NFT marketplace system

Abstract

To provide a NFT marketplace system that ensures speed, reliability, and transparency in NFT (non-fungible token) transactions and ensures user privacy.SOLUTION: In a system 10 in which a user terminal 50A, a database 22, and a server 20 having a provider 30 capable of reading / writing data to a blockchain 60 consisting of a plurality of nodes 60A to 60F are connected via the Internet 70, the database registers information that should be made private and associated with an NFT token ID, the server allows NFT transactions that have been created in advance and have information that should be made public recorded on the blockchain, and records NFT transaction history as information that should be made public on the blockchain via the provider and displays the information registered in the database that should be made private on a user terminal that has made a purchase if a user connects using the user terminal to purchase a NFT.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for realizing an NFT marketplace, and more specifically, to an NFT marketplace system that ensures both the transparency of NFT (non-fungible token) transactions and privacy. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, NFT marketplaces have been developed that utilize public blockchain technology to trade NFTs (non-fungible tokens) over the Internet.

[0003] In such NFT marketplaces, the information necessary for NFT transactions (user wallet address, NFT content, selling price, etc.) is disclosed, and transactions are conducted directly between users in accordance with an automated execution program (smart contract) built on a public blockchain.

[0004] And because the transaction history is recorded on an unspecified number of computers that participate in the public blockchain, it is extremely difficult to tamper with or erase the transaction history. In addition, just like the information necessary for a transaction, the transaction history can be freely viewed by anyone.

[0005] As a result, NFT marketplaces that utilize public blockchain technology make it possible for small-scale direct transactions between individuals to take place quickly, reliably, and transparently. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-000072 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7180943 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] On the other hand, as mentioned above, in an NFT marketplace that utilizes public blockchain technology, the information necessary for NFT transactions and the transaction history can be freely viewed by anyone, and it is difficult to erase the transaction history, making it unsuitable for disclosing users' private information (information related to personal privacy, such as real names, schedules, contact information, etc.).

[0008] However, depending on the nature of the transaction, for example, when buying and selling NFTs that involve the provision of services, it may be necessary to provide private information to the other party. In such cases, it was previously necessary to provide personal information such as contact details and exchange schedules individually on a site (off-chain) separate from the NFT marketplace where NFTs are traded, which was time-consuming. In addition, providing private information to individual users who have never met at all at their own discretion not only lacks the certainty of the transaction, but is also not very desirable from a safety standpoint.

[0009] In light of this current situation, the present invention aims to provide an NFT marketplace system that can ensure the speed, reliability, and transparency of NFT transactions while also protecting user privacy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention has been invented to solve the problems in the prior art as described above, and the NFT marketplace system of the present invention includes the following configuration.

[0011] [1] A server to which a user terminal connects via the Internet; a database connected to the server; A provider that can read and write data to a blockchain consisting of multiple nodes. An NFT marketplace system comprising: The server is configured to enable trading of NFTs that have been created in advance and have information to be published on the blockchain recorded therein; The database registers information to be made private in association with the token ID of the NFT, When a user connects to the server using the user terminal and purchases the NFT, the server records the transaction history of the NFT as information to be published on the blockchain via the provider, and Displaying the information to be made private and registered in the database on the user terminal of the user who purchased the NFT; An NFT marketplace system that is structured as follows.

[0012] [2] An NFT marketplace system as described in [1], wherein the information to be made private includes appointment-related information including at least a candidate date and time.

[0013] [3] The NFT marketplace system described in [2], wherein when a user who purchased the NFT selects a date and time from the candidate dates and times displayed on the user terminal of the user who purchased the NFT, the server registers the selected date and time in association with the token ID of the NFT in the database. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, when a transaction is made on the NFT marketplace, only the information necessary for the transaction and the transaction history that should be made public for the transparency of NFT transactions are recorded on the public blockchain, while private information of users that should only be shared between the parties to the transaction is recorded off-chain, thereby ensuring both the transparency of NFT transactions and ensuring privacy.

[0015] Furthermore, by allowing NFT transactions and private information exchanges to take place on the same NFT marketplace, it will reduce the amount of work required for users. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an NFT marketplace system in this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments (examples) of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. In this specification, the person who operates the NFT marketplace system is referred to as the "Service Administrator," the person who uses the NFT marketplace system to view the information necessary for transactions and the transaction history is referred to as the "User," and among the users, the consultants and advisors who trade NFTs are collectively referred to as the "User."

