Blockchain Contract Referencing for Lightweight Smart Contract Execution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blockchain technologies face inefficiencies in executing digital contracts due to the need to store and process extensive programming code within the blockchain, which increases data size and processing requirements, and lack a streamlined method for referencing and executing smart contracts.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves referencing a digital contract using a contract identifier and contractual parameters within the blockchain, allowing the blockchain to only store these identifiers or their hash values, while the actual execution is handled by a separate contract server or network resource, thereby reducing the blockchain's data burden and processing needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the blockchain stores and processes extensive programming code for digital contracts, then the contract execution capability is improved, but the blockchain size and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the programming code from the blockchain and stores it off-chain in a database. The blockchain only stores a reference identifier (hash) of the code, separating the code storage function from the blockchain. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining contract execution capability while significantly reducing blockchain size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a database as an intermediary component between the blockchain and the programming code. The database stores the actual code while the blockchain stores only the reference identifier. This intermediary structure allows the system to maintain versatility without increasing blockchain volume.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the blockchain stores and processes extensive programming code for digital contracts, then the contract execution capability is improved, but the processing requirements and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the code processing function from the blockchain to an external database and execution environment. The blockchain only handles simple reference lookups and validation, significantly reducing its processing complexity while maintaining full contract execution capability through the external systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the contract execution system into separate components: the blockchain handles identification and validation, the database stores and manages code, and external execution environments handle actual code execution. This segmentation reduces the processing burden on the blockchain while maintaining execution capability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the blockchain stores actual programming code for digital contracts, then the self-containment is improved, but the scalability and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the code from the blockchain to external databases, allowing the blockchain to remain lightweight and efficient. The extracted code can be stored in optimized database structures that scale independently, improving overall system scalability while the blockchain maintains its self-containment for critical validation functions.
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.