Blockchain Digital Contract Reference Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blockchain technologies for executing digital contracts are inefficient as they require storing and processing extensive programming code, leading to increased size and processing requirements for blockchains, which can be burdensome and costly.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves referencing a digital contract identifier and contractual parameters within the blockchain, rather than the actual programming code, allowing for offloading the execution to a contract server or network resource, thereby simplifying the blockchain and reducing its size and processing demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If blockchain stores and processes extensive programming code for digital contracts, then contract execution capability is improved, but blockchain size and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the actual programming code from the blockchain and stores it externally at network resources. The blockchain only stores a reference identifier (hash) of the code, not the code itself. This separation allows the blockchain to remain lightweight while still enabling contract execution through references to external code locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reference identifier (such as a hash value) as an intermediary between the blockchain and the actual programming code. This intermediary allows the blockchain to maintain a compact structure by storing only the reference rather than the full code, while still enabling access and execution of the code through the reference.
2Adaptability or versatility
If blockchain stores and processes extensive programming code for digital contracts, then contract execution capability is improved, but processing requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the computational burden of code processing from the blockchain itself and relocates it to external network resources. The blockchain only performs lightweight operations of storing and retrieving reference identifiers, while the actual code execution occurs at designated network locations, significantly reducing blockchain processing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference identifier acts as an intermediary that enables contract execution without requiring the blockchain to process the actual code. The identifier serves as a key to access code at network resources, allowing the blockchain to maintain minimal processing overhead while still supporting contract execution functionality.
3Productivity
If blockchain stores actual programming code, then contract execution is direct, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the programming code from the blockchain structure and stores it at separate network resources. The blockchain structure is simplified to only contain reference identifiers and metadata, reducing structural complexity while maintaining the ability to execute contracts through external code references.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the contract execution system into separate components: the blockchain stores only references and metadata, while the actual code resides at network resources. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, simplifying the blockchain structure while preserving contract execution capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Digital or “smart” contracts execute in a blockchain environment. Any entity (whether public or private) may specify a digital contract via a table identifier in a blockchain. Because there may be many digital contracts offered as virtual services, the table identifier uniquely identifies a particular decision table and/or the digital contract offered by a virtual machine, vendor or supplier. The blockchain is thus not burdened with the programming code that is required to execute the decision table and/or the digital contract. The blockchain need only include or specify the table identifier (and perhaps one or more contractual parameters), thus greatly simplifying the blockchain and reducing its size (in bytes) and processing requirements.