[0018] In addition, in this specification, "information to be made public" is information that can be viewed by any user connected to the internet, "information to be made private" is information that can be viewed only by users who are parties to NFT transactions, and "information to be kept private" is information that can be viewed only by the user who registered the information. It is preferable that even "information to be made private" and "information to be kept private" information necessary for the operation of the NFT marketplace be made available to the service administrator.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an NFT marketplace system in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the NFT marketplace system 10 in this embodiment includes a user terminal 50 and a server 20 to which user terminals 50A and 50B are connected via the Internet 70.

[0020] Server 20 is an off-chain server, and has functions such as a web server, a mail server, a calendar server, a web conference server, a file server, etc., and is composed of one or more computers.

[0021] The server 20 also includes a database 22. In the database 22, as described below, private information of the user inputted from the website by the user, information on the basic contract for implementing advice inputted from the website by the advisor, information necessary for transactions acquired from the blockchain 60, and the transaction history are recorded.

[0022] The server 20 also includes a provider 30. The provider 30 has a configuration capable of reading / writing data from / to a blockchain 60 made up of multiple nodes 60A-60F, and exchanges data between an off-chain network (the Internet 70) and the blockchain network (the blockchain 60).

[0023] In addition, the provider 30 only needs to be configured to be able to read / write data to the blockchain 60, and may be configured as a node of the blockchain 60 or may not function as a node.

[0024] The nodes 60A to 60F of the blockchain 60 are configured so that each node can communicate with other nodes in a peer-to-peer manner and exchange data. At least one of the nodes 60A to 60F (hereinafter referred to as a "full node") records all of the information necessary for transactions and the transaction history for NFT transactions conducted in the NFT marketplace system 10. Nodes other than the full node (hereinafter referred to as an "SPV node") record only the information necessary for transactions and a part of the transaction history. Note that such nodes 60A to 60F are configured by computers. Also, there may be more than one node, and the number is not limited. Note that, although there is no particular limitation, a public blockchain such as Ethereum can be used as the blockchain 60.

[0025] Note that some functions, such as the mail server, calendar server, web conferencing server, file server, database 22, and provider 30, can be configured not to be implemented in the server 20, but to use external services with equivalent functions, such as Gmail (registered trademark), Google Calendar (registered trademark), Google Meet (registered trademark), web3.storage, MetaMask, and Alchemy.

[0026] The user terminal 50 and the user terminals 50A and 50B are terminals used by users who connect to the NFT marketplace system 10 of this embodiment via the Internet 70, and may be, for example, a smartphone, a tablet computer, or a personal computer.

[0027] The NFT marketplace system 10 of this embodiment is configured to operate as follows. In this embodiment, an example is given in which the service of an advisor providing advice to a client using a web conferencing system is commercialized as an NFT and sold on the NFT marketplace system 10, and a client who purchases the NFT receives the service; however, the present invention is not limited to this and can be used for various NFT transactions.

[0028] <User registration for consultation> A consultant, who is a user, uses the user (consultant) terminal 50A to register as a user in order to purchase an NFT using the NFT marketplace system 10.

[0029] Specifically, the client connects to the server 20 using the user terminal 50A, and inputs client information such as real name, date of birth, postal code, address, email address, telephone number, information regarding payment method, etc. The client information input on the website is registered in the database 22 as information that should be kept confidential, and is stored in a confidential state to only the client and the service manager.

[0030] When using external services for some functions such as a mail server, calendar server, or web conferencing server, it is preferable to input the account for the external service as part of the client information and to perform authentication in advance to use the external service.

[0031] In addition, information regarding payment methods may include, for example, wallet addresses, information on credit cards and debit cards, management accounts for external payment services (e.g., Google Pay (registered trademark) and Apple Pay (registered trademark)), management accounts for common point services (e.g., Rakuten Points (registered trademark) and d Points (registered trademark)), etc.

[0032] In addition, the NFT marketplace may issue unique points, and the consultant may use the unique points as a payment method. In this case, the unique points may be given for the purchase of an NFT, or the consultant may purchase the unique points in advance.

[0033] <Advisor user registration and product registration> An advisor, who is also a user, uses the user (advisor) terminal 50B to perform user registration and product registration in order to sell NFTs using the NFT marketplace system 10.

