Method for verifying a value stream along a transport route or in warehouse stock by means of blockchain technology

A method for verifying a value stream of process variables of at least one product traveling along a transport route, the transport route comprising:

• a plurality of field devices, each field device having:
• at least one sensor or actuator for determining or monitoring at least one process variable, and
• an electronic unit,
• the plurality of field devices are arranged along the transport route and generate corresponding data based on the determining or monitoring steps, or the plurality of field devices verify a value stream of at least one product in warehouse stock,
• wherein a first service platform having a plurality of participant nodes is used and the plurality of participant nodes, each with a database, have a communication connection to one another according to a distributed ledger or blockchain technology, wherein the method includes the following method steps:
• supplying the value stream of ACTUAL data by the field devices;
• 1) transmitting the ACTUAL data supplied by one of the field devices, or ACTUAL data relating to the quantity of the at least one product in warehouse stock, in a transaction to the participant nodes of the first service platform;
• or
• 2) transmitting the ACTUAL data supplied by one of the field devices, or the ACTUAL data relating to the quantity of the at least one product in warehouse stock, to one of the participant nodes that transmits the ACTUAL data in the transaction to the participant nodes of the first service platform;
• providing the transaction of ACTUAL data with a corresponding time stamp or corresponding location information;
• validating the transaction by the participant nodes;
• creating a data block containing the transaction if a predetermined number of participant nodes validate the transaction;
• transmitting the data block to all participant nodes;
• validating the data block by the participant nodes;
• and verifying if the validation is successfully completed by a second predetermined number of participant nodes;
• storing the validated data block in the databases of participant nodes;
• and verifying the value stream along the transport route by comparing the ACTUAL data of the value stream supplied by the field devices with the corresponding TARGET value of the value stream;
• and generating an error message if the value stream cannot be verified.