Adapting Smart Contracts for MaaS Disruptions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobility as a service (MaaS) systems face challenges in flexibility and stability due to the immutability of smart contracts, which makes it difficult to adapt to exceptional circumstances such as transport disruptions or changes in service conditions, especially when handling multiple service providers and diverse transportation modes.
Innovation Solution
A communication network node and method that includes circuitry to recognize service disturbances and adapt smart contracts accordingly, allowing for temporary changes in contract conditions based on user preferences and real-time data from sensors, ensuring seamless service delivery during disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If smart contracts are made immutable to ensure stability and reliability, then system reliability is improved, but adaptability to service disruptions and changing conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the smart contract system into multiple components: immutable core contract logic stored on the blockchain, and mutable configuration parameters stored externally. This allows the core contractual obligations to remain stable and trustworthy while enabling flexible adjustment of service-specific parameters in response to disruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (oracle or data storage device) that bridges the immutable blockchain smart contract and the mutable real-world service conditions. This intermediary allows external data about service disruptions to be fed into the smart contract system, enabling adaptive responses while maintaining the integrity of the core contract.
2Adaptability or versatility
If smart contracts are made flexible to adapt to service disruptions, then adaptability is improved, but system reliability and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic smart contracts that can automatically adjust their behavior based on real-time service conditions. The contract logic remains stable, but the contract can dynamically modify execution parameters, service levels, and compensation mechanisms in response to verified service disruptions, achieving both flexibility and reliability.
3Ease of operation
If centralized gateway is used for MaaS to simplify service management, then ease of operation is improved, but system complexity and single point of failure risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical management functions from a centralized gateway and distributes them to individual service providers and a decentralized blockchain network. Each service provider maintains their own service data and smart contracts, eliminating the single point of failure while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized interfaces.
4Reliability
If smart contracts are made immutable to prevent tampering, then security is improved, but ability to handle exceptional circumstances deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-programming the smart contract with predefined exception handling logic and compensation mechanisms for various service disruption scenarios. When disruptions occur, the contract automatically executes pre-agreed upon remedies, maintaining security while addressing exceptional circumstances without requiring contract modification.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a communication network node for providing data to a distributed ledger, wherein the node has circuitry configured to provide a special condition for a smart contract, and verify whether the special condition is met.