Patent Publication Number: US-2020286050-A1

Title: Method of automatically providing cryptocurrency to recommender using sns propagation

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0024865, filed on Mar. 4, 2019, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods for automatically providing cryptocurrencies, and more specifically, to methods for automatically providing cryptocurrencies to a recommender using SNS propagation. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     Cryptocurrencies are distributed and are created based on the technology of the blockchain which is a sort of distributed ledger. 
     A decentralized network may store and reference common information in the blockchain. In the blockchain, blocks are typically generated substantially simultaneously and each block commonly contains information units called transactions. Blocks in the blockchain are linked by inserting their hash values in fields designated in next subsequent blocks of the blockchain. 
     As a distributted database, the blockchain steadily updates transaction records, and by its design nature, has a tolerance to data modifications made by a particular node. 
     The blockchain imposes a consensus algorithm to store all updated data to the shared public ledger of each node. By doing so, each node may participate in the network with anonymity, connection failure, or insufficient reliability. 
     Further, the blockchain does not require any centralized database, and unlike conventional ledgers, such as ones recording all transactions of promissory notes, receipts, or checks, the blockchain may function as a platform for safe, transparent savings and transactions. 
     The blockchain is typically divided into two major classifications, public and non-public. 
     Public blockchains are fully open to the public to allow anyone to attend. By contrast, private blockchains are attendant-limited, distributed peer-to-peer networks to allow only ones who are invited to participate in the network. 
     Public blockchains have their known problems as follows. 1) They require a plenty of inputs to maintain the network which consists of a number of unspecified ones. 2) Shared information is made open over the entire network. 3) Processing time is very slow. 
     Conversely, since private blockchains automatically process real-time transactions over a safe network without massive computing performance, they may address the problems with public networks while proving the advantages of blockchain technology. However, private blockchains may be subject to reliability issues due to their centralized control system and consensus structure. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an embodiment, there are provided a payment interface and blockchain platform that may support real-time transactions by accelerating transaction confirmation. 
     According to an embodiment, a method for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using social networking service (SNS) propagation comprises an SNS friend recommending step in which a blockchain membership node registered, as a member, in a proof-of-expansion (PoX) blockchain platform server recommends an SNS friend identity (ID) of a member whose ID has been verified to the PoX blockchain platform server to protect information about a participant and a malicious attack, a new registration step in which the PoX blockchain platform server newly registers the SNS friend ID of the member as a blockchain membership node, a reward rate determining step in which the PoX blockchain platform server determines a reward rate for each blockchain member in association with the number of SNS friend IDs recommended by each blockchain membership node, a rewarding step in which the PoX blockchain platform server provides a cryptocurrency to each blockchain member according to the determined reward rate of each blockchain member, a transaction processing step in which, when a cryptocurrency transaction occurs between blockchain members recommended, the PoX blockchain platform server creates a transaction processing request transaction in a blockchain network processing server and store only information about friends associated with the transaction in a separate database to shorten a transaction confirmation time according to an occurrence of transaction between reliable friends, and a retransaction-based transaction processing step in which, when a cryptocurrency retransaction occurs between the same blockchain members recommended, the PoX blockchain platform server creates a retransaction processing request transaction in the blockchain network processing server. 
     The reward rate determining step includes the steps of determining a membership grade of a blockchain member recommended by the blockchain membership node according to the number of SNS friend IDs recommended and determining a reward rate for the blockchain member according to the determined membership grade. 
     In the reward rate determining step, the membership grade of the recommended blockchain member rises as the number of the SNS friend IDs recommended by the blockchain membership node increases. 
     When an SNS friend recommended by the blockchain membership node recommends another SNS friend, a weight is assigned to the membership grade of the blockchain member first recommended. 
     The transaction processing step may include receiving information about a plurality of nodes participating in verification of information about the created transaction from the blockchain network processing server, matching the information about the plurality of nodes with information about friends linked to the created transaction, and storing the matched information. 
     The retransaction-based transaction processing step may include a step in which the PoX blockchain platform server provides the stored information about the plurality of nodes matching the information about the friends to the blockchain network processing server, a step in which the blockchain network processing server enables a blockchain confirmation for the retransaction processing request transaction to occur in at least one among the plurality of nodes participating in the verification of the information about the prior transaction between the same blockchain membership nodes based on information about the plurality of nodes participating in the verification of the information about the prior transaction between the same blockchain membership nodes provided from the PoX blockchain platform server, and a step in which the PoX blockchain platform server provides a reward as per a preset reward rate to the at least one node having processed the retransaction processing request transaction. 
