Distributed ledger with joint claims on tokens

Abstract

A smart contract including one or more rules is defined and stored in a distributed ledger in conjunction with a pool of one or more tokens owned by the smart contract. A plurality of conflicting claims to the pool of one or more tokens is received and provided to the distributed ledger. An indication that a trigger condition is met is received from the distributed ledger. The trigger condition to determined using the one or more rules. Information indicating a distribution of the one or more tokens to resolve the plurality of conflicting claims is also received. The information is generated using the one or more rules in response to the trigger condition being met.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of providing joint claims to tokens, the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of conflicting claims to a pool of one or more tokens in a distributed ledger, the pool of one or more tokens associated with a smart contract that includes one or more rules;   providing the plurality of conflicting claims to the distributed ledger;   receiving, from the distributed ledger, an indication that a trigger condition is met, wherein the trigger condition being met was determined using the one or more rules that are included in the smart contract;   receiving information, generated using a subset of the one or more rules, indicating a distribution of the one or more tokens to resolve the plurality of conflicting claims, wherein the information was generated responsive to the trigger condition being met; and   causing a transfer of at least some of the one or more tokens according to the distribution indicated by the information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subset of rules resolve the plurality of conflicting claims in a manner other than proportionally to stakes of claimants. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distributed ledger records, for each token holder, claims equal to total deposits of tokens made into the pool by that token holder. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, responsive to the trigger condition being met, the subset of the rules assigns:
 first, equal amounts of the one or more tokens up to a minimum of a first claim of the plurality of conflicting claims and a maximum deposit insurance amount, and   second, a proportional amount of the one or more tokens to remaining claims of the plurality of conflicting claims.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the plurality of conflicting claims comprise periodic interest payments stored in the distributed ledger. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more users borrow tokens for a limited time in exchange for interest payments deducted from another smart contract to provide for the periodic interest payments. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a trigger condition is met when the plurality of conflicting claims to one or more tokens does not reach a threshold value above the actual value of the one or more tokens. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising periodically transferring portions of the one or more tokens in the pool to a deposit insurance smart contract, wherein the subset of rules include using the portions of the one or more tokens transferred to the deposit insurance smart contract to at least partially mitigate a deficiency between a total value of pool and a total value of the plurality of conflicting claims. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication that the trigger condition is met comprises receiving an indication from an oracle that an external loss event has occurred and the subset of rules resolve claims in favor of one or more users impacted by the external loss event. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 periodically transferring portions of the one or more tokens in the pool to a reinsurance smart contract; and   responsive to receiving the indication of the loss event, receiving a reinsurance payment from the reinsurance smart contact for losses over a threshold, wherein the subset of rules include that outstanding claims from the plurality of conflicting claims get a proportional amount of the pool after the reinsurance payment has been taken into account.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conflicting claims include claims for future interest payments and claims for future principal payments. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conflicting claims have a hierarchy of higher priority claims and lower priority claims, wherein the subset of rules include that higher priority claims in the hierarchy are paid in full over lower priority claims. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pool is further associated with a second smart contract, the plurality of conflicting claims include a claim for a borrower and a claim for a lender, and the one or more rules include resolving, responsive to the borrower failing to make a scheduled payment within a specified time, the claim for the lender with priority over the claim for the borrower. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the distributed ledger is a blockchain that comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein each node receives a definition of the smart contract and transactions that impact the plurality of conflicting claims to pool of one or more tokens, and wherein each node maintains an independent record of the smart contract and plurality of conflicting claims of which it has been informed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the distributed ledger and prior to the trigger condition being met, an indication that a second trigger condition is met, wherein the second trigger condition being met was determined using the one or more rules;   resolving, in response to the second trigger condition having been met, a subset of the plurality of conflicting claims,   wherein the distribution of the one or more tokens to resolve the plurality of conflicting claims is subject to the resolution of the subset of the plurality of conflicting claims.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a plurality of conflicting claims to a pool of one or more tokens in a distributed ledger, the pool of one or more tokens associated with a smart contract that includes one or more rules;   providing the plurality of conflicting claims to the distributed ledger;   receiving, from the distributed ledger, an indication that a trigger condition is met, wherein the trigger condition being met was determined using the one or more rules that are included in the smart contract;   receiving information, generated using a subset of the one or more rules, indicating a distribution of the one or more tokens to resolve the plurality of conflicting claims, wherein the information was generated responsive to the trigger condition being met; and   causing a transfer of at least some of the one or more tokens according to the distribution indicated by the information.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein, responsive to the trigger condition being met, the subset of the rules assigns:
 first, equal amounts of the one or more tokens up to a minimum of a first claim of the plurality of conflicting claims and a maximum deposit insurance amount, and   second, a proportional amount of the one or more tokens to remaining claims of the plurality of conflicting claims.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising periodically transferring portions of the one or more tokens in the pool to a deposit insurance smart contract, wherein the subset of rules include using the portions of the one or more tokens transferred to the deposit insurance smart contract to at least partially mitigate a deficiency between a total value of pool and a total value of the plurality of conflicting claims. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein receiving the indication that the trigger condition is met comprises receiving an indication from an oracle that an external loss event has occurred and the subset of rules resolve claims in favor of one or more users impacted by the external loss event, the operations further comprising:
 periodically transferring portions of the one or more tokens in the pool to a reinsurance smart contract; and   responsive to receiving the indication of the loss event, receiving a reinsurance payment from the reinsurance smart contact for losses over a threshold, wherein the subset of rules include that outstanding claims from the plurality of conflicting claims get a proportional amount of the pool after the reinsurance payment has been taken into account.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from the distributed ledger and prior to the trigger condition being met, an indication that a second trigger condition is met, wherein the second trigger condition being met was determined using the one or more rules;   resolving, in response to the second trigger condition having been met, a subset of the plurality of conflicting claims,   wherein the distribution of the one or more tokens to resolve the plurality of conflicting claims is subject to the resolution of the subset of the plurality of conflicting claims.