System and method for enforcing the structure and content of databases synchronized over a distributed ledger

Abstract

A method and system is presented for reaching consensus on adding data to and extending the structure or schema of databases synchronized across a distributed ledger or blockchain system, in which no central trusted authority is available, comprising sending an announcement message by a network connected device to a plurality of network connected devices over a network, said message proposing a database schema change or extension. If the announcement message and preceding data in the distributed ledger satisfy predetermined conditions, the plurality of network connected devices may include the data in the distributed ledger, and modify the schema of their databases in a corresponding manner. If data is submitted that requires a structural change to the database before the announcement message has been incorporated in the distributed ledger, the data is rejected by the network and is not included in the distributed ledger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for modifying a schema for a database maintained using a distributed ledger on a network, in response to a submission of a data in a new format, comprising:
 determining the new format of the data;   generating a schema change request comprising a proposed modification of the schema, the proposed modification accommodating the new format of the data;   adding the schema change request to the distributed ledger;   extracting the schema change request from the distributed ledger; and   applying the proposed modification from the schema change request to the database.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data is submitted by a sensor enabled device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the schema change request is signed using a private key of a public/private key pair associated with the sensor enabled device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein some or all of the schema for the database is distributed through distribution channels comprising one or more of:
 the distributed ledger,   a private computer server,   a public computer server,   a file distributed through email,   a file distributed on a removable data medium delivered through another distribution channel.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the schema change request is not added to the distributed ledger if a one or more predetermined criteria are not met. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria are not met if the schema change request is not included in a first data block of the distributed ledger. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining if some or all of the one or more predetermined criteria are met is based on a one or more of:
 a result of a computation performed on a previous data contained within the distributed ledger,   a result of a computation performed on a data available from a public computer server,   a result of a computation performed on a data available from a private computer server,   a relationship between a data structure of the database and a public key of a public/private key pair,   a consensus between a plurality of participating nodes operating on the network,   an authorization by a specific node operating on the network.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein if a criterion of the one or more predetermined criteria is based on the previous data, a validity of the criterion is determined using a one or more of:
 a hash of some or all of the previous data,   a presence of a digitally signed authorization within the previous data for the public key of the public/private key pair,   an absence of a digitally signed revocation within the previous data for the public key of the public/private key pair,   an absence of a prior schema change request within a given subset of the previous data.   
     
     
         9 . A plurality of network connected devices, each comprising: one or more processors, and storage media comprising computer instructions, said plurality of network connected devices being connectible via a network to each other, arranged such that when computer instructions are executed on the one or more processors of a one or more of the plurality of network connected devices, operations are caused for reaching a consensus among the plurality of network connected devices for modifying a schema for a database maintained by the plurality of network connected devices using a distributed ledger on a network, in response to a submission by a first device of a data in a new format, comprising:
 determining the new format of the data, by a second device;   generating, by the second device, a schema change request comprising a proposed modification of the schema, the proposed modification accommodating the new format of the data;   transmitting the schema change request, by the second device, through the network, to the plurality of network connected devices;   inserting the schema change request into a data block by a third device;   transmitting the data block, by the third device, to the network;   adding the data block to the distributed ledger, by the plurality of network connected devices;   extracting the proposed modification of the schema from the schema change request contained in the data block, by a one or more of the plurality of network connected devices; and   applying the proposed modification of the schema to the database, by the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices.   
     
     
         10 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 9 , wherein the first device comprises a sensor enabled device. 
     
     
         11 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 10 , wherein the schema change request is signed using a private key of a public/private key pair associated with the first device. 
     
     
         12 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 9 , wherein some or all of the schema for the database is distributed to the plurality of network connected devices through distribution channels comprising one or more of:
 the distributed ledger,   a private computer server,   a public computer server,   a file distributed through email,   a file distributed on a removable data medium delivered through another distribution channel.   
     
     
         13 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 9 , wherein the data block is not added to the distributed ledger by the one or more of the plurality of network connected devices if a one or more predetermined criteria are not met. 
     
     
         14 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more predetermined criteria are determined not to be met, by the plurality of network connected devices, if the schema change request is not included in a first data block of the distributed ledger. 
     
     
         15 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 13 , wherein determining by the plurality of network connected devices if the one or more predetermined criteria are met is based on a one or more of:
 a result of a computation performed on a previous data contained within the distributed ledger,   a result of a computation performed on a data contained within the data block,   a result of a computation performed on a data available from a public computer server,   a result of a computation performed on a data available from a private computer server,   a relationship between a data field of the database and a public key of a public/private key pair,   a consensus between the plurality of network connected devices,   an authorization by a specific network connected device operating on the network.   
     
     
         16 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 15 , wherein if a criterion from the one or more predetermined criteria is based on the previous data contained within the distributed ledger, a validity of the criterion is determined by the plurality of network connected devices using one or more of:
 a hash of some or all of the previous data,   a presence of a digitally signed authorization within the previous data for a public key of the public/private key pair,   an absence of a digitally signed revocation within the previous data for the public key of the public/private key pair,   an absence of a prior schema change request within a given subset of the previous data.   
     
     
         17 . The plurality of network connected devices of  claim 9 , wherein the second device comprises the first device.