     In the transaction processing step, the PoX blockchain platform server may interwork with the blockchain network processing server to include a hash value of a particular block registered in the blockchain network processing server according to the prior cryptocurrency transaction through the blockchain membership nodes in a retransaction processing request transaction according to a cryptocurrency retransaction through the same blockchain membership nodes and create a blockchain confirmation. 
     Embodiments of the disclosure allow only SNS friends whose IDs have been verified to participate as guardians to recommend to other people to prevent malicious attacks and protect the participants&#39; information and allow transactions to be made only for the ID verified SNS friends, thus making blockchain technology more reliable and building up and stabilizing blockchain interactions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a normal cryptocurrency transaction system with an inter-party blockchain; 
         FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a configuration of a system for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using an SNS propagation according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a view illustrating an example in which a transaction processing request transaction occurs in a blockchain network processing server; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using SNS propagation according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an example of determining a membership grade depending on the number of the identities (IDs) of recommending SNS friends according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 6  is a view illustrating an example of performing multi-stage recommendation according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and methods for achieving the same may be understood through the embodiments to be described below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and various changes may be made thereto. The embodiments disclosed herein are provided only to inform one of ordinary skilled in the art of the category of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims. When determined to make the subject matter of the disclosure unclear, the detailed description of the known art or functions may be omitted. 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a configuration of a cryptocurrency transaction system with an inter-party blockchain.  FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a configuration of a system for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using an SNS propagation according to an embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a view illustrating an example in which a transaction processing request transaction occurs in a blockchain network processing server. 
     Prior to describing a system for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using an SNS propagation according to an embodiment, blockchain-based cryptocurrency technology is briefly described. 
     In describing cryptocurrency such as bitcoin, “mining” is a key word. Mining is a scheme of obtaining typically new cryptocurrencies. Mining refers to the process of providing a computer that first discovers, via competition, a computation value meeting a particular condition among computers (terminals) constituting a cryptocurrency network. Mining is not only a method for obtaining cryptocurrencies but also plays a role to authenticate cryptocurrency transaction. 
     Cryptocurrencies or virtual currencies have a common transaction ledger called a blockchain. 
     Briefly, a user downloads her cryptocurrency wallet program (or application) onto her computer. The user then installs the cryptocurrency wallet program or application (which may be simply referred to hereinafter as a “wallet”) on her computer. Then, the user&#39;s computer runs the program (or application) and synchronizes (or matches) itself with a blockchain recorded in the network. Since the data size reaches a few tens of gigabytes, the sync would typically take about three days. After the sync is done, the user may create her own address (which is similar in concept to a bank account) on her wallet and may transmit or receive cryptocurrencies through the address. (The cryptocurrency address is a 34-digit word which is a combination of English capital/small letters and numbers, such as 1MowqQrQJL5AeaDMpX35B6EiJ4qnXPJnFp. 
     In all types of cryptocurrencies or virtual currencies driven on a blockchain system, the user end is constituted of a pair of keys formatted as ‘private key-public key (address).’ The public key and the private key, respectively, correspond to a bank account number and a user password, which match each other. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a blockchain-based cryptocurrency transaction system may include a blockchain holder server  10 , a cryptocurrency transaction guide server  20 , a donor terminal  30 , and a donee terminal  40 . 
     There may be provided multiple blockchain holder servers  10 . Upon receipt of blockchain-containing transaction information for digital cryptocurrency transactions, the blockchain holder servers  10  may be blockchain-equipped devices, and the blockchain holder servers  10  may verify the transaction information to thereby authenticate the blockchain-based digial cryptocurrency transactions and record the transaction information according to the authentication. The cryptocurrency holder servers  10  may be peer-to-peer (P2P) network-based distributed databases, i.e., devices constituting the cryptocurrency network, which may perform digital cryptocurrency transactions with blockchains by authenticating and recording the digital cryptocurrency transactions with blockchains. 
     The blockchain-based digital cryptocurrency transaction guide server  20  which is operated by a cryptocurrency exchange may be a member of the configuration of the blockchain holder servers  10 . 