[0034] Specifically, the advisor connects to server 20 using user terminal 50B, and inputs advisor information, such as a postal code, address, email address, telephone number, and information regarding the remittance destination, on the displayed website. The advisor information entered on the website is registered in database 22 as information that should be kept confidential, and is stored in a confidential state only for the advisor and the service administrator.

[0035] In addition, when using external services for some functions such as a mail server, calendar server, or web conferencing server, it is preferable to input the account for the external service as advisor information and perform authentication in advance to use the external service.

[0036] As for advisors, it is preferable to conduct strict identity verification for them, since they are service providers. For this reason, it is preferable to use an online identity verification system such as eKYC (Electronic Know Your Customer), or to have the service manager verify the identity of the advisor by telephone, telegram, or by mail with limited delivery to the advisor based on the advisor information entered.

[0037] Furthermore, when registering a product, the advisor uses the user terminal 50B to input information regarding the basic agreement for the implementation of advice, such as the advisor's real name, advice theme, image, sales price, length of advice implementation time, implementation deadline, sales period, and appointment-related information, such as potential dates and times for the implementation of advice, on the website. The information regarding the basic agreement for the implementation of advice input on the website is registered in the database 22 as information to be made public, and some of this information is sent from the server 20 to the provider 30 and recorded in the blockchain 60 via the provider 30 and converted into an NFT.

[0038] On the other hand, the appointment-related information entered on the website is registered only in the database 22 as information that should be made publicly available to a limited extent. In this case, the information regarding the basic contract for providing advice and the appointment-related information are associated with each other and registered in the database 22.

[0039] <Product sales> The NFTs created as described above are published on a website that is displayed by connecting to the server 20 using the user terminal 50 and user terminals 50A and 50B.

[0040] In addition, in order to reduce the fees (so-called "gas fees") incurred in conjunction with NFT conversion and processing delays, information regarding the basic contract for implementing advice registered in database 22 may be displayed on a website without being recorded on blockchain 60 from server 20 via provider 30, and only the transaction history may be recorded on blockchain 60 via provider 30 when the NFT purchase process described below is completed.

[0041] <Purchase of products> The consultant connects to the server 20 using the user terminal 50A and selects an NFT to purchase from the NFTs published on the displayed website. In this case, information on the basic contract for the implementation of advice is displayed for each NFT on the website, and the consultant can select the NFT to purchase while checking the information on the basic contract for the implementation of advice. The information on the basic contract for the implementation of advice displayed on the website may display information registered in the database 22, or may display data recorded in the blockchain 60 obtained via the provider 30.

[0042] Once the NFT to be purchased is decided, a payment screen will be displayed on the website, and the client will complete the payment procedure by following the displayed payment screen. Note that, in the payment procedure, information regarding the payment method registered in advance may be used, or information regarding the payment method may be additionally entered here, and the information regarding the added payment method may be used.

[0043] When purchasing an NFT, once the client completes the payment procedure on the payment screen displayed on the website, the server 20, via the provider 30, requests the blockchain 60 to process the NFT purchase, and the NFT purchase is processed in accordance with the smart contract implemented on the blockchain 60.

[0044] When the NFT purchase process is completed, a transaction history is added to the blockchain 60, including the wallet addresses of the parties to the transaction (consultant and advisor), the token ID that identifies the NFT, the name of the NFT marketplace where the purchase was made (contract address), and the date and time of the purchase.

[0045] Furthermore, if, at the time the NFT purchase process is completed, only the transaction history is recorded on the blockchain 60 via the provider 30, the advisor's wallet address will not be recorded on the blockchain 60.

[0046] If a payment method other than cryptocurrency, such as a credit card, is used as the payment method, the NFT will be purchased using a payment agency service. In this case, not only the wallet addresses of the parties to the transaction but also the wallet address of the payment agency service provider will be recorded on the blockchain 60.

[0047] <Schedule determination> The server 20 periodically checks the purchase status of the NFT with the provider 30. When the provider 30 receives confirmation of the purchase status of the NFT from the server 20, the provider 30 checks the NFT recorded in the blockchain 60, checks whether the purchase process has been completed, and returns the result to the server 20.

[0048] The server 20 displays a schedule selection screen on the website for the client only when the client completes the payment procedure on the payment screen displayed on the website and a result indicating that the NFT purchase process has been completed is returned from the provider 30.

