Blockchain Transaction Timestamp Proof for Off-Chain Double-Spend Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The risk of double spending blockchain transactions, particularly when sent off-chain between parties, is not adequately mitigated by existing blockchain systems, leading to potential fraud and negative consequences for the receiving party.

Innovation Solution

A method involving generating a blockchain transaction with a signature based on time indicators and transmitting it via an off-chain channel to verify the transaction's generation and transmission times, enabling the receiving party to authenticate the transaction's legitimacy and detect potential double spends.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If blockchain transactions are transmitted off-chain between parties, then transaction speed and privacy are improved, but the risk of double spending increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransaction speedVSAvoiddouble spend risk
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by requiring the sending party to generate a signed timestamp proof before transmitting the off-chain transaction. This timestamp proof serves as advance verification that the transaction has not been previously spent, preventing double spending while maintaining off-chain speed advantages. The timestamp is generated and signed in advance, creating a verifiable record before the actual transaction occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a timestamp intermediary mechanism that mediates between the sending and receiving parties. Instead of directly trusting each other for off-chain transactions, parties use a verifiable timestamp as an intermediary proof of transaction order and authenticity. This timestamp intermediary resolves the trust issue inherent in off-chain transactions while maintaining speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If timestamp verification is added to off-chain transactions, then double spend detection is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedouble spend detectionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the transaction data structure to include a timestamp field and a signature field. These are simple parameter additions that enable verification without fundamentally changing the transaction protocol. The timestamp and signature are appended to existing transaction data, making verification straightforward while maintaining compatibility with standard blockchain transaction formats.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements self-service verification where each party independently verifies the timestamp signature using the other party's public key. No external verification service or additional infrastructure is required - the verification is performed locally by the receiving party using standard cryptographic operations. This keeps the system simple and decentralized.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4429165B1Blockchain transaction double spend proof
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 NCHAIN LICENSING AG
  • EP4429165B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4429165B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4429165B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A computer-implemented method of testing whether or not a blockchain transaction is a double spend attempt, the method being performed by a first party and comprising: generating a first blockchain transaction, wherein the first blockchain transaction comprises an input for unlocking an output of a blockchain transaction previously transmitted to one or more nodes of a blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain; generating a signature based on the first blockchain transaction and one or more time indicators, each time indicator indicating when the first blockchain transaction was generated and/or transmitted to a second party; and transmitting to the second party, the first blockchain transaction, the signature and the one or more time indicators, wherein at least the first blockchain transaction is transmitted to the second party via an off-chain communication channel.