     The transmission of the blockchain-containing transaction information for cryptocurrency transactions (hereinafter, such blockchain-containing transaction information may simply be referred to as transaction information) may be defined in a communication protocol. When the transaction information occurs, one node (which may be a blockchain holder server) may propagate the transaction information to next eight designated nodes, and each of the eight nodes, which receive the transaction information, may also propagate the transaction information to next eight designated nodes. As such, the transaction information may be propagated to all of the nodes, i.e., blockchain holder servers  10 , which have blockchains necessary to perform blockchain-containing digital cryptocurrency transactions. 
     Meanwhile, private blockchains may be subject to reliability issues due to their centralized control system and consensus structure. 
     According to an embodiment, there are provided a payment interface and blockchain platform that may enable and support real-time transactions by accelerating transaction confirmation. 
     According to an embodiment, referring to  FIG. 2 , a system for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using social network service/site (SNS) propagation includes a PoX blockchain platform server  100 . The PoX blockchain platform server  100  may have substantially the same configuration as a typical web server in terms of hardware and may be implemented in various programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, Visual Basic, or Visual C in terms of software while including programming modules that have various functions. The PoX blockchain platform server  100  may also be implemented with a server program which is provided in diverse manners depending on operating systems (OSs), such as Dos, Window, Linus, Unix, or Macintosh. 
     Indeed, the applicant of the invention has such cryptocurrency as developed TSL coil, Universal coin, or Unipay, and applied them to the platform according to the disclosure. The term “proof of expansion (PoX)” as used herein may refer to a system in which a platform user, e.g., a recommender, forms a relationship as she is linked to the IDs of other SNS friends via her ID. As such process repeats, the platform may expand and provide a reasonable compensation to the user. The problems with prior cryptocurrency may be addressed in terms that benefits may be obtained depending on private capabilities. 
     To that end, according to an embodiment, in the system for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using SNS propagation, if a blockchain member node  200  registered as a member in the PoX blockchain platform server  100  recommends the identity (ID) of the member&#39;s SNS friend to the PoX blockchain platform server  100 , the PoX blockchain platform server  100  newly registers the ID of the member&#39;s SNS friend as a blockchain member node  200 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , each member node allows SNS friends, which it recommends, to have membership in the PoX blockchain platform server  100 , thereby establishing an individual friend social network. 
     The PoX blockchain platform server  100  determines a reward rate for each blockchain member depending on the number of the IDS of SNS friends that each blockchain member node  200  recommends. When the compensation rate is determined the PoX blockchain platform server  100  rewards each blockchain member with cryptocurrencies as per the determined reward rate. In rewarding each blockchain member with cryptocurrencies as per the determined reward rate, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  may determine the membership grade of the recommending blockchain member depending on the number of the SNS friend IDs that the blockchain member node recommends and may then determine the reward rate for the blockchain member depending on the determined membership grade. 
     The more SNS friend IDs as recommended by the blockchain member node are, the higher membership grade the recommending blockchain member may have. 
     Where a first SNS friend, who the blockchain member node recommends, recommends a second SNS friend, the membership grade of the blockchain member who recommended the first SNS friend may be given a weight. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , where a cryptocurrency transaction occurs between recommended blockchain members, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  creates a transaction processing request transaction in a blockchain network processing server. 
     The blockchain network processing server, upon receiving a blockchain sale confirmation request from the PoX blockchain platform server  100 , propagates sale request information-based blockchain transactions to neighbor nodes to thereby complete sale confirmation (sale authentication and recording) and sends a sale confirm complete message to the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . A bitcoin blockchain network processing server may exchange six confirmations with a neighbor node per blockchain transaction, thereby completing the transaction. 
     To that end, the blockchain network processing server may receive blockchain-containing transaction information for a cryptocurrency transaction (simply referred to as blockchain-containing transaction information) and authenticate the blockchain-based cryptocurrency transaction by verifying the blockchain-containing transaction information. The blockchain network processing server is equipped with a blockchain in which the blockchain-containing transaction information is recorded according to the authentication. There may be provided a plurality of blockchain network processing servers. The blockchain network processing servers may be devices constituting a P 2 P network-based decentralized blockchain network, which may perform blockchain-containing cryptocurrency transactions by confirming (authenticating and recording) blockchain-containing cryptocurrency transactions. 