[0049] The schedule selection screen displays appointment-related information including potential advice implementation dates and times registered in the database 22, and the client selects one of the displayed potential advice implementation dates and times. The selected advice implementation date and time is associated with the NFT token ID and registered in the database 22, thereby finalizing the advice implementation date and time (appointment).

[0050] When the advice implementation date and time is confirmed, the server 20 registers the advice implementation date and time and the web conference URL in the calendars of the client and the advisor, which is realized by the calendar server function. In addition, the server 20 uses the mail server function to send emails containing the advice implementation date and time and the web conference URL to the email addresses of the client and the advisor.

[0051] In addition, if the schedule selection screen is closed, for example, because the client closes the browser before the advice implementation date and time is confirmed, it is preferable that the appointment-related information be displayed and the client be able to select the schedule when the client displays the website again using the user terminal 50A.

[0052] Furthermore, when purchasing NFTs using a payment method other than crypto assets, such as a credit card, and it is necessary to transition to an external service website, it is not possible to display the schedule selection screen synchronously with the completion of the NFT purchase process. Therefore, as described above, it is preferable to configure the system so that appointment-related information is displayed and a schedule can be selected when the client displays the website again using user terminal 50A after the NFT purchase process is completed.

[0053] For example, the NFTs held by the client may be displayed on a website that is displayed when the client connects to the server 20 using the user terminal 50A, and if the date and time of advice provision is not registered in the database 22 in association with the token ID of the NFT, a link to display appointment-related information may be displayed on the website, allowing the client to select a schedule. In this case, the server 20 must be configured to obtain NFT holder information recorded in the blockchain 60 via the provider 30, and to confirm whether the client holds an NFT on the blockchain 60.

[0054] Furthermore, the server 20 can be configured to use the mail server function to send reminder mails to the email addresses of the client and the advisor when the date and time for providing advice approaches.

[0055] The server 20 can also be configured to display a message screen on a website for exchanging messages between the client and the advisor. Specifically, the message entered by the client on the message screen is registered in the database 22, and the message can be displayed on the website displayed when the advisor connects to the server using the user terminal 50B.

[0056] <Providing advice> The client and the advisor use user terminals 50A and 50B, respectively, to connect to the server 20 by opening the web conference URL in a browser or the like at the date and time when the advice is to be provided, and the server 20 uses the web conference server function to enable the exchange of audio and video between the user terminals 50A and 50B. Note that the communication between the user terminals 50A and 50B may be configured to be performed via the server 20, or the user terminals 50A and 50B may be configured to perform peer-to-peer communication.

[0057] The advisor provides advice to the client through the web conference thus prepared. In addition, after the date and time of advice implementation has passed, the server 20, via the provider 30, adds information that the advice implementation has been completed, by linking it to the token ID of the NFT recorded in the blockchain 60, and can also register information that the advice implementation has been completed, by linking it to information regarding the basic contract for advice implementation registered in the database 22.

[0058] In this way, the NFT marketplace system 10 is configured so that user private information that should only be shared between the parties to a transaction is registered only in the off-chain database 22, and information that should be made public, such as information necessary for a transaction and its transaction history, is registered in the database 22 and also recorded in the blockchain 60. This makes it possible to ensure the speed, reliability, and transparency of NFT transactions while also ensuring user privacy, without increasing the workload for users.

[0059] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10. NFT Marketplace System 20 Servers 22 Database 30 Providers 50 User terminal 50A User (consultant) terminal 50B User (Advisor) Terminal 60 Blockchain 60A Node 60B node 60C Node 60D Node 60E Node 60F Node 70 Internet

Claims

1. A server to which the user terminal connects via the Internet; a database connected to the server; A provider that can read and write data to a blockchain consisting of multiple nodes; An NFT marketplace system comprising: The server is configured to enable transactions of NFTs in which information to be published on the blockchain is recorded in advance, The database registers information to be made private in association with the token ID of the NFT, When a user connects to the server using the user terminal and purchases the NFT, the server records the transaction history of the NFT as information to be published on the blockchain via the provider, and Displaying the information to be made publicly available and registered in the database on the user terminal of the user who purchased the NFT; An NFT marketplace system configured as follows.

2. The NFT marketplace system of claim 1 , wherein the information to be made private includes appointment-related information including at least a potential date and time.

3. The NFT marketplace system of claim 2, wherein when a user who purchased the NFT selects a date and time from the candidate dates and times displayed on the user terminal of the user who purchased the NFT, the server registers the selected date and time in association with the token ID of the NFT in the database.

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