Computer-implemented system and method for combining block-chain technology with digital twins

Abstract

To provide a computer-implemented method and system that use block-chain technology as a storage system for data obtained from digital twins.SOLUTION: Block-chain can be used to generate an immutable transaction history of data generated by digital twins. In the event of an error, a failure, an accident, or a disaster, interested parties can access and analyze immutable data sets. A block-chain network can also execute digital smart contracts based on data received from the digital twins. The invention may be used in relation to the Bitcoin block-chain or another block-chain protocol.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification generally relates to methods and systems implemented by a computer suitable for implementation on a node of a blockchain network. The present invention is particularly suitable for use with the Bitcoin blockchain, but is not limited thereto.

Background Art

[0002] Today's industrial assets are designed depending on various models and a vast number of data sources. Data scientists conduct research with a vast amount of data, while specialized teams separately generate models and perform analyses on their own research. Most current information and calculations may not be immediately available for important decisions. Such a method of researching individually (in silos) causes costs and inefficiencies, generates uncertainties, and wastes vast amounts of time and resources. Digital twins are very useful for making the most of the data generated by sensors and processes.

[0003] A digital twin is a virtual dynamic copy of a real object, process, or service that can be tested to prevent errors or failures. It is possible to generate digital twins of products, mechanical parts of aircraft or vehicles, production processes, etc. A digital twin can be understood as a revolutionary combination of simulation and real-time data and responses.

[0004] The operation of simulating a process or system is premised on knowledge of how all variables included in the simulation behaved in the past and a sufficiently large time frame during which the system under test, where all input / output variables are recorded, is observed. Having knowledge of the past is essential for constructing a good simulator. The possibility of adding real-time information to this process can dramatically improve the accuracy and precision of the entire simulation until it mirrors the exact operation of the system or process. This possibility is revolutionary for Industry 4.0, and Gartner classified the digital twin as one of the most important disruptive technologies in 2017 [http: / / www.gartner.com / smarterwithgartner / gartners-top-10-technology-trends-2017 / ].

[0005] Figure 1 shows a simple schematic of a digital twin for a physical system. Sensors collect data regarding the physical system, which can be, for example, an aircraft component. Historical data is used to construct the digital twin, which then conducts a simulation of the physical system when further real-time data is supplied to the system. The digital twin can monitor the parameters of the physical system, evaluate the current state of the physical system, predict the future state of the physical system, conduct tests to predict, for example, malfunctions of the physical system, and be used to help avoid malfunctions, for example, by replacing components or operating the physical system in a different way.

[0006] As will be described later, a number of problems have been identified with current digital twin technology.

[0007] The reliability and security of a digital twin depend on the security of the data on which the digital twin relies. The data should ideally be immutable so that the operation of the digital twin cannot be tampered with during real-time operation and so that it accurately reflects the state of the physical system. This can be important, for example, to prevent a third party from interfering with the data and causing the digital twin to not accurately represent the real-time state of the physical system, providing incorrect information that could lead to operational errors or malfunctions in the physical system.

[0008] Furthermore, the stored data should be immutable so that an accurate and reliable historical record of the system's performance is maintained. This can be important, for example, when the physical system fails and the data needs to be examined to determine why it failed, and when there is liability on the part of the user or manufacturer of the physical system. This can also be important in processes where certain operations may depend on the execution of early measures. In this case, a third party could potentially modify the stored data to make it appear that certain operations were executed, inadvertently triggering further actions when they were not actually performed.

[0009] A further issue is the question of data accessibility for each of a number of interested parties. The parties may have conflicting interests, and thus it is advantageous to have a neutral record of the data that is accessible to all parties while being secure and immutable.

[0010] A further problem is that conventional data storage solutions, such as an aircraft's black box recorder, can be damaged or lost in the event of an accident.

[0011] A further problem is a scenario where, upon completion of a previous operation, a further operation is required, and the digital twin can indicate that a further operation is required, but it cannot guarantee that it will actually be executed. For example, the digital twin may indicate that a particular physical process has been completed, and thus require a further step such as payment for the completion of the physical process. However, the digital twin cannot guarantee that such payment will actually be made, and thus the parties to the process rely on trust to make the payment or make an advance payment depending on the reliability of the process provider to properly complete the process. Summary of the Invention

[0012] An object of certain embodiments of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems by providing a solution as described herein.

