Consensus protocol for blockchain structure
Inventors
Jacobson, Adam • Tenaglia, Scott D. • Al-Gattas, Sean • Weeks, Kelly
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12072870-B1
Publication Date
2024-08-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A non-monetary incentive model defines a Distributed Consensus Protocol (DCP) for a blockchain based on a proof-of-play mining approach. The non-monetary incentive model employs a gamification approach where mining efforts are recorded responsive to achievement in a gaming environment, rather than the proof-of-work or proof-of-stake approaches commonly used for blockchain valuation. The incentive model draws on a participant volition in attaining or improving a gaming achievement. The approach records gaming moves or actions undertaken by a participant playing the game, based on a seed used to instantiate the game. Upon attaining a predetermined minimum score, and at a predefined difficulty, the gaming effort is deemed to warrant a new block in the blockchain.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a proof-of-play blockchain incentive model in an electronic transaction environment having a verifiable electronic ledger whose sufficiency is based on a distributed consensus protocol (DCP) common to a plurality of interconnected computing nodes. An incentive model is implemented by receiving a sequence of inputs directed to an incentive medium defined by a gamification instantiation based on a seed, and the incentive medium generates a result defined by a scored performance based on the sequence of inputs through execution of an interactive gaming instantiation based on the seed.
The generated result is evaluated against publication criteria for entry in the electronic ledger. The publication criteria are based on gamification performance and a difficulty indicative of an effort expended in attaining the result, and if the result satisfies the publication criteria, the seed and the sequence of inputs are stored as a verifiable block in the electronic ledger.
Ledger verifiability is characterized by reiteration of the instantiation of the incentive medium using the seed and the sequence of inputs to attain the same result. This supports verification by reproducing the same scored result from the stored seed and the recorded sequence of inputs so that the publication criteria can be satisfied, and the model contrasts with proof-of-work and proof-of-stake monetary incentives by tying block addition to game execution performance based on the input sequence.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims disclosed are directed to a method of implementing an incentive model using a seed-based interactive gaming instantiation with scored performance, publication-criteria evaluation, and storage of a verifiable block, a proof-of-play blockchain structure having ledger blocks with header fields and publication criteria tied to scored performance, and a computer program embodied on a non-transitory medium for performing the same incentive-model method across a distributed consensus protocol (DCP). Across these independent claims, there are 8 main inventive features.
Seed-based interactive gaming incentive medium
Receiving a sequence of inputs directed to an incentive medium defined by a gamification instantiation based on a seed, and generating a result defined by a scored performance based on the sequence of inputs through execution of an interactive gaming instantiation based on the seed.
Publication-criteria evaluation with difficulty indicative of effort
Evaluating the generated result against publication criteria for entry in an electronic ledger, where the publication criteria are based on gamification performance and a difficulty indicative of an effort expended in attaining the result.
Verifiable block storing seed and input sequence
If the result satisfies the publication criteria, storing the seed and the sequence of inputs as a verifiable block in the electronic ledger.
Reiteration-based verifiability to attain the same result
The block is verifiable based on a reiteration of the instantiation of the incentive medium using the seed and the sequence of inputs to attain the same result.
Proof-of-play blockchain structure with header nonce and input sequence
A proof-of-play blockchain structure comprising a verifiable electronic ledger defining a sequence of blocks each having a header, a nonce in the header for varying gamification instantiations of an incentive medium based on a seed, and a sequence of inputs in the header, the sequence of inputs provided to the incentive medium in a gamification instantiation based on the nonce.
Publication criteria indicative of a minimum result to add a new block
A publication criteria indicative of a result to be achieved with an instantiation of the incentive medium in order to add a new block to the ledger, the minimum result based on a gamification performance.
Scored performance result defined by seed-based interactive gaming
The incentive medium is responsive to the sequence of inputs for generating the result, the result defined by a scored performance based on the sequence of inputs through execution of an interactive gaming instantiation based on the seed.
Program code performing the DCP incentive-model method
A computer program embodying program code on a non-transitory medium that, when executed by a processor, performs steps for implementing a method of implementing an incentive model for a distributed consensus protocol (DCP) common to a plurality of interconnected computing nodes based on an incentive medium, including receiving the sequence of inputs, generating the scored performance result via an interactive gaming instantiation based on the seed, evaluating against publication criteria with difficulty indicative of an effort, and storing the seed and the sequence of inputs as a verifiable block when satisfied.
Across the independent claims, the inventive core is a seed-based gamification instantiation in which an interactive gaming instantiation generates a scored performance result from a received sequence of inputs, evaluates the result against publication criteria based on gamification performance and difficulty indicative of effort, and, when satisfied, stores seed and input sequence as a verifiable block. Additional characterization includes verifiability by reiteration to attain the same result and a proof-of-play blockchain structure that places a nonce and input sequence in block headers to support instantiation variability and scored-performance publication.
Stated Advantages
Enables verification by reiterating the instantiation of the incentive medium using the seed and the sequence of inputs to attain the same result.
Supports detectable tamper resistance by enabling verification reproduction of the scored performance result from stored seed and input sequence.
Documented Applications
Applicable to interactive games including Tetris and Minetest, where an input sequence and seed instantiate the game and produce scored performance results for inclusion in the electronic ledger.
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