Self-Replicating Smart Contracts for Secure Undetermined Data

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blockchain technologies face limitations in encoding undetermined data within locking scripts, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and restricted functionality, particularly in smart contracts, due to the lack of support for complex flow control and self-referencing mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of self-replicating and self-referencing blockchain transaction locking scripts that allow secure provision of undetermined data from determined or undetermined sources, enabling parameterized smart contracts and trustless, deterministic state machines, while ensuring data integrity and security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If blockchain transactions use traditional locking scripts with determined data only, then security is maintained through cryptographic verification, but functionality is restricted and cannot support complex smart contracts with undetermined data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmart contract functionalityVSAvoiddata integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The locking script is configured in advance to accept and process undetermined data when it becomes available. The script includes pre-defined validation rules and cryptographic verification mechanisms that will automatically apply to any data provided later, enabling flexible smart contract functionality while maintaining security through pre-established protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary validation layer is introduced between the undetermined data source and the blockchain state. This intermediary consists of the locking script and unlocking script pair that mediates data verification, ensuring that undetermined data meets specified criteria before being accepted, thus maintaining data integrity without restricting functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If blockchain scripting languages support complex flow control and self-referencing mechanisms, then smart contract functionality is enhanced, but security vulnerabilities increase due to encoding limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescripting language capabilityVSAvoidsecurity vulnerabilities

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The scripting system is segmented into distinct components: locking scripts that define validation rules, unlocking scripts that provide proofs, and separate data fields for undetermined information. This segmentation allows complex functionality to be built from secure, verified components while isolating potential security vulnerabilities to specific, manageable sections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The locking script logic is copied and embedded within the blockchain transaction structure, creating a self-contained validation mechanism. This copying ensures that the security rules are directly enforced at the transaction level without relying on external interpretation, reducing security vulnerabilities while maintaining scripting capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If undetermined data is encoded directly in locking scripts, then smart contract flexibility is improved, but security is compromised due to lack of verification mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontract parameterizationVSAvoidsecurity verification

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A feedback mechanism is implemented where the locking script specifies validation criteria and the unlocking script provides corresponding proofs. The blockchain network verifies this feedback loop by checking that the unlocking data satisfies the locking conditions, ensuring security verification while allowing parameterized contracts with undetermined data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Traditional cryptographic verification mechanisms are replaced with a more flexible system based on computational proofs and validation scripts. Instead of relying solely on fixed cryptographic signatures, the system uses executable validation logic that can verify undetermined data against specified criteria, maintaining security while improving flexibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12586067B2Duplicating smart contracts with termination condition

Publication Date: 2026.03.24 NCHAIN LICENSING AG

AI summary

The invention relates to distributed ledger technologies such as consensus-based blockchains. Computer-implemented methods for locking and unlocking blockchain transactions are described. The invention is implemented using a blockchain network. A first unlocking script of the unlocking blockchain transaction is configured to unlock a first locking script, wherein the first locking script is configured, when executed together with the first unlocking script, to determine, based on the first locking script and a constraint for verifying the unlocking blockchain transaction. Verifying the unlocking blockchain transaction is based on a set of constraints and corresponding field of the unlocking blockchain transaction, wherein data is based on the set of constraints. Providing data at the corresponding field of the unlocking blockchain transaction. Finally, making the unlocking blockchain transaction available to one or more nodes of a blockchain network.