[0013] The inventors of the present invention have understood that the above-described problems can be solved by using blockchain technology as a storage system for data and processes obtained from a physical system including real-time applications using digital twins. For example, blockchain can be used to generate an immutable transaction history of data generated by a digital twin. In the event of an error, failure, accident, or disaster, interested parties can access and analyze the immutable dataset. This can be particularly important in safety-critical systems such as aircraft. Furthermore, since blockchain provides distributed storage of data, it is less affected by damage or loss of individual storage units.

[0014] The current blockchain technology can meet the aforementioned functions when a relatively small amount of data needs to be stored during a relatively infrequent time period. However, the block size limit and the fact that blocks are only incorporated into the blockchain approximately every 10 minutes mean that standard blockchain technology is not very suitable as a storage system for real-time applications that require storing data in a very large amount and / or with a high frequency / fidelity, such as every second or every millisecond. Approaches to overcome these problems are also described herein for utilizing blockchain as a storage system for real-time systems.

[0015] Furthermore, the inventors of the present invention have understood that the digital twin enables a party to implement a digital smart contract on a blockchain network. This can ensure that the steps are executable according to the data received by the digital twin indicating the state of the physical system by the blockchain network. That is, the blockchain network can be used to execute a digital smart contract with multiple parties related to the system or process incorporating the digital twin.

[0016] In view of the above, there is provided a method implemented by a computer for a blockchain network, the method including: receiving, at a node of the blockchain network, data, where the data is generated by a digital twin or derived from data generated by a digital twin; and storing the data in the blockchain.

[0017] The data stored in the blockchain may be associated with a given amount of data generated by the digital twin within a given time frame. For example, the data generated by the digital twin can be recorded at nodes of the blockchain network, and at time t, the node can generate a first hash of the data and record the hash both locally and on the blockchain. At time intervals, new hashes can be generated to create a chain of hashes recorded on the blockchain. The chain of hashes in the blockchain can be used to verify the authenticity of the data recorded at the nodes.

[0018] Alternatively, the data stored in the blockchain includes the data generated by the digital twin, thereby providing a historical record, e.g., a complete historical record, of the data generated by the digital twin within the blockchain. In this regard, the computer-implemented method may include the following steps: receiving a transaction including data generated by a bona fide digital twin; verifying the transaction at a transaction verification node within the blockchain network; maintaining a distributed and decentralized storage of the verified transactions by other transaction verification nodes within the blockchain; and supplying data corresponding to the verified transaction to the blockchain for mining.

[0019] The method may further include receiving mined data from the blockchain network corresponding to the verified transaction, assembling a block based on the mined data, and transmitting the assembled block to a storage entity for storage on the blockchain.

[0020] The above method of constructing and storing blocks enables large data portion blocks to be assembled and stored on the blockchain.

[0021] The data generated from the digital twin can be data associated with one or more parameters of the physical system generated by one or more sensors that monitor one or more parameters of the physical system. Further, the blockchain network can be configured to execute digital smart contracts based on the data received from the digital twin.

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention can be provided in various forms. For example, a computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to execute the methods described herein can be provided. An electronic device including an interface device, one or more processors coupled to the interface device, and a memory coupled to the one or more processors, where the memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to execute the methods described herein, can also be provided. Further, a node of a blockchain network configured to execute the methods described herein can be provided.

[0023] Further, a digital twin configured to receive data representing the state of a system and transmit the received data or data derived from the received data from the digital twin to a blockchain network can be provided.

[0024] A system including a digital twin and a blockchain network node as described herein can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The foregoing and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from and taught with reference to the embodiments described herein. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] In this specification, we use the term "blockchain" to encompass all forms of electronic, computer-based, distributed ledgers. These include, but are not limited to, consensus-based blockchains and transaction chain technologies, permissioned and permissionless ledgers, shared ledgers, and variations thereof. While other blockchain implementations have been proposed and developed, the most widely known application of blockchain technology is the Bitcoin ledger. Bitcoin is here referred to for convenience and illustrative purposes, but it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to use with the Bitcoin blockchain, and alternative blockchain implementations and protocols are encompassed within the scope of the present invention.

[0027] A blockchain is a consensus-based digital ledger implemented as a computer-based decentralized distributed system, composed of blocks, which are also composed of transactions and other information. In the case of Bitcoin, each transaction is a data structure that encodes the transfer of control of digital assets between participants in the blockchain system and contains at least one input and at least one output. Each block contains the hash of the previous block, and these blocks are linked together to produce a permanent and immutable record of all transactions written to the blockchain since its inception. Transactions contain small programs known as scripts. Scripts are embedded with their inputs and outputs and specify how and by whom the outputs of a transaction are accessible. In the Bitcoin platform, these scripts are written using a stack-based scripting language.

