Transaction agents and systems

Abstract

A hardware agent is a hardware device attached to, embedded in, or otherwise associated with a good. In particular, the hardware agent is bound to the good in such a way that information held by the agent may be confidently associated with the good. The hardware agent is constructed to securely hold information about the good, and information about stakeholders, such that the agent may autonomously make binding decisions regarding the good, including sales and financial transactions. Although the hardware agent may perform many functions autonomously, it often will have communication capabilities enabling it to share information with stakeholders, or to others as allowed

1 . A decentralized transaction system comprising:
 an autonomous hardware agent comprising:
 a processor and memory; 
 a communication circuit; 
 a power source; and 
 wherein the hardware agent is constructed to autonomously perform actions according to a current instance of a contract and a current instance of a registry; 
   a contract generator for generating:
 an initial contract comprising rules set by, or agreed to by, one or more stakeholders that determine the actions of a hardware agent and the hardware agent will enforce; and 
 an initial registry comprising the respective rights of at least one stakeholder wherein (1) the rights include the right to determine the actions of the hardware agent of adding to, deleting from or modifying the contract or registry, and (2) the stakeholder is different from at least one stakeholder that set, or agreed to, the rules of the initial contract; 
   wherein (1) the initial contract and the initial registry are stored in the memory of the hardware agent as the current instance of the contract and current instance of the registry, and (2) the current instance of the contract and the current instance of the registry cannot be added to, deleted from or modified except by the hardware agent as allowed by the current instance of the registry and the current instance of the contract,   wherein the hardware agent generates a new current instance of the contract and a new current instance of the registry in compliance with the current instance of the contract and the current instance of the registry, and thereafter performs actions according to the new current instance of the contract and the new current instance of the registry, and   wherein stakeholders are defined as having an interest or stake in (1) the initial contract or a current instance of the contract, (2) the hardware agent (3) a good or thing associated with the hardware agent, or (4) the actions, transactions or outcomes thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent is physically associated with, attached to, bound to, coupled to or embedded in or within, a good or a thing. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent further comprises a visual display, audio generator or receiver, clock/timer or sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent's power source is an internal source or an external source coupled to the hardware agent. 
     
     
         7 . The decentralized transactions system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent's communication circuit is RF, optical or acoustic. 
     
     
         8 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent comprises visible or audible verification circuitry that the hardware agent uses to determine, interpret or verify visible or audible information. 
     
     
         9 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 8 , wherein the hardware agent according to the current instance of the contract or the current instance of the registry executes an action or transaction using the results of the determination, interpretation or verification. 
     
     
         10 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent comprises one or more of activation circuitry, security circuitry, authorization circuitry, data manager, or namespace circuitry. 
     
     
         11 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 10 , wherein the hardware agent according to the current instance of the contract or the current instance of the registry, executes an action or transaction using a one or more of the activation circuitry, security circuitry, authorization circuitry, data manager, or namespace circuitry. 
     
     
         12 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 10 , wherein activation circuitry is configured to activate the hardware agent or functions of the hardware agent. 
     
     
         13 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent further comprises predefined functions. 
     
     
         14 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 13 , wherein the predefined functions include rules, conditions or process assets. 
     
     
         15 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 14 , wherein the process assets are among authentication, encryption, and password processing. 
     
     
         16 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 13 , wherein the hardware agent according to the current instance of the contract or the current instance of the registry, executes an action or transaction using a predefined function. 
     
     
         17 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the contract generator is a system that generates the initial contract according to rules set by, or agreed to by, one or more stakeholders. 
     
     
         18 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 17 , wherein the contract generator is stored in a distributed network or in a decentralized network. 
     
     
         19 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 15 , wherein the initial contract is stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         20 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the current instance of the contract or the current instance of the registry, direct the hardware agent to generate, add to, delete from, or modify a data container, data container-chain or trust. 
     
     
         21 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust includes information generated, sensed or received by the hardware agent. 
     
     
         22 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein the information generated, sensed or received by the hardware agent includes custodian or custody information, monitored data, changes in condition or utility of a good or thing associated with a hardware agent, elapsed time, events and event times, authorizations, determinations, interpretations, or verifications, certifications, communications or interactions with the hardware agent, or information generated, sensed, or received by the hardware agent. 
     
     
         23 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust includes information about the hardware agent, or a good or thing associated with the hardware agent. 
     
     
         24 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust includes information or processes that enable the hardware agent to autonomously execute transactions. 
     
     
         25 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust includes information about the actions of, or the transactions executed by, the hardware agent. 
     
     
         26 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust includes encryption, authorization, or security processes. 
     
     
         27 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust includes partially or wholly executed contracts, or stakeholder-specific versions of contracts. 
     
     
         28 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust includes digital records, crypto-currency or financial instruments. 
     
     
         29 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein the data container, data container-chain or trust is pre-specified 
     
     
         30 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein the data container, data container-chain or trust is dynamically generated. 
     
     
         31 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein the data container, data container-chain or trust is associated in the registry with different classes of stakeholders. 
     
     
         32 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 31 , wherein one class of stakeholders does not have unique identities. 
     
