Blockchain Smart Contract Coordination for Untrusted Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distributed computing systems struggle to ensure coordinated execution of actions among untrusted local computing agents, as they may prioritize their own local gains over system-wide coordination, leading to potential failures in executing actions as mandated.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a smart contract recorded in a blockchain database to coordinate actions among untrusted local computing agents. The smart contract outlines a global plan comprising sets of actions for each agent, ensuring that actions are executed only when preconditions are met and dependencies are satisfied.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If simple messaging and book-keeping are used for coordination among trusted agents, then coordination is easy to implement, but the system fails when agents are untrusted and prioritize local gains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain-based smart contract as an intermediary between untrusted computing agents. The smart contract contains the global plan and coordinates actions by verifying preconditions and recording executions immutably. This intermediary enforces coordination without requiring trust among agents, resolving the contradiction between ease of implementation and reliability enforcement.
2Reliability
If a blockchain-based smart contract system is implemented to enforce coordination among untrusted agents, then coordination reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The smart contract serves multiple functions within a single structure: it stores the global plan, defines local plans for each agent, records action preconditions, tracks execution status, and enforces coordination rules. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate complex components while maintaining reliable coordination enforcement among untrusted agents.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system are presented for enabling coordinated executions of actions in a distributed computing system with untrusted local computing agents. A smart contract including plans is recorded in a blockchain database. Each plan includes actions to be executed by a respective one of the local computing agents. Execution of a first action of a first set of actions to be executed by a first local computing agent is requested. Execution of a second action of a second set of actions to be executed by a second local computing agent is requested. Responsive to determining, based on the smart contract, that the first action can be executed, the first local computing agent is caused to execute the first action and responsive to determining, based on the smart contract, that the second action cannot be executed, the second local computing agent is caused to not execute the second action.