[0028] For a transaction to be written to the blockchain, it must be verified. Some network nodes operate as miners and perform work to ensure that each transaction is verified, and invalid transactions are rejected from the network. For example, a software client installed on a node performs this verification work on transactions that reference unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs). Verification may be performed by executing its lock and unlock scripts. If the execution of the lock and unlock scripts evaluates to true (TRUE) and certain other conditions are met, the transaction is valid and the transaction may be written to the blockchain. Thus, for a transaction to be written to the blockchain, (i) it must be verified by the node that received the transaction, and if the transaction is valid, the node relays the transaction to other nodes within the network, (ii) it must be added to a new block constructed by a miner, and (iii) it must be mined, i.e., added to the public ledger of past transactions. A transaction is considered to be confirmed when a sufficient number of blocks have been added to the blockchain such that the transaction cannot realistically be canceled. When writing, the Bitcoin blockchain network mines blocks approximately every 10 minutes based on a block size that contains approximately 2000 transactions.

[0029] Blockchain technology is best known for its use in the implementation of cryptocurrencies, but digital entrepreneurs are beginning to develop the use of both Bitcoin-based cryptographic security systems and the data that can be stored on the blockchain to implement new systems. It would be highly advantageous if the blockchain could be used for automated tasks and processes that are not limited solely to what is called a payment in a cryptocurrency. Such solutions could diversify their uses while taking advantage of the benefits of the blockchain (e.g., permanence, tamper resistance of event records, distributed processing, etc.).

[0030] One area of research is the use of the blockchain for the implementation of "smart contracts." These are computer programs designed to automate the execution of machine-readable contracts or the terms of an agreement. Unlike traditional contracts, which can be described in natural language, smart contracts are machine-executable programs that contain rules for processing inputs to produce results, which can then be used to execute actions depending on those results.

[0031] This specification describes the use of blockchain in combination with a digital twin and optionally also in combination with the use of smart contracts. As described above, a digital twin can simplify supply chain management processes and can be an important diagnostic for security-critical systems (such as in the aircraft and aerospace industries or generally in transportation). There are numerous possible uses for the combination of digital twins and blockchain technology. For example, a blockchain network can be used to securely store information generated by a digital twin or to execute contracts with multiple related parties associated with a system or process incorporating the digital twin. The digital twin can effectively function as an interface between the physical system and the blockchain. As a result, data regarding the system or process can be acquired by the digital twin and stored on the blockchain, and the blockchain can trigger specific actions based on the received data in accordance with one or more smart contracts stored on the blockchain.

[0032] The amount of real-time data generated by a digital twin can vary depending on the complexity of the system being mirrored. For example, a digital twin can be configured to mirror the temperature of an office. In this case, considering that room temperature typically does not change rapidly, it may be reasonable to send the temperature value every minute (or every 5 minutes) in order to reduce the amount of data transmitted over the network. In the case of a temperature value every minute, the digital twin records and transmits 60 temperature values per hour (in real time).

[0033] Such a data volume is, of course, reasonable for records on the blockchain and does not cause major problems. However, the situation becomes more complex when the mirrored system is, for example, the engine of an aircraft in flight or the cylinder of a train during train operation. In these examples, it may be insufficient to send values every second, and it may be necessary to guarantee a higher fidelity, for example, samples every millisecond (which can occur positively in the case of an aircraft). Also, the number of variables to be recorded can vary. In complex systems, there may be a requirement to record a huge number of variables with high fidelity.

[0034] The need to consider the amount and frequency of data transmitted by the digital twin is an important prerequisite with constraints when considering the blockchain as a possible backbone infrastructure for storing information related to a specific object or process.

[0035] <Smart Contracts, Digital Twins, and Blockchain> The digital twin can be considered as an external object interacting with the blockchain, for example, as a related party in a digital contract implemented on the blockchain. That is, the digital twin can be considered as an entity that can record transactions on the blockchain and participate in one or more digital contracts. A protocol can be provided that enables agents to compose financial products using domain specific languages (DSL), outsource the execution of contracts to trustless parties, and publicly verify the accuracy of contract execution.