     
         33 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein stakeholders in the current instance of the registry have rights to one or more data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         34 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein more than one stakeholder in the current instance of the registry has rights to the same data container, data container-chain or trust. 
     
     
         35 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein, the rights of the stakeholders in the current instance of the registry determine which of the data containers, data container-chains or trusts the hardware agent secures. 
     
     
         36 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein the rights of the stakeholders in the current instance of the registry determine the data containers, data container-chains or trusts the hardware agent encrypts and the keys the hardware agent uses to encrypt them. 
     
     
         37 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 20 , wherein the current instance of the contract or the current instance of the electronic registry direct the hardware agent to transmit or broadcast the data container, data container-chain or trust. 
     
     
         38 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 37 , wherein a data container, data container-chain or trust transmitted or broadcast by the hardware agent, is stored in a distributed database or a decentralized database. 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardware agent comprises (1) authorization circuitry or (2) authorization circuitry and security circuitry. 
     
     
         41 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 40 , wherein the hardware agent, subject to the current instance of the registry and the current instance of the contract, authorizes a stakeholder in the current instance of the registry, to pre-register one or more new stakeholders in the current instance of the registry. 
     
     
         42 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 41 , wherein the hardware agent when presented with information that meets the registration criteria, performs the action of registering a pre-registered stakeholder. 
     
     
         43 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 40 , wherein the hardware agent, subject to the current instance of the registry and the current instance of the contract, authorizes a stakeholder in the current instance of the registry, to pre-authorize one or more new stakeholders in the current instance of the registry. 
     
     
         44 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 43 , wherein the hardware agent when presented with information that meets the registration criteria, authorizes a preauthorized stakeholder to self-register in the current instance of the registry. 
     
     
         45 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more data warehouses. 
     
     
         46 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 45 , wherein one or more of the data warehouses store data containers, data container-chains or trusts transmitted or broadcast from hardware agents. 
     
     
         47 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 46 , wherein one or more of the data warehouses publishes, forwards or supplies on-demand the data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         48 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 46 , wherein a plurality of data warehouses compare stored data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         49 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 48 , wherein the results of the comparison are stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 48 , wherein a data warehouse uses the results of the comparison to certify the integrity of the data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         52 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 51 , wherein the certifications are stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a certificate authority that generates certification information for the initial contract. 
     
     
         55 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 54 , wherein the certificate authority is the contract generator, a data warehouse, trustee or a stakeholder in the registry or a stakeholder not in the registry. 
     
     
         56 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 54 , wherein the certification information comprises one or more of a checksum, hash or certificate for the initial contract. 
     
     
         57 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 54 , wherein the certificate authority certification information is stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 54 , wherein the hardware agent comprises certification circuitry. 
     
     
         60 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 59 , wherein the hardware agent uses the certification circuitry to generate certification information for the initial contract stored in the memory of the hardware agent as the current instance of the contract and current instance of the registry. 
     
     
         61 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 60 , wherein the hardware agent generated certification information comprises one or more of a checksum, hash or certificate for the initial contract stored in the memory of the hardware agent as the current instance of the contract. 
     
     
         62 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 60 , wherein the hardware agent stores the hardware agent certification information in one or more data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         63 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 62 , wherein the hardware agent transmits or broadcasts the data containers, data container-chains or trusts to a certificate authority, a stakeholder in the current instance of the registry or a stakeholder not in the current instance of the registry. 
     
     
         64 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 63 , wherein the transmitted or broadcast containers or trusts are stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         65 . (canceled) 
     
     
         66 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 63 , wherein the certificate authority or a stakeholder in the current instance of the registry or a stakeholder not in the current instance of the registry, uses the hardware agent certification information and the certificate authority certification information to determine if the initial contract set in the hardware agent is the same as the initial contract. 
     
     
         67 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 66 , wherein the results of the determination are stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 68 , wherein the hardware agent uses the certification circuitry to generate certification information for one or more data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         70 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 69 , wherein the hardware agent generated certification information comprises one or more of a checksum, hash or certificate for the data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         71 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 69 , wherein the hardware agent (1) pairs the certification information with the ID of each corresponding data container, data container-chain and trust, (2) stores each pair in either one data container, data container-chain or trust or a plurality of data containers, data container-chains or trusts, and (3) secures each data container, data container-chain or trust for a certificate authority, data warehouse, trustee or stakeholder in the current instance of the registry or a stakeholder not in the current instance of the registry. 
     
     
         72 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 71 , wherein the IDs of the data containers, data container-chains or trusts are anonymous. 
     
     
         73 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 71 , wherein the hardware agent transmits or broadcasts the data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         74 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 73 , wherein the transmitted or broadcast containers, data container-chains or trusts are stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 73 , wherein the certificate authority, data warehouse, trustee, stakeholder in the registry or a stakeholder not in the registry uses the certification information to verify the integrity of the data containers, data container-chains or trusts. 
     
     
         77 . The decentralized transaction system according to  claim 76 , wherein the results of the verification are stored in a distributed database or in a decentralized database. 
     
     
         78 - 133 . (canceled)