Communication protocol using blockchain transactions

Computer equipment, comprising:

• memory comprising one or more memory units;
• and
• processing apparatus comprising one or more processing units, wherein the memory stores code arranged to run on the processing apparatus, the code being configured so as when executed on the processing apparatus, the processing apparatus performs a method for granting permission to a requestor to join a first network, wherein the first network comprises a set of bridging nodes and a set of devices controllable by one or more of the set of bridging nodes, and wherein each bridging node is also a respective node of a blockchain network;
• the method comprising:
• generating a first blockchain transaction, wherein the first blockchain transaction comprises an input comprising a signature linked to a first public key of a registration authority, a first output comprising a first certificate, and a second output locked to a second public key of the registration authority, wherein the first certificate comprises an identifier assigned to the requestor;
• transmitting the first blockchain transaction to the blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain;
• generating a second blockchain transaction, wherein the second blockchain transaction comprises an input that references the second output of the first transaction and comprises a signature linked to the second public key of the registration authority;
• and
• transmitting the second blockchain transaction to the blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain.

A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and configured so as, when run on computer equipment, the computer equipment performs a method for granting permission to a requestor to join a first network, wherein the first network comprises a set of bridging nodes and a set of devices controllable by one or more of the set of bridging nodes, and wherein each bridging node is also a respective node of a blockchain network;

• the method comprising:
• generating a first blockchain transaction, wherein the first blockchain transaction comprises an input comprising a signature linked to a first public key of a registration authority, a first output comprising a first certificate, and a second output locked to a second public key of the registration authority, wherein the first certificate comprises an identifier assigned to the requestor;
• transmitting the first blockchain transaction to the blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain
• generating a second blockchain transaction, wherein the second blockchain transaction comprises an input that references the second output of the first transaction and comprises a signature linked to the second public key of the registration authority;
• and
• transmitting the second blockchain transaction to the blockchain network for inclusion in the blockchain.