Patent ID: 11310031

Abstract:
The invention provides a novel and advantageous solution for controlling or influencing use of and/or access to a resource. This resource may be a device, such as an IoT (Internet of Things) device or a process. The invention is implemented via a distributed ledger (blockchain). This may be the Bitcoin blockchain or some alternative blockchain platform/protocol. In an illustrative embodiment, the controlled resource is a parking meter. The invention may provide a method comprising the steps of generating a blockchain transaction (Tx) indicative of a condition on use of the resource, the blockchain transaction comprising a multi-signature script requiring a plurality of signatures for completion of the blockchain transaction; providing a first subset of the plurality of signatures to the blockchain transaction to generate a partially signed signature script to partially complete the blockchain transaction; and responsive to the condition on the use of the resource being satisfied, providing a second subset of the plurality of signatures to the blockchain transaction to fully complete the blockchain transaction. The condition on the use of the resource may be the use of a discrete amount of the resource and the second subset of the plurality of signatures is provided responsive to the discrete amount of the resource being used.