Smart Contract Invocation Threshold Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blockchain technologies lack an efficient method to invoke smart contracts that require collective action from multiple parties, as they typically execute smart contracts based on individual transactions rather than cumulative or coordinated inputs from multiple participants.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for invoking a smart contract in a blockchain node that involves obtaining multiple blockchain transactions, determining if their combined operation information meets predefined thresholds, and executing the contract code only when these thresholds are met, allowing for cumulative or coordinated invocation by multiple parties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If smart contracts are executed based on individual transactions, then the execution speed and simplicity are improved, but the ability to require collective action from multiple parties deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontract execution speedVSAvoidmulti-party coordination capability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent accumulates invocation requests from multiple transactions before executing the smart contract. Each transaction adds its invocation information to a cumulative set, and only when the cumulative invocations meet the threshold condition does the contract execute. This preliminary accumulation phase enables multi-party coordination while maintaining efficient batch execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If smart contracts require cumulative invocation from multiple transactions, then the security and reliability are improved, but the execution efficiency and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontract invocation reliabilityVSAvoidinvocation mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where each transaction's invocation information is added to cumulative invocation information, and the system continuously checks whether the cumulative data meets the threshold condition. This feedback loop ensures reliable multi-party validation while automating the complexity of threshold checking, so users only need to submit transactions without manually managing the complexity of coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple transactions are accumulated before execution, then the multi-party coordination is improved, but the invocation time and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollective action capabilityVSAvoidcontract invocation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent allows transactions to be submitted with invocation information even if the threshold is not yet met. These partial invocations are accumulated and stored, ready for execution once the threshold is reached. This approach enables parties to prepare their invocations in advance without waiting for all participants to be ready simultaneously, reducing the overall coordination time while still achieving the required collective action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3961453B1Method and apparatus for invoking smart contract, electronic device, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2023.08.30 ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECH CO LTD
  • EP3961453B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3961453B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3961453B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

One or more implementations of the present specification provide a method and apparatus for invoking a smart contract, an electronic device, and a storage medium. The method is applied in a blockchain node and can include: separately obtaining a plurality of blockchain transactions, the plurality of blockchain transactions each being used to invoke a target smart contract; determining whether invoking operation information of the plurality of blockchain transactions meets an invoking threshold for the target smart contract; and in response to the invoking operation information meeting the invoking threshold, executing a contract code corresponding to the target smart contract.