New patents are issued by the USPTO on Tuesdays. Both of today's Spotlight Patents continue the theme of blockchain (distributed ledger, smart contracts) and digital rights management broadly construed. Assigned to Proclus Technologies Limited (CN), the first patent addresses techniques for securing a blockchain with proof-of-transactions. Apparently assigned to the inventors, Leng and Leng, the second patent addresses techniques for splitting digital promises recorded in a blockchain.
10,230,530, "Method and system for securing a blockchain with proof-of-transactions," assigned to Proclus Technologies Limited (CN)
Abstract
Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing blockchain transactions, and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatuses for securing a blockchain with proof-of-transactions. In various embodiments, the blockchain system utilizes a proof-of-transactions approach that is based on a multi-player voting system and that is not susceptible to a free-rider problem that affects many other cryptocurrencies. The proof-of-transactions approach allows the cryptocurrency network to divide revenue between the nodes in the peer-to-peer network that provides bandwidth and connectivity and a set of other nodes that solve computational puzzles that safeguard the security of the blockchain system.
10,225,076, "Splitting digital promises recorded in a blockchain," apparently assigned to the inventors, Tianqing Leng; and Tianhui Leng (CN).
Abstract
A method and system to securely split a digital promise that is recorded in a blockchain. A digital promise represents a promise by a promisor to pay a promisee an asset when a specified condition is satisfied. The specified condition may be fulfillment of a digital contract, also recorded in the blockchain, to which the digital promise is linked. When splitting a digital promise, a split transaction is recorded indicating a split into a first child digital promise and a second child digital promise. In each child digital promise, the promisor promises to pay a child promisee a portion of the asset when a specified child condition is satisfied. When a digital promise is split, the digital promise itself is no longer payable, but the child digital promises are payable when both the specified condition and the specified child condition for the child digital promise are satisfied.
