# US 10,504,256 B2 · Accelerating data-driven scientific discovery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,504,256 B2 - Document ID: US10504256B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/842,384 - Filed: 2017-12-14 - Published: 2018-12-06 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-31 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Flavio du Pin Calmon; Kush Raj Varshney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504256B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/0639: Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations - G06Q 10/46: Determination of level of influence of users within social networking services - G06Q 10/48: using social graphs - G06Q 20/102: {Bill distribution or payments} - G06Q 20/108: {Remote banking, e.g. home banking} - G06Q 20/223: {based on the use of peer-to-peer networks} - G06Q 20/227: {characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer} - G06Q 40/06: Asset management; Financial planning or analysis - G06T 11/26: Drawing of charts or graphs - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Techniques facilitating using a distribution system for incentivizing and accelerating data driven scientific research are described herein. The distribution system can track the input of various parties involved in scientific research, and when a reward, monetary or otherwise, is realized for one or more outcomes of the scientific research, the distribution system can distribute the reward among the parties that provided the input. The relative levels and contributions of the parties can be tracked to ensure that an equitable portioning of the reward is realized. A directed graph can be formed based on the transactions, wherein the nodes correspond to entities, researchers, publications, and the edges correspond to relationships between the entities. The directed graph can be analyzed to determine the relative or absolute levels of contributions from each of the entities, and the rewards can be distributed based on the contribution levels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: generating, by a device operatively coupled to a processor, a directed graph representing a scientific research process, wherein a node of the directed graph is associated with a research entity, and an edge of the directed graph is associated with a relationship between the research entity and another research entity; generating, by the device, a blockchain ledger, wherein an entry of entries in the blockchain ledger comprises information indicative of transaction entries between the research entity and the another research entity, and a description of a collaboration level between the research entity and the another research entity; determining, by the device, information indicative of a portion of a reward associated with a scientific result to the research entity based on a contribution amount of the research entity relative to contribution levels of other research entities associated with the scientific research process; and recommending, by the device, respective distribution amounts to be distributed by a third-party to the research entity and the another research entity based on the contribution amount of the research entity relative to contribution levels of the other research entries. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the generating the directed graph further comprises generating the directed graph based on the transaction entries in the blockchain ledger. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: verifying, by the device, an authenticity of the transaction entries by comparing a hash in a transaction entry to a previous transaction entry. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the device, an importance of the contribution amount of the research entity based on a distribution of edges associated with the node in the directed graph; and weighing, by the device, the information indicative of the portion of the reward based on the importance of the contribution amount of the research entity. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the contribution amount of the research entity is based on an acknowledgement from an entity downstream in the directed graph. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: recommending, by the device, another defined award to the other research entity that verifies the scientific result of the scientific research process. ### Claim 7 A computer-implemented method, comprising: generating, by a device operatively coupled to a processor, a directed graph representing a scientific research process, wherein a node of the directed graph is associated with a research entity, and an edge of the directed graph is associated with a relationship between the research entity and another research entity; generating, by the device, a distributed ledger, wherein an entry of entries in the distributed ledger comprises a description of a collaboration level between the research entity and the another research entity; and determining, by the device, information indicative of a portion of a reward associated with the scientific result to the research entity based on a contribution amount of the research entity relative to contribution levels of other research entities associated with the scientific research process, wherein the reward is selected from a group consisting of an allocation of a monetary prize, a recognition award, a publication, and a selling of software. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the entry of the entries also comprises transaction information, the computer-implemented method further comprising: verifying, by the device, an authenticity of the transaction information by comparing a hash in the transaction information to previous transaction information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the transaction information comprises a citation, a code sharing, or a signed collaboration contract. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising: recommending, by the device, respective distribution amounts to be distributed by a third-party to the research entities based on the contribution amount of the research entity relative to the contribution levels of other research entries. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising: determining, by the device, an importance of the contribution amount of the research entity based on a distribution of edges associated with the node in the directed graph. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising: weighing, by the device, the information indicative of the portion of the reward based on the importance of the contribution amount of the research entity. ### Claim 13 A computer program product to determine contribution levels, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to: generate, by the processor, a directed graph representing a scientific research process, wherein a node of the directed graph is associated with a research entity, and an edge of the directed graph is associated with a relationship between the research entity and another research entity; generate, by the processor, a distributed ledger, wherein an entry of entries in the distributed ledger comprises a description of a collaboration level between the research entity and the another research entity; and determine, by the processor, information indicative of a portion of a reward associated with a scientific result to the research entity based on a contribution amount of the research entity relative to contribution levels of other research entities associated with the scientific research process, wherein the reward is selected from a group consisting of an allocation of a monetary prize, a recognition award, a publication, and a selling of software. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the entry of the entries also comprises transaction information, the operations further comprising: verifying, by the processor, an authenticity of the transaction information by comparing a hash in the transaction information to previous transaction information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the transaction information comprises a citation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the transaction information comprises a signed collaboration contract. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the transaction information comprises a code sharing.