Robust decentralised proof-of-position algorithms for smart city applications

We present a decentralised class of algorithms called Tree-Proof-of-Position (T-PoP). T-PoP algorithms rely on the web of interconnected devices in a smart city to establish how likely it is that an agent is in the position they claim to be. T-PoP operates under adversarial assumptions, by which some agents are incentivised to be dishonest. We present a theoretical formulation for T-PoP and its security properties, and we validate this model through a large number of Monte-Carlo simulations. