirements become too large for smaller peers, which can happen as the Metaweb portion of the blockchain expands and grows with adoption.

[0442] In this case, the smaller LFCP should use its disk space capacity to store meta-network node transactions based on a popularity system (there is existing technology for volume of requests and nature-rated content). This means that the LFCP now trims both its CPU (for request processing capabilities) and its storage allocation (for content serving capabilities) to suit its local geographical requirements in terms of both content volume and nature.

[0443] To address the fact that the LFCP cannot now store all meta-network transaction content, the concept of a Global Full-Copy Peer (GFCP) can be utilized. A GFCP is a full-copy peer with the following properties:

[0444] 1. The GFCP grows its disk space capacity to always maintain a full copy of the blockchain.

[0445] 2. The GFCP has considerable CPU resources such that it can handle significantly more requests compared to the LFCP. In case many LFCPs are compromised, the Global Full-Copy Peer should be able to handle a sudden increase in demand.

[0446] The GFCP has two main functions. First, it acts as a fail-safe for user requests for meta-network content when requests overflow from the LFCP. Second, the GFCP acts as an archival peer to store all meta-network content mined historically, which ensures that any meta-network node content can be accessed even if many LFCPs omit some content from their local storage provisions.

[0447] Global database (data bank)

[0448] The concept of the GFCP is powerful and illustrates how the overall architecture of the meta-network provides a solution to an existing problem; creating a global database that encompasses all.

[0449] Prior to this, it was not possible to securely construct a general and globally accessible database because a central authority was required to maintain the database. This central authority injected points of failure and trust into the system. Critically, if we rely on one organization to store and maintain all Internet data, we need to trust that the organization operates correctly and legally without corrupting the information.

[0450] Through the meta-network infrastructure, the two issues of trust and centrality are effectively removed from the concept of a global data center. Now, a GFCP can be created because it only depends on it to provide the disk space required for storage without verifying and authenticating the information to be stored.

[0451] Through the meta-network, the process of verifying stored content is carried out by network nodes, so a general global database can be trusted because it cannot corrupt blockchain information. The GFCP does not need to be trusted; it only needs to provide storage.

[0452] The fact that all GFCPs can store the same information that is always verifiable and provable for the blockchain itself means that information can be replicated among many such GFCPs.

[0453] This means that the problem of having a single point of failure is also solved by having many global databases exist in parallel and provably store the same information.

[0454] Figure 17 A system with two LFCPs and one GFCP is shown, and it is illustrated how each peer can support another peer in a network that is robust to the corruption of individual peers.

[0455] Aspects of the present invention that can be implemented in the embodiments of the browser wallet application described above provide many distinguishing features and advantages over the prior art, including but not limited to:

[0456] 1. Deterministic keys - Hierarchical deterministic key management for both tokens and meta-network addresses is performed within the same wallet component of the application. This allows organizing keys by reducing their storage requirements and implementing multiple functions for key recovery.

[0457] 2. Payment mechanism - The application allows consumers to pay directly to merchants without referring to another application or third-party payment service that would conventionally authenticate and provide trust. This allows for the purchase and delivery of digital content via the same blockchain platform.

[0458] 3. Bypassing network servers - The application facilitates bypassing of conventional network servers that would conventionally handle large amounts of traffic, requests, and routing. This is because the application only needs to request content from a single LFCP, which ensures that requests do not need to be forwarded to other LFCPs to serve users. This reduces the total traffic and the completion time for each request

[0459] 4. Timed access - The application facilitates timed access to content by synchronizing with the blockchain and using the blockchain based on its current state to enforce access permissions. This removes the need for third-party services to monitor user privileges over time while protecting the rights of the original owners.

[0460] Use case - Decentralized application store (Swapp store)

[0461] The first use case (for illustrative purposes only) of the meta-network architecture presented here is decentralized payment and distribution for an application (app).

[0462] Consider the following scenario: app developer Alice and consumer Bob wish to transact with each other. The transaction will take the form of an atomic swap, where a token is exchanged for a secret key that grants Bob access to the app data. The encrypted app data has been made public as part of a metaweb node transaction.

[0463] The app being swapped at the atomic level is called a Swapp. A third-party platform (the Swapp Store) can be used to catalog and advertise apps that exist on the metaweb, but the payment for and transfer of the access key to the user (e.g., Bob) does not need to involve any third party and can be done directly between the merchant and the consumer.

[0464] The following section details the process for buying and selling Swapps, from when Alice creates the app to when Bob deploys it. Throughout the process, Alice and Bob will use their respective browser wallets to interact with the metaweb.

[0465] Release

[0466] 1. Alice writes the app. The data that makes up the app is <app>The content represented. She also uses the secret key S k to encrypt it as <e(App)>.

[0467] 2. Alice creates a node transaction ID AliceApp to set up her first metanet domain (tree). She generates 1AliceAppHtKNngkdXEeobR76b53LETtpy(P which will be used as the node address AliceApp ).

[0468] 3. Then, Alice creates the children of the first node to form a tree that corresponds to the metanet library of her application. Alice's tree domain is shown in Figure 18 .

[0469] One of the leaf nodes on this tree corresponds to her application with index ID App <app>The node. In this node, Alice inserts the encrypted application data <e(App)> into the input script (scriptSig) of the node. Using the secret key s k to encrypt the app data using the Koblitz method.

[0470] The node transaction is as follows.

[0471]

[0472] 4. Alice publicly broadcasts the ID AliceApp , P AliceApp and the domain name 'AliceApp'. This can be achieved via social media, internet websites or by using a third-party meta website.

[0473] Purchase

[0474] 1. Bob wants to download a puzzle game and sees Alice's app listed on the meta website (Swapp Store) viewed on his browser wallet.

[0475] 2. Then, Bob uses the information from the website to communicate with Alice and sets up an atomic swap. The swap is designed such that Bob will pay Alice the agreed-upon price and Alice will reveal the secret key s k , or neither of these events will occur.

[0476] 3. The atomic swap is completed, and Bob's browser wallet stores the secret key s k in its access key / token wallet.

[0477] Deployment

[0478] Bob now has the key s k that will allow him to decrypt the application data previously released by Alice. To download and deploy the app, Bob performs the following.

[0479] 1. Bob uses the meta web search engine (SE) to find the MURL associated with the encrypted app data <e(App)>. He uses the keywords 'AliceApp' and 'App' as inputs to the search bar in his browser wallet. The third-party SE parses the query and returns the following MURL:

[0480] mnp: / / aliceapp / games / puzzle / app

[0481] This locator corresponds to the unique meta web node ID App , which includes the encrypted app data in its input script.

[0482] 2. Bob's browser wallet receives the MURL and then sends a request to the nearest appropriate LFCP. This peer provides Bob with the requested data <e(App)>.

[0483] 3. The browser wallet processes the data according to the properties of the ID App . This includes using the secret key s k to decrypt the application data and process <app>。

[0484] 4. Bob will apply <app>Downloaded from his browser to his computer. Now, Bob can deploy the application locally without having to repurchase access rights.

[0485] Figure 19 Illustrates the entire process outlined in the above illustrative use case. The flowchart shows two action branches: Alice's branch (starting on the left) and Bob's branch (starting on the right). The branch corresponding to Alice shows the initial release phase and Bob's branch shows the phase of setting up a purchase via an atomic swap.

[0486] On Bob's branch, he broadcasts the following transaction TxID Bob As the atomic swap setup phase:

[0487]

[0488] In this transaction, the output is locked by a private key puzzle that requires the secret decryption key s k To be revealed to Bob so that Alice can spend.

[0489] The branches of Alice and Bob in this figure converge at the point where Alice successfully completes the atomic swap transaction. This is achieved when Alice broadcasts the transaction TxID Alice When:

[0490]

[0491] Once this transaction is broadcast, the action branches of Alice and Bob diverge again. Alice receives payment of x tokens, while Bob receives the secret decryption key s k And is able to retrieve and decrypt Alice's application from the meta-network.

[0492] Now turning to Figure 20 FIG. 2600 provides an illustrative simplified block diagram of a computing device 2600 that can be used to practice at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the computing device 2600 can be used to implement any of the systems shown and described above. For example, the computing device 2600 can be configured to function as a data server, a network server, a portable computing device, a personal computer, or any electronic computing device. As Figure 20 As shown, the computing device 2600 may include one or more processors (collectively 2602) having one or more levels of cache memory and a memory controller, which may be configured to communicate with a storage subsystem 2606 including a main memory 2608 and a permanent storage device 2610. As shown, the main memory 2608 may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 2618 and read only memory (ROM) 2620. The storage subsystem 2606 and the cache memory 2602 may be used to store information, such as details associated with transactions and blocks described in this disclosure. The (one or more) processors 2602 may be used to provide the steps or functions of any of the embodiments described in this disclosure.

[0493] The (one or more) processors 2602 may also communicate with one or more user interface input devices 2612, one or more user interface output devices 2614, and a network interface subsystem 2616.

[0494] The bus subsystem 2604 may provide a mechanism for enabling the various components and subsystems of the computing device 2600 to communicate with each other as expected. Although the bus subsystem 2604 is schematically shown as a single bus, alternative embodiments of the bus subsystem may utilize multiple buses.

[0495] The network interface subsystem 2616 may provide an interface to other computing devices and networks. The network interface subsystem 2616 may serve as an interface for receiving data from other systems different from the computing device 2600 and for transmitting data to other systems. For example, the network interface subsystem 2616 may enable a data technician to connect the device to a network such that the data technician can transmit data to and receive data from the device while being located at a remote location (e.g., a data center).

[0496] The user interface input devices 2612 may include one or more user input devices, such as a keyboard; pointing devices such as an integrated mouse, trackball, touchpad, or graphics tablet; a scanner; a barcode scanner; a touch screen incorporated into a display; audio input devices such as a voice identification system, a microphone; and other types of input devices. Generally, the use of the term "input device" is intended to include all possible types of devices and mechanisms for inputting information into the computing device 2600.

[0497] One or more user interface output devices 2614 can include a display subsystem, a printer, or a non-visual display such as an audio output device. The display subsystem can be a cathode ray tube (CRT), a flat panel device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, or a projector, or other display devices. Generally, the use of the term "output device" is intended to include all possible types of devices and mechanisms for outputting information from the computing device 2600. One or more user interface output devices 2614 can be used, for example, to present a user interface to facilitate interaction of a user with an application that performs the described processes and variations thereof, when such interaction is appropriate.

[0498] The storage subsystem 2606 can provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing basic programming and data constructs that can provide the functionality of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. When executed by one or more processors, application programs (programs, code modules, instructions) can provide the functionality of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure and can be stored in the storage subsystem 2606. These application modules or instructions can be executed by one or more processors 2602. Additionally, the storage subsystem 2606 can provide a repository for storing data used in accordance with the present disclosure. For example, the main memory 2608 and the cache memory 2602 can provide volatile storage for programs and data. The permanent storage device 2610 can provide permanent (non-volatile) storage for programs and data and can include flash memory, one or more solid state drives, one or more magnetic hard disk drives, one or more floppy disk drives with associated removable media, one or more optical drives (e.g., CD-ROM or DVD or Blue-Ray) with associated removable media, and other similar storage media. Such programs and data can include programs for performing the steps of one or more embodiments described in the present disclosure and data associated with the transactions and blocks described in the present disclosure.

[0499] The computing device 2600 can be of various types, including a portable computer device, a tablet computer, a workstation, or any other device described below. Additionally, the computing device 2600 can include another device that can be connected to the computing device 2600 through one or more ports (e.g., USB, headphone jack, lightning connector, etc.). Devices that can be connected to the computing device 2600 can include multiple ports configured to accept fiber optic connectors. Thus, the device can be configured to convert optical signals into electrical signals that can be transmitted through the port connecting the device to the computing device 2600 for processing. Due to the ever-changing nature of computers and networks, Figure 20 The description of the computing device 2600 depicted is only intended as a specific example for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the device. Many other configurations with more or fewer components than the Figure 20 systems depicted are possible.

[0500] It should be noted that the above embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs in parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word "comprising" etc. does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the whole specification. In this specification, "comprise" means "include or consist of", "comprising" means "including or consisting of". The singular form of an element does not exclude the plural form of such element and vice versa. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware including several distinct elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a device claim enumerating several components, several of these components may be embodied by one and the same piece of hardware. The fact that certain means are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these means cannot be used to advantage.< / app> < / app> < / app> ​< / app> < / lzw> < / n> < / m> < / n> < / m> < / s> < / content> < / attributes>

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for storing, searching, identifying, communicating, or accessing portions of data provided in blockchain transactions (Tx) in a blockchain, the method comprising the steps of: Storing, searching, identifying, communicating, or accessing portions of the data in the blockchain transaction (Tx) on the blockchain, wherein the blockchain transaction (Tx) includes: a transaction ID (TxID) required by the protocol of the blockchain; a portion of the data or a reference to a portion of the data; a protocol flag indicating a blockchain-based protocol for searching, storing, and / or retrieving data in one or more blockchain transactions; a discretionary public key (DPK); and a discretionary transaction ID (DTxID), wherein the discretionary public key and the discretionary transaction ID are part of the blockchain-based protocol for searching, storing, and / or retrieving data in one or more blockchain transactions and are not required by the protocol of the blockchain.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The method includes the step of specifying an index for the blockchain transaction (Tx), the index including a combination of the discretionary public key and the transaction ID.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the portion of the data or a reference to a portion of the data, the protocol flag, the discretionary public key (DPK), and / or the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) are provided within an output (UTXO).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: the portion of the data or a reference to a portion of the data, the protocol flag, the discretionary public key (DPK), and / or the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) are provided within a locking script associated with the output (UTXO).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The portion of the data, a reference to the portion of the data, the protocol flag, the discretionary public key (DPK), and / or the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID) are provided at a position after a script opcode within a transaction (Tx), the script opcode being used to mark the output as invalid for subsequent use as an input to a subsequent transaction.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: the transaction (Tx) further includes one or more attributes.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: the one or more attributes include keywords, tags, or identifiers associated with: i) a portion of the data provided within or referenced within the transaction (Tx); and / or ii) the transaction (Tx).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein The transaction (Tx) further includes an input, the input including: a parent public key (PPK) associated with a logical parent transaction (LPTx), wherein the logical parent transaction (LPTx) is identified by the discretionary transaction ID (DTxID); and a signature generated using the parent public key (PPK).

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: using the discretionary public key (DPK) and the transaction ID (TxID) to identify a transaction (Tx) or a logical parent transaction within the blockchain.

10. A computer-implemented system, comprising: a processor; and A memory including executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform any implementation of the computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform at least an implementation of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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