METHOD FOR VERIFYING A VALUE STREAM ALONG A TRANSPORT ROUTE OR IN WAREHOUSE STOCK BY MEANS OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for verifying a value stream along a transport route (TS), in particular along a pipeline or a production line, wherein a plurality of field devices (F), each having at least one sensor (S) and/or actuator for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable and an electronic unit (EE), are arranged along the transport route (TS) and generate corresponding data (DAT), or for verifying the value stream of at least one product in warehouse stock, wherein a first service platform (SP1) is used, via which a plurality of participant nodes (TK) each with at least one database (DB) have a communication connection to one another according to a distributed ledger or the blockchain technology.

Claims

1. Method for verifying a value stream along a transport route (TS), especially along a pipeline or a production line, wherein a plurality of field devices (F), each having at least one sensor and/or actuator for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable, and an electronic unit, are arranged along the transport route (TS) and generate corresponding data (DAT), or for verifying the value stream of at least one product in warehouse stock, wherein a first service platform (SP1) is used via which a plurality of participant nodes (TK), each with at least one database (DB), have a communication connection to one another according to a distributed ledger or blockchain technology, wherein the method includes the following method steps: the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) supplied by one of the field devices (F), or the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) relating to the quantity of the at least one product in warehouse stock, are transmitted in a transaction to the participant nodes (TK) of the first service platform (SP1), or the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) supplied by one of the field devices (F), or the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) relating to the quantity of the at least one product in warehouse stock, are transmitted to a participant node (TK) that transmits the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) in a transaction to the participant nodes (TK) of the first service platform (SP1), the transaction of the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) is provided with a corresponding time stamp and/or corresponding location information; the transaction is validated by the participant nodes (TK); a data block containing at least the one transaction is created if a predetermined number of participant nodes (TK) validates the transaction; the data block is transmitted to all participant nodes (TK); the data block is validated by the participant nodes (TK) and verified if the validation is successfully completed by a second predetermined number of participant nodes (TK); the validated data block is stored in the databases (DB) of the decentralized participant nodes (TK); via a comparison with corresponding TARGET data (TARGET DAT), the value stream along the transport route (TS) or in warehouse stock is verified, or an error message is generated.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein a statement about the value stream on the transport route (TS) or in warehouse stock is provided based on the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) supplied by the field devices (F), or an error message is generated if, based on the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT), it is recognized that an unauthorized change in the value stream occurs.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, on the basis of the ACTUAL data (ACTUAL DAT) of the field devices (F) of the participant nodes (TK), information relating to a decrease or increase in the value stream or in warehouse stock is made available at a defined point in time at the corresponding positions of the field devices (F) in the pipeline, the production line, or in warehouse stock.

4. Method according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein a fluid medium flows through the pipeline, and wherein the flow rate or the flow quantity is determined by field devices (F) in order to determine the flow rate.

5. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the field devices (F) or the participant nodes (TK) are integrated into a second service platform (SP2), by means of which a payment is initiated corresponding to the decrease or increase in the value stream.

6. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, wherein the field devices (F) or the participant nodes (TK) are integrated into a second service platform (SP2), wherein an order of a customer (K) takes place via the second service platform (SP2), and wherein the order causes a change in the value stream or in warehouse stock.

7. Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein ETHEREUM or Blockstream, for example, is used as the second service platform (SP2) for the ordering and/or payment.

8. Method according to one or more of claims 1-7, wherein the payment takes place by means of a cryptocurrency, for example Bitcoin, via the second service platform (SP2).

Description

[0025] The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the following Figures. These show:

[0026] FIG. 1: a schematic representation of a transport route TS, in this instance a pipeline, in which the verification of the value stream, i.e. of the fluid medium M flowing in the pipeline, is operated according to the invention. A plurality of field devices F, the field devices F especially being flow meters, is arranged along the pipeline and determine, for example, the mass flow of the medium M flowing in the pipeline. The pipeline may extend over hundreds or thousands of kilometers, e. g., from Russia into the Ukraine or to Europe. It is inherently understood that, as an alternative or in addition to the determination of the mass flow, the composition/quality of the flowing medium M may also be monitored, for example.