[0036] Such protocols utilize cryptographic primitives that guarantee completeness (i.e., when following the protocol correctly, an honest verifier is convinced of the validity of the output); soundness (i.e., a dishonest prover cannot convince an honest verifier that the output is genuine); and zero - knowledge (i.e., when the output is valid, a dishonest verifier cannot learn anything from this fact).

[0037] The basic advantages of such protocols are that they can prevent man - in - the - middle attacks since communication between participants is not required, it is difficult for malicious nodes to tamper with data due to the use of blockchain technology, and contract verification does not involve code re - execution. The calculations are not replicated by each node within the network. Instead, evidence of honest execution is stored on the public blockchain and used only for verification purposes.

[0038] <Actual example> The emergence of blockchain has opened up the possibility of a new way to automate processes involving multiple parties, with the great benefit of not requiring the setup of expensive centralized network infrastructure and all participants having access to the same data stored in a tamper - resistant record. Furthermore, blockchain technology enables smart contract protocols to facilitate negotiation and contract execution.

[0039] Consider an actual example involving three parties, namely (i) a supermarket, (ii) a shipping company, and (iii) an organic farmer. The farmer sells organic vegetables that must be consumed within 48 hours. When sold to the supermarket (or generally a store), the goods must be refrigerated during transportation and reach the final destination within 8 hours. Figure 2 includes a commercial chain with an automated process between parties using a blockchain and a smart contract that sets the conditions of the process.

[0040] The three parties involved in the process are independent and all are included in the value chain. This simple example shows how important trust among the parties is in this scenario when no metrics are considered in the process. In a simple world, the farmer knows and trusts the delivery person, and the delivery person guarantees that the truck used for delivery operates correctly and that the temperature in the cargo bed is kept below 3 degrees as required in the contract specified by the supermarket. The farmer also trusts the fact that the goods will be delivered within a maximum of 8 hours. At the same time, the supermarket manager knows and trusts both the farmer and the delivery person. In the absence of trust or past history, the combination of blockchain and digital twin can solve the problem.

[0041] The digital twin mirrors the environmental conditions in the cargo bed where the organic vegetables are transported. Such information can be stored on the blockchain, enabling both the farmer and the supermarket manager to verify what happened during delivery. The blockchain can function as the backbone of the entire process. Figure 3 shows a simple example of how the blockchain can be used in a process that includes (i) the step of registering the data provided by the digital twin during delivery, and (ii) the step of recording different transactions to ensure that all conditions comply with the contract. The scenario can be made clearer and more complex by considering the case where all parties involved in the process can sign all transactions. In the proposed example, the supermarket manager does not transact with the farmer. The proposed example is very simple, and the aim is to show how the blockchain can incorporate digital twin technology.

[0042] In the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the digital twin mirrors both the temperature inside the cargo hold and the delivery time in order to mimic the delivery process. However, in a simpler example, if it is desirable to mimic only the temperature behavior, the temperature sensor can be defined as the digital twin for such a system.

[0043] <Blockchain as a Memory System for Digital Twins> This chapter explains the use of blockchain as a key element of the digital twin network infrastructure. The scenario in FIG. 4 shows a practical example with an emphasis on security where the blockchain is a basic component of the infrastructure. In the illustrated configuration, the blockchain is used as an independent memory system for the digital twin associated with an aircraft.

[0044] An aircraft is a very complex system that undergoes frequent maintenance activities and strict control by both aircraft manufacturers and airlines (e.g., commercial aviation). A digital twin that mirrors different subsystems of an aircraft, such as hydraulic pumps, braking systems, wings, landing gears, etc., can be very useful in optimizing the maintenance process and preventing accidents. The blockchain generates an immutable transaction history of the data generated by the digital twin.

[0045] In the worst-case scenario of oversight or an accident, both the general aircraft manufacturer and the airline can access the immutable dataset stored in the blockchain and analyze the entire flight history. An array of digital twins that record the behavior of the aircraft during flight can constitute a powerful "flight recorder" stored in a neutral record (blockchain) accessible by all parties interested in examining the dataset.

[0046] <Data Size and Frequency Issues> As described above, the current blockchain technology can meet the aforementioned functions when a relatively small amount of data needs to be stored during relatively infrequent time periods. However, the block size limit and the fact that blocks are only incorporated into the blockchain approximately every 10 minutes mean that standard blockchain technology is not very suitable as a storage system for real-time applications that require storing data at a very large volume and / or high frequency / fidelity, such as every second or every millisecond. This specification describes two approaches to overcome the (current) constraints imposed by the blockchain: (i) incremental hashing of history (which may be implemented in the current Bitcoin network architecture); and (ii) the use of a modified blockchain network architecture adapted to process larger amounts of data at a higher rate.

