Patent ID: 11924355
Assignee: CHIA NETWORK, INC.
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 9:
10. A method for extending a blockchain over a network comprises, at a space server in a distributed network:
accessing a blockchain, the blockchain defining a series of slots, each slot in the series of slots:
associated with a slot challenge;
comprising a challenge chain:
based on the slot challenge; and
comprising a series of challenge chain signage points;

comprising a reward chain:
based on the slot challenge; and
comprising a series of reward chain signage points; and

comprising a series of blocks, each block in the series of blocks responsive to a proof-of-space challenge based on the slot challenge, a challenge chain signage point, and a reward chain signage point;

at a beginning of a current slot:
initiating a challenge chain verifiable delay function for the challenge chain based on a current slot challenge associated with the current slot; and
initiating a reward chain verifiable delay function for the reward chain based on the current slot challenge;

on a current signage point interval during the current slot, broadcasting a current series of challenge chain signage points by executing the challenge chain verifiable delay function and a current series of reward chain signage points by executing the reward chain verifiable delay function;
receiving, from the distributed network, a first block comprising a first proof-of-space based on the current slot challenge and a first challenge chain signage point in the current series of challenge chain signage points, the proof-of-space characterized by a first quality;
calculating a first quality-based number of iterations based on the first quality;
executing the reward chain verifiable delay function for a first number of infusion iterations based on the first quality-based number of iterations; and
in response to executing the reward chain verifiable delay function for the first number of infusion iterations:
app ending a first reward chain infusion point to the first block, the first reward chain infusion point based on an output of the reward chain verifiable delay function at the first number of infusion iterations; and
infusing the first block into the reward chain verifiable delay function to extend the blockchain.