[0027] At defined time intervals, the field devices F provide measured values ACTUAL DAT relating to the mass flow of the medium M in the pipeline. Thus, by comparing the ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT from two field devices Fx, Fy arranged adjacent to one another, it can be detected whether a change in the mass flow has taken place in the section between the two field devices Fx, Fy. The ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT of the field devices F are always provided with a time stamp and/or a location information.

[0028] The two field devices Fy, Fb arranged on the right are designed as participant nodes TK of a service platform SP1 based on the distributed ledger or blockchain technology. The field devices Fy, Fb transmit the ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT in a respective transaction to all participant nodes TK of the first service platform SP1. The two field devices Fa, Fx arranged to the left are not participant nodes of the first service platform SP1. Their ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT are transmitted, for example in encrypted form via the Internet, to a participant node TK which transmits the ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT in a respective transaction to all participant nodes TK of the first service platform SP1.

[0029] Brief additional note: A blockchain itself is made up of a series of data blocks in which one or more respective transactions are combined and provided with a checksum. Each transaction includes at least a portion of a data set, in this instance preferably the ACTUAL data of one of the field devices F. The integrity of the data, thus the security of the data against subsequent tampering, is ensured by the storage of the cryptographic checksums of the preceding data block in each subsequent data block. New data blocks are created in a computationally intensive process called mining. For this purpose, the participant nodes TK are at least partially equipped with a corresponding computing unit. The data block is then transmitted to all participant nodes TK. Data stored in the blockchain can subsequently no longer be changed or removed; they are stored in a tamper-proof manner.

[0030] The method according to the invention is described below in detail in the case of the pipeline: In a subsequent method step, each transaction of ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT is validated by the participant nodes TK and stored in the database DB of each participant node TK. A data block containing at least one transaction is created only if a predetermined number of participant nodes TK has validated the transaction or transactions. The data block is then transmitted to all participant nodes TK. If the data block is successfully validated by a predetermined number of participant nodes TK, it is verified. The validated/verified data block is stored in the databases DB of the decentrally arranged participant nodes TK.

[0031] The mass flow of the medium M along the pipeline is verified via a comparison with corresponding TARGET data TARGET DAT. If no extraction or no supply of medium M takes place on the transport route TS, the ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT of the field devices F must indicate the same mass flow within the tolerance limits. In this case, there is only one TARGET value TARGET DAT. If deviations occur between the ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT and the TARGET data TARGET DAT, this is an indication of an irregularity, e.g. an unauthorized extraction or supply of medium M.

[0032] If an unauthorized extraction by a customer K occurs on the transport route TS, the amount of the extracted medium can be determined by comparison of the ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT of the two field devices Fx, Fy and be registered in a tamper-proof manner. The traceability of any transactions in the pipeline supply chain is ensured. Providing a defined amount of a medium M is fully transparent and traceable for the customer C to whom the medium was made available. Due to the security against tampering that is provided by the publication of the transactions (delivery document relating to the extracted amount of the medium, invoice document) in the area surrounding the pipeline, the customer K has full confidence in the information and actions made available from the supply change.

[0033] Ordering and payment are especially performed via a second service platform SP2, which is also based on the distributed ledger or blockchain technology. The second service platform SP2 is, for example, ETHEREUM or BLOCKSTREAM. Assets are managed and/or accesses to or transfers of assets are governed via the second service platform SP2. The conclusion of a contract or a one-time ordering of a product especially takes place via the second service platform SP2. Smart contracts are preferably used for this purpose. Furthermore, it can be provided that the payment for the products/information provided according to the order or contract is handled via the second service platform SP2. It goes without saying that the payment for a supplied product or information can also take place in a conventional manner via a bank.

[0034] A further example, not explicitly illustrated, is the stock of oil in a refinery. In this instance as well, the ACTUAL data ACTUAL DAT is continuously stored in a blockchain. Via the measured values of field devices, which determine the fill level in a tank, for example, any change in stock can be calculated directly and recorded in a tamper-proof manner in a first service platform SP1. If a customer K purchases a partial quantity of the oil stock, transactions for the order and payment are preferably made via a second service platform SP2. Only the producer and the administrator of the measurement point have any influence on the data ACTUAL DAT stored in the first service platform SP1.