     In blockchain payment, embodiments of the disclosure allows only SNS friends whose IDs have been verified to participate as guardians to recommend to other people to prevent malicious attacks and protect the participants&#39; information and allow transactions to be made only for the ID verified SNS friends, thus making blockchain technology more reliable and building up and stabilizing blockchain interactions. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using SNS propagation according to an embodiment.  FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an example in which a membership grade is determined as per the number of SNS friend IDs recommended, according to an embodiment.  FIG. 6  is a view illustrating an example in which multi-stage recommendation is performed according to an embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a method for automatically providing a cryptocurrency to a recommender using SNS propagation may include a step S 410  in which a blockchain membership node  200  registered as a member in the PoX blockchain platform server  100  recommends the ID of the member&#39;s SNS friend to the PoX blockchain platform server  100 , a step S 420  in which the PoX blockchain platform server  100  newly registers the ID of the member&#39;s SNS friend as a blockchain member node  200 , and a step S 430  in which the PoX blockchain platform server  100  determines a reward rate for each blockchain member depending on the number of SNS friend IDs that each blockchain membership node  200  recommends. The method may further include a cryptocurrency rewarding step S 440 , a transaction processing step S 450 , and a transaction processing step S 460  according to retransaction. The method is described below in greater detail. 
     In step S 410 , the blockchain membership node  200  registered as a member in the PoX blockchain platform server  100  recommends the IDs of the member&#39;s SNS friends to the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . The blockchain membership node  200  may be a terminal of the member registered in the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . The blockchain membership node  200  may receive selection, by the member, of SNS friend IDs registered in the member&#39;s terminal and recommend the SNS friend IDs to the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . 
     In step S 420 , the PoX blockchain platform server  100  newly registers the IDs of the member&#39;s SNS friends as blockchain membership nodes  200 . 
     In step S 430 , the PoX blockchain platform server  100  determines a reward rate for each blockchain member in association with the number of SNS friend IDs that each blockchain membership node  200  recommends. 
     Step S 430  may include the step S 431  of determining a membership grade of the recommending blockchain member depending on the number of the SNS friend IDs that the blockchain membership node  200  recommends and the step S 432  of determining the reward rate for the blockchain member depending on the determined membership grade. 
     In other words, the membership grade may be determined depending on how many SNS friends the member recommends. Referring to  FIG. 5 , as the number of SNS friend IDs recommended by the blockchain membership node  200  increases, the membership grade of the recommending member increases. 
     Where a first SNS friend recommended by the blockchain membership node  200  recommends a second SNS friend, a weight may be given to the membership grade of the member who recommended the first SNS friend. As such, the disclosure may be made in a multi-level implementation. 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a first member recommends her SNS friend (referred to as a first SNS friend for ease of description) and the first SNS friend is registered in the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . The first SNS friend recommends her SNS friend, which is referred to as a second SNS friend for ease of description, and the second SNS friend is registered in the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . As such, multi-level membership registration may be rendered possible, and the first recommending blockchain member may be given a weight to her membership grade as a reward and hence a higher membership grade. 
     Where such multi-level registration is performed over several times, the weight for the first recommending blockchain member may increase, and such increase in the weight may be accelerated as more and more SNS friends are registered over multiple levels as members in the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . Such multi-level membership enables a building-up of a reliable blockchain member family. 
     In step S 440 , the PoX blockchain platform server  100  provides cryptocurrencies to each blockchain member according to the determined reward rate. Such rewarding as per the reward rate may be performed by automatically providing cryptocurrencies to the blockchain membership node  200  who recommends a SNS friend. 
     In step S 450 , where a cryptocurrency transaction occurs between blockchain members recommended, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  creates a transaction processing request transaction in the blockchain network processing server as shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, upon receiving a request for payment using cryptocurrency from the blockchain membership node  200 , the PoX blockchain platform server  100  allows a transaction processing request transaction to occur in the blockchain network processing server, thereby enabling a blockchain confirmation to occur. 
     The transmission of the blockchain-containing transaction information for cryptocurrency transactions (hereinafter, such blockchain-containing transaction information may simply be referred to as transaction information) may be defined in a communication protocol. When the transaction information occurs, one node (which may be a blockchain holder server) may propagate the transaction information to next eight designated nodes, and each of the eight nodes, which receive the transaction information, may also propagate the transaction information to next eight designated nodes. As such, the transaction information may be propagated to all of the nodes, i.e., blockchain holder servers  10 , which have blockchains necessary to perform blockchain-containing digital cryptocurrency transactions. 
     As transactions occur between reliable friends or acquaintances, the transaction confirmation time may be reduced. 
