Devices and methods for Ethereum virtual devices

Glossary

Definition of termsDistributed ledger A ledger that is distributed and records digital transactions between multiple entities (e.g., electronic devices, servers, etc.). Blockchain A distributed ledger technology in which transaction records are grouped in chronological order into blocks called blocks, each of which is linked to the previous block by cryptography. Smart contracts Program code stored on the blockchain and triggered by transactions on the blockchain. Resource devices Electronic devices with resources (e.g., sensors, storage, computing power) that can be used by other devices or applications. Virtual devices Software-defined devices created using the resources of one or more resource devices. Ethereum A blockchain-based platform for running smart contracts and decentralized applications. Resource contracts Smart contracts that define the resources available to resource devices and the terms of their use (e.g., cost, availability). Virtual device smart contracts Smart contracts that define virtual devices and their use of resources. Short answer questions

What are the two main types of distributed ledgers? Distributed ledgers can be public, accessible to anyone, or private, accessible only to permissioned users.

What is the Proof of Work (PoW) mechanism? Proof of Work (PoW) is a consensus mechanism that requires nodes to perform a certain amount of work to solve a cryptographic puzzle in order to add a new block to the blockchain, thus ensuring the security and tamper-proof nature of the blockchain.

How is Ethereum different from Bitcoin? While both Ethereum and Bitcoin are blockchain-based platforms, Ethereum is a more general platform that allows for the development and deployment of smart contracts and decentralized applications, while Bitcoin focuses primarily on being a cryptocurrency.

How do resource devices publish their resources in the system described in this article? Resource devices publish their resources by creating and publishing a resource contract on a distributed ledger that details their capabilities and availability.

What is the purpose of a virtual device smart contract? A virtual device smart contract defines the logic for a virtual device to function, use resources, and interact with other smart contracts.

Explain how resource devices are selected for a virtual device. When a user wants to create a virtual device, a suitable resource device is selected from the resource contracts published on the distributed ledger based on the user-defined requirements (e.g., cost, availability, functionality).

Describe how a virtual factory and a crop monitor can be an example of a virtual device. A virtual factory and crop monitor can integrate data from different resource devices, such as satellite imagery, weather station data, and soil sensor data, to provide a comprehensive monitoring of crop growth.

In the example of a virtual monitoring system, what information does the resource contract contain? In a virtual monitoring system, a resource contract can contain information such as the type of camera, resolution, frame rate, geographic coverage, and storage capacity.

How do virtual devices utilize resources from different companies? Virtual devices utilize resources from different companies by accessing resource contracts published on a distributed ledger.

What is the role of device logic in a virtual device smart contract? Device logic is the program code that defines the behavior of a virtual device, which can perform tasks such as data collection, processing, and interaction with other smart contracts