Blockchain Node Web Service via Smart Contract Containers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current blockchain-based web services rely on centralized mid-station services, which compromise the decentralized nature of blockchain networks and raise security concerns, as they require users to trust intermediate agents for accessing blockchain methods.

Innovation Solution

Implementing web services directly on blockchain network nodes using smart contracts executed in software containers, allowing clients to access web services without intermediate agents, thereby enhancing security, flexibility, and scalability, and reducing complexity by eliminating the need for blockchain SDKs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a centralized mid-station service is used to integrate blockchain SDK and call blockchain methods, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability and security are worsened because users must trust the mid-station service

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the centralized mid-station service from the system architecture. Instead of having a separate mid-station layer that users must trust, the blockchain node itself is enhanced to directly provide web services through smart contracts. This extraction eliminates the trust requirement while maintaining ease of operation, as users can directly interact with blockchain nodes using standard web protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the mid-station service functionality directly into the blockchain node by deploying smart contracts that handle web service requests. The blockchain node combines both the consensus mechanism and web service provisioning capabilities, eliminating the need for a separate centralized service layer and thereby improving both reliability and ease of operation simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If a centralized mid-station service is implemented, then the ease of operation is improved, but the decentralized nature of the blockchain network is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddecentralized nature
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The blockchain network nodes perform self-service by directly executing smart contracts that handle web service requests. Each node can independently provide web services without relying on a centralized mid-station service, thereby maintaining the decentralized nature of the network while still providing ease of operation through standardized web interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If smart contracts are executed in software containers on blockchain network nodes, then the device complexity is reduced by eliminating mid-station services, but the manufacturing precision is worsened due to the need for container deployment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmanufacturing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces software containers as an intermediary layer between the smart contract code and the blockchain node execution environment. The containers provide a standardized, isolated environment for executing smart contracts, which simplifies deployment and management while ensuring consistent behavior across different nodes. This intermediary approach reduces overall system complexity while maintaining implementation precision through standardized container protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3769490B1Implementing a blockchain-based web service
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECH CO LTD
  • EP3769490B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3769490B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3769490B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing a blockchain-based web service. One of the methods includes receiving a web service request for web data by a blockchain network node of a blockchain network node and from a client device. The web service request is stored in the blockchain network node. The blockchain network node forwards the web service request to a smart contract deployed in a software container on the blockchain network node. The blockchain network node obtains an execution result from the smart contract in response to the web service request, and sends the execution result to the client device.