     Generally, blockoff time and transaction confirmation time are closely related to each other. For example, since a successful cryptocurrency transaction is designed to undergo a six-step procedure (60 minutes), it may be nearly impossible to adopt cryptocurrency transactions for real-time payments or daily-life transactions. Some users attempt to modify or manipulate the six-step procedure to shorten the transaction time. 
     According to an embodiment, to ensure real-time payment and transactions, a super node and a transfer chain are implemented, enabling payment and a transaction in an international exchange to be successfully done within three seconds. 
     To shorten the transaction confirmation time, if a first transaction between reliable friends occurs and thus a transaction processing request transaction is created in the blockchain network processing server, and then the transaction is complete, then the PoX blockchain platform server  100  stores only information (including, e.g., personal information, payment information, and account information) about friends associated with the first transaction in a separate database (not shown). In this case, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  may receive information about a plurality of nodes having participated in the verification of information about the first transaction from the blockchain network processing server, match the received information with information about the friends linked to the first transaction, and the store the matched information. 
     The transaction processing process S 460  according to retransaction may be a process in which, when a cryptocurrency retransaction is made between members of the same blockchain, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  produces a retransaction processing request transaction in the blockchain network processing server. For example, upon receiving, again, a request for payment using cryptocurrency from the same blockchain membership nodes  200  after the cryptocurrency transaction between the blockchain membership nodes, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  allows a retransaction processing request transaction to occur in the blockchain network processing server, thereby enabling a blockchain confirmation to occur. 
     In this case, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  may transmit (or transfer) a new retransaction processing request transaction based on transaction information authenticated according to the retransaction between the same blockchain membership nodes  200  to the blockchain network processing server. 
     Thus, for cryptocurrency transaction between friends certainly authenticated, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  may create a retransaction processing request transaction able to more quickly shorten transaction confirmation time. 
     Further, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  may provide the blockchain network processing server with the information about the plurality of nodes having participated in the verification of the information about the prior transaction which has been stored matched with the information about the friends linked with the prior transaction. 
     Further, the blockchain network processing server may be configured to create a blockchain confirmation of the retransaction processing request transaction in at least one of the plurality of nodes having participated in the verification of the information about the prior transaction between the same blockchain membership nodes  200  which has occurred based on the information about the plurality of nodes having participated in the verification of the information about the prior transaction between the same blockchain membership nodes  200  which is provided from the PoX blockchain platform server  100 . 
     The PoX blockchain platform server  100  may provide a reward, as per a preset reward rate, to at least one of the plurality of nodes having participated in the verification of the information about the prior transaction between the same blockchain membership nodes  200  prior to processing the retransaction processing request transaction. 
     In other words, when a second controller transaction occurs between the same blockchain membership nodes  200  after the first controller transaction occurs between the same blockchain membership nodes  200 , the PoX blockchain platform server  100  may provide a reward as per a preset reward rate (e.g., 0.1 coin), with at least one of the plurality of nodes having participated in the verification of the information about the prior transaction between the same blockchain membership nodes  200  which perform the creation of the blockchain confirmation for the retransaction processing request transaction according to the occurrence of the second cryptocurrency transaction. In a case where multiple cryptocurrency transactions occur between the same blockchain membership nodes  200 , more reward (e.g., 0.1 coin for the second transaction, 0.3 coin for a third transaction, or 0.5 coin for a fifth transaction) may be provided to at least one node which performs creation of a blockchain confirmation for the retransaction processing request transactions corresponding to the multiple cryptocurrency transactions as the number of cryptocurrency transactions increases. 
     As such, in a case where transaction repetitively occurs between reliable friends, a request for verification may be sent to the node having participated in the verification of the prior transaction, thereby shortening transaction confirmation time. 
     In a case where a request for payment on cryptocurrency is made through the same blockchain membership nodes  200  after the prior cryptocurrency transaction occurs between the blockchain membership nodes, the PoX blockchain platform server  100  may be configured to interwork with the blockchain network processing server to include (or associate) the hash value of a particular block registered in the blockchain network processing server as per the prior cryptocurrency transaction on the blockchain membership nodes  200  in (with) the retransaction processing request transaction as per the cryptocurrency retransaction on the same blockchain membership nodes  200  and create a blockchain confirmation. 
     After the confirmation for the retransaction processing request transaction is normally performed, the blockchain network processing server may include the registered hash value of the particular block in information according to the retransaction and register the same in a new other particular block. 
     While the disclosure has been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.