[0047] <Incremental hashing of history> The idea of incremental hashing of history is closely linked to the function of the blockchain. The information stored in the blockchain is not the data generated by the digital twin, but the signed hash of a given amount of data D generated within a given time frame T. The time T depends on the system being analyzed (for example, if the digital twin is mirroring the room temperature, the time frame is larger than, for example, if the digital twin is mirroring the function of an aircraft engine). The storage node can be a dedicated node having a basis for providing evidence of the existence of data for which the hash stored in the signed blockchain is generated by the digital twin.

[0048] Figure 5 shows an incremental hashing procedure that can be used to store a given amount of data generated by a digital twin within a given time frame. The steps are as follows: (1) The digital twin begins to record data at a given frequency f; (2) The data is recorded at the private node; (3) At time T0, the node generates a first hash (H0) that hashes the data recorded by the digital twin: at time T0, H0 = H(D), and records the hash both locally and on the blockchain; (4) At time T0+x, all new hashes are linked to the previous hash (the second hash is linked to H0, and so on), generating a chain of hashes that are recorded on the blockchain.

[0049] The blockchain contains a sequence of hashes that can reconstruct the entire history of the data generated by the digital twin and can verify the authenticity of the information recorded by the private node.

[0050] <Use of the Modified Bitcoin Network Architecture> The second solution uses a modified Bitcoin network architecture to provide dedicated nodes and protocols for storing verification, mining, and functions within the Bitcoin network. The architecture we propose for the Bitcoin network is shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 shows an operation diagram indicating the steps from the moment a user submits a transaction until the transaction is completed on the blockchain. This architecture enables the storage of the complete history of the data generated by the digital twin on the blockchain, even when the dataset is large and generated with high frequency / fidelity.

[0051] A system is provided in which special verification nodes maintain a shared memory pool of transactions among them by means of a distributed hash table (DHT). These dedicated verification nodes may also be referred to as merchant nodes (represented as "M nodes" in FIG. 6). M nodes are designed with a focus on the fast propagation of transactions. They may or may not store the complete blockchain and are not required to perform a mining function. The operational focus of M nodes is the rapid verification of unapproved transactions and especially their propagation to other M nodes. From other M nodes, unapproved transactions are quickly pushed out to other nodes within the blockchain network. To achieve this function, M nodes are permitted a number of input and especially output connections that would otherwise be permitted to nodes under the governance protocol.

[0052] Dedicated verification nodes receive transactions, verify them, and allocate them to a distributed memory pool (also called a mempool). The verification nodes then provide their service of providing a list of valid transaction hashes to miners. Miners assemble a pre-block (block skeleton) based on these hashes and attempt to solve a hash puzzle. When a solution to the puzzle is found, the winning miner returns the block skeleton to the verification nodes. The verification nodes then verify the block and ensure that it is stored. Initially, it is possible and convenient for the verification nodes to store the block itself. When the block size finally exceeds a certain size threshold, the verification nodes either (a) exceed their own storage capacity or (b) outsource the storage to dedicated storage nodes.

[0053] In the aforementioned network system, the memory pool of transactions needs to be synchronized among the verification nodes. This involves the step of exchanging Invertible Bloom filter Lookup Tables (IBLTs - Michael T. Goodrich, 2011). The verification nodes maintain the latest memory pool through the IBLTs exchanged with the miners and other verification nodes. When the verification and storage functions are combined, this is called a new full node as shown in Figure 6.

[0054] The miner sends a block skeleton (tuple) composed of (1) nonce n; (2) IBLT; (3) Coinbase transaction.

[0055] Based on this, the new full nodes correspondingly order transactions and assemble newly mined blocks. The new full nodes then proceed to store the blocks in their own memory and propagate the skeleton to other new full nodes.

[0056] This solution overcomes the limitations of incremental hashing of history. The main problem with the incremental hashing solution is due to the fact that the dataset generated by the digital twin may be recorded in one private node (or multiple private nodes), and the blockchain may only contain signed data associated with the history of the full dataset. This condition is sufficient for many applications such as selling goods and supply chain management, while on the other hand, other safety - critical applications such as flight history may require that the complete dataset be recorded in the distributed blockchain ledger.

