RELATIONAL DISTRIBUTED LEDGER FOR SMART CONTRACTS

• US 20190325044A1
• Filed: 04/24/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: GRAY, John Marley
• Granted Patent: US 11,010,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0637 Modes of operation, e.g. cipher block chaining [CBC], electronic codebook [ECB] or Galois/counter mode [GCM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

Data structures stored on a distributed ledger are accessed. The data structures identify registered smart contract components that include counterparties, schemas, and contract cryptlet. A first template smart contract data structure for a first smart contract is composed on the distributed ledger such that the first template smart contract data structure is a relational data structure that includes an identifier for the first smart contract, an identifier for at least two counterparties, an identifier for at least one schema, and an identifier for at least one contract cryptlet. A first smart contract ledger instance associated with the first ledger instance is caused to be deployed, such that the first smart contract ledger instance is based on the first template smart contract data structure. The first smart contract is caused to begin execution, such that the first smart contract is based on the first template smart contract data structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a device including at least one memory adapted to store run-time data for the device, and at least one processor that is adapted to execute processor-executable code that, in response to execution, enables the device to perform actions, including;

accessing a plurality of data structures stored on a distributed ledger, wherein the plurality of data structures identify a plurality of registered smart contract components, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components include at least a plurality of counterparties, a plurality of schemas, and a plurality of contract cryptlets;

composing, on the distributed ledger, a first template smart contract data structure for a first smart contract such that the first template smart contract data structure is a relational data structure that includes an identifier for the first template smart contract data structure, an identifier for at least two counterparties of the plurality of counterparties, an identifier for at least one schema of the plurality of schemas, and an identifier for at least one contract cryptlet of the plurality of contract cryptlets;

causing a first smart contract ledger instance associated with the first ledger instance to be deployed, such that the first smart contract ledger instance is based on the first template smart contract data structure; and

causing the first smart contract to begin execution, such that the first smart contract is based on the first template smart contract data structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of schemas and the plurality of contract cryptlets have corresponding identifiers and corresponding versions, and wherein the relational data structure further includes a version for the at least one schema of the plurality of schemas and a version for the at least one contract cryptlet of the plurality of contract cryptlets.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components further includes a plurality of utility cryptlets.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the actions further including providing discoverability for at least a portion of the plurality of registered smart contract components.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components further include a plurality of smart contracts, wherein the first template smart contract data structure further includes an identifier for each of at least one smart contract of the plurality of smart contracts that is related to the first smart contract, including at least a second smart contract.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, the actions further including:

providing a real-time risk view of contractual risk associated with each of the at least one smart contract that is related to the first smart contract.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first smart contract ledger instance is deployed on a first private consortium network, and wherein the second smart contract has a corresponding smart contract ledger instance that is deployed on a second private consortium network that is independent of the first private consortium network.

8. A method, comprising:

via at least one processor, creating, on a distributed ledger, a first template smart contract data structure for a first smart contract such that the first template smart contract data structure is a relational data structure, wherein the distributed ledger includes a plurality of data structures stored on a distributed ledger, wherein the plurality of data structures identify a plurality of registered smart contract components, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components include at least a plurality of counterparties, a plurality of schemas, and a plurality of contract cryptlets, and wherein the relational data structure includes an identifier for the first template smart contract data structure, an identifier for at least two counterparties of the plurality of counterparties, an identifier for at least one schema of the plurality of schemas, and an identifier for at least one contract cryptlet of the plurality of contract cryptlets; and

causing the first smart contract to begin execution, such that the first smart contract is based on the first template smart contract data structure.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of schemas and the plurality of contract cryptlets have corresponding identifiers and corresponding versions, and wherein the relational data structure further includes a version for the at least one schema of the plurality of schemas and a version for the at least one contract cryptlet of the plurality of contract cryptlets.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components further includes a plurality of utility cryptlets.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components further include a plurality of smart contracts, wherein the first template smart contract data structure further includes an identifier for each of at least one smart contract of the plurality of smart contracts that is related to the first smart contract, including at least a second smart contract.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a real-time risk view of contractual risk associated with each of the at least one smart contract that is related to the first smart contract.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

causing a first smart contract ledger instance associated with the first ledger instance to be deployed on a first private consortium network, wherein the first smart contract ledger instance is based on the first template smart contract data structure.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second smart contract has a corresponding smart contract ledger instance that is deployed on a second private consortium network that is independent of the first private consortium network

15. A processor-readable storage medium, having stored thereon process-executable code that, upon execution by at least one processor, enables actions, comprising:

accessing a registry stored on a distributed ledger, wherein the registry identifies a plurality of smart contract components, wherein the plurality of smart contract components include at least a plurality of counterparties, a plurality of schemas, and a plurality of contract cryptlets;

generating, on the distributed ledger, a first template smart contract data structure for a first smart contract such that the first template smart contract data structure is a relational data structure that includes an identifier for the first template smart contract data structure, an identifier for at least two counterparties of the plurality of counterparties, an identifier for at least one schema of the plurality of schemas, and an identifier for at least one contract cryptlet of the plurality of contract cryptlets;

causing deployment a first smart contract ledger instance associated with the first ledger instance on a network, wherein the first smart contract ledger instance is based on the first template smart contract data structure; and

causing execution the first smart contract to begin, such that the first smart contract is based on the first template smart contract data structure.

16. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of schemas and the plurality of contract cryptlets have corresponding identifiers and corresponding versions, and wherein the relational data structure further includes a version for the at least one schema of the plurality of schemas and a version for the at least one contract cryptlet of the plurality of contract cryptlets.

17. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components further includes a plurality of utility cryptlets.

18. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of registered smart contract components further include a plurality of smart contracts, wherein the first template smart contract data structure further includes an identifier for each of at least one smart contract of the plurality of smart contracts that is related to the first smart contract, including at least a second smart contract.

10-1. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 18, the actions further comprising:

providing a real-time risk view of contractual risk associated with each of the at least one smart contract that is related to the first smart contract.

20. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first smart contract ledger instance is deployed on a first private consortium network, and wherein the second smart contract has a corresponding smart contract ledger instance that is deployed on a second private consortium network that is independent of the first private consortium network.