Linked Blockchain Ledgers for Real-Time Settlement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transaction settlement systems are slow, often taking 24 hours to three days, leading to undesirable delays and risks for transaction parties, as they rely on centralized ledgers and physical movement of funds for interbank settlements.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a distributed ledger system using blockchain technology that allows for real-time settlement by recording transactions across multiple pool accounts, enabling quick conversion between ledger balances and fiat currency, and facilitating multicurrency, cross-border transactions without tying up working capital.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized ledger system is used for interbank settlements, then transaction security and reliability are maintained, but transaction settlement time increases to 24 hours to three days
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized ledger system into multiple independent blockchain ledgers, each managed by different pool entities. This segmentation allows parallel processing of transactions across multiple ledgers simultaneously, reducing overall settlement time while maintaining security through distributed consensus mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces pool accounts as intermediary layers between individual user accounts and the traditional centralized settlement system. These pool accounts aggregate funds and enable faster settlement by batching transactions, thus reducing the time required for individual transaction clearings while maintaining the reliability of the underlying centralized infrastructure.
2Reliability
If physical movement of funds is used for interbank settlements, then transaction finality is ensured, but working capital is tied up during the settlement process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital representations (ledger entries) of fund movements that serve as copies of the actual physical fund transfers. These digital copies enable immediate settlement recording and transaction finality without requiring the physical movement of funds, thus freeing up working capital while ensuring transaction finality through cryptographic verification and consensus mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements pre-funded pool accounts that hold reserves in advance. This preliminary action allows transactions to be settled immediately by drawing from these pre-positioned funds, eliminating the need for physical fund movement during settlement and improving working capital efficiency while maintaining transaction finality.
3Productivity
If multiple pool accounts are managed in a distributed ledger system, then transaction speed and productivity are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the distributed ledger system with universal protocols and standardized interfaces that can handle multiple pool accounts through a common framework. This multi-functionality allows the system to manage numerous pool accounts with varying characteristics using the same core infrastructure, thus improving transaction speed without proportionally increasing system complexity.
4Loss of time
If real-time settlement is implemented using distributed ledger, then transaction delays are reduced, but infrastructure complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic architecture where the distributed ledger system can operate in different modes depending on transaction requirements. For simple transactions, the system uses lightweight validation mechanisms that reduce infrastructure complexity, while for complex transactions, more rigorous consensus protocols are activated, thus achieving real-time settlement without uniformly high infrastructure costs.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a real-time payments settlement system based on distributed ledgers, which may be implemented with blockchain technology. The distributed ledgers may be separate and distinct and each ledger can be used to track, record, and settle transactions between users of a pool account. The ledgers may also be interconnected with one another by being connected to a main ledger, and this network of ledgers can be used to track, record, and facilitate settlement of transactions between users of different pool accounts that are associated with different ledgers. This provides redundancy, transparency, and data access controls, while enabling multicurrency, cross-border transactions to be quickly verified, performed, and settled on a per-transaction basis while reducing the capital requirements of its users.