[0057] Individual nodes within the Bitcoin network can be viewed as a cluster of nodes that provide a distributed memory pool (DMP). The proposed DMP relies on a Distributed Hash Table (DHT) structure deployed within a network composed of individual trust relationships among honest nodes. The set of node connections is built on top of a collection of routing and application-level information. The central authority is not related to the release or storage of proof of trust, and each node maintains a record of its trustworthy peers.

[0058] Malicious entities need to participate in the network to carry out some form of attack. For example, the Sybil attack focuses on the generation of a large number of fake identities to damage the system. Sybil nodes connected to the network may interrupt or delay legitimate routing queries and spread incorrect routing information. However, the proposed DHT routing protocol has sub-linear time and space complexity and is based on the following assumptions: (1) Nodes cannot distinguish between honest nodes and malicious nodes; (2) Most honest nodes have more connections to other honest nodes; (3) Each node is responsible for storing information regarding a partition of the key space.

[0059] The DHT protocol provides two main functions: · UPDATE() is used at each DHT node to construct the routing table and insert keys. · GET(x, k) is used by DHT node x to find the target key-value record represented by key k.

[0060] Each DHT node x is usually identified by the public key P x and the current IP address addr x This information is in the record sign x (Px , addr x ) is securely linked by. Here, sign x () represents a signature by the corresponding private key. The node ID is then stored in the DHT using the signed record. When a node changes its location or receives a new IP address, a new record [P x , addr x must be stored in the DHT. Malicious nodes can insert incorrect key-value pairs. The GET method is responsible for verifying the signature in the returned key-value record.

[0061] The data routing network can be represented by an undirected graph. Malicious edges connect malicious nodes to honest nodes, while honest edges connect two honest nodes. Generating any number of Sybil identities is available to malicious nodes, but generating a malicious edge requires convincing honest nodes to establish a trustworthy link to one of the identities under Sybil control. If there is no tiny gap to split the honest area into two, a short random walk starting from an honest node may end at an honest node. Therefore, this solution provides a secure method for providing a Bitcoin network architecture capable of storing a huge amount of data generated by the digital twin with high fidelity in order to support the combination with the digital twin system of the blockchain network.

[0062] <Computing Environment> FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a computing environment in which various embodiments can be implemented. A simplified block diagram of a computing device 2600 that can be used to implement at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. In various embodiments, the computing device 2600 may be used to implement any of the illustrated systems described above. For example, the computing device 2600 may be configured to be used as a data server, a web server, a portable computing device, a personal computer, or any electronic computing device. As shown in FIG. 7, the computing device 2600 may include one or more processors including one or more levels of cache memory and a memory control unit (collectively labeled 2602) configured to communicate with a storage subsystem 2606 including a main memory 2608 and a permanent storage device 2610. The main memory 2608 may include, as illustrated, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 2618 and a read only memory (ROM) 2620. The storage subsystem 2606 and the cache memory 2602 may be used for storing information such as details associated with transactions and blocks as described in the present disclosure. The processor 2602 may be utilized to provide the steps or functions of any embodiment as described in the present disclosure.

[0063] The processor 2602 can 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.

[0064] The bus subsystem 2604 may provide a mechanism that enables the various components and subsystems of the computing device 2600 to communicate with each other as intended. The bus subsystem 2604 is schematically shown as a single bus, but alternative embodiments of the bus subsystem may utilize multiple buses.

[0065] The network interface subsystem 2616 may provide an interface to other computing devices and networks. In some embodiments, the network interface subsystem 2616 may function as an interface for receiving data from and transmitting data to other systems of the computing device 2600. For example, the network interface subsystem 2616 enables a data technician to connect the device to a network. As a result, the data technician can send data to and receive data from the device even if located at a remote location such as a data center.

[0066] The user interface input device 2612 may include one or more user input devices such as a keyboard, an integrated mouse, a trackball, a touchpad, or a pointing device such as a graphics tablet, a scanner, a barcode scanner, a touch screen incorporated in a display, a voice recognition system, an audio input device such as 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.

[0067] The one or more user interface output devices 2614 may include a display subsystem, a printer, or a non-visual display such as an audio output device, etc. The display subsystem may include a flat panel device such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, or a projection, 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. The one or more user interface output devices 2614 may be used, for example, to present a user interface and enable user interaction with an application that executes the processes and variations described herein when such interaction is appropriate.

[0068] Memory subsystem 2606 may provide a computer-readable storage medium that stores basic programming and data structures that provide the functionality of at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Applications (e.g., programs, code modules, instructions) may be stored in memory subsystem 2606 and, when executed by one or more processors, provide the functionality of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. These application modules or instructions may be executed by one or more processors 2602. Memory subsystem 2606 further provides a repository for storing data used in accordance with the present disclosure. For example, main memory 2608 and cache memory 2602 may provide volatile memory for programs and data. Persistent storage device 2610 may provide persistent (non-volatile) memory for programs and data and may include a magnetic hard disk drive, one or more floppy disk drives associated with removable media, one or more optical drives (e.g., CD-ROM, or DVD, or Blue-Ray) drives associated with removable media, and other similar storage media. Such programs and data may 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.

[0069] Computing device 2600 can be of various types, including a portable computer device, a tablet computer, a workstation, or any other device described later. Further, computing device 2600 may include another device connectable to computing device 2600 through one or more ports (e.g., USB, headphone jack, optical connector, etc.). The device connectable to computing device 2600 may include a plurality of ports configured to receive optical fiber connectors. Thus, this device may be configured to convert an optical signal into an electrical signal transmitted to computing device 2600 through the port connecting the devices for processing. Due to the constantly changing characteristics of computers and networks, the description of computing device 2600 shown in FIG. 7 is intended only as a specific example for the purpose of explaining a preferred embodiment of the device. Many other configurations with more or fewer components than the system shown in FIG. 7 are possible.

[0070] <Summary> This specification describes how to use a blockchain as an independent storage system for a digital twin. This specification also describes how digital smart contracts can be used to manage the interaction between a blockchain, a digital twin, and an external physical system t. When a large amount of data needs to be stored, two solutions are described. In the first solution, only specific hashes are recorded on the blockchain based on the incremental hashes of the history, and in the second solution, the use of a distributed memory pool and new full nodes is provided to enable the blockchain to be effectively used as the complete backbone of the digital twin infrastructure.

[0071] The above embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, but rather to illustrate it, and it should be noted that those skilled in the art can devise many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs in parentheses are not intended to limit the claim. The terms "comprising", "comprises", etc. do not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in any claim or the entire specification. In this specification, "comprising" means "comprising or consisting of", and "including" means "including or consisting of". A reference to a single element does not exclude a reference to plural elements. The reverse is also true. The present invention can be implemented by means of hardware including several distinct elements and by a suitably programmed computer. In apparatus claims listing several means, several of these means may be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain means are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these means cannot be used advantageously.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for a blockchain, the computer-implemented method comprising: at a node of a blockchain network, receiving data, the data being generated by or derived from data generated by a digital twin at a second time interval, the second time interval being shorter than a first time interval at which a block is incorporated into the blockchain, the node generating a hash of the data and repeatedly recording the hash locally and on the blockchain at a third time interval to generate a chain of hashes, the third time interval being shorter than the first time interval and longer than the second time interval; storing the data in the blockchain; the chain of hashes stored in the blockchain includes the data generated by the digital twin, thereby providing a historical record in the blockchain of the data generated by the digital twin; receiving a transaction including the data generated by the digital twin; verifying the transaction at a transaction verification node within the blockchain network; maintaining a distributed and decentralized storage of the verified transactions by other transaction verification nodes within the blockchain network; allocating data corresponding to the verified transactions to the blockchain network for mining; receiving mined data corresponding to the verified transactions from the blockchain network; assembling a block based on the mined data; transmitting the assembled block to a storage entity for storage on the blockchain; A computer-implemented method comprising the above steps.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the chain of hashes stored in the blockchain is associated with a given amount of data generated by the digital twin within a given time frame.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the chain of hashes within the blockchain is used to verify the authenticity of the data recorded in the node.

4. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the data generated from the digital twin is data associated with the one or more parameters of the physical system, generated by one or more sensors monitoring the one or more parameters of the physical system.

5. The computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the blockchain network executes a digital smart contract based on the data received from the digital twin.

6. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed, configure one or more processors to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. An electronic device, an interface device, one or more processors coupled to the interface device, a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed, configure the one or more processors to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising an electronic device.

8. A node of a blockchain network, the node being configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. A system comprising a digital twin and the blockchain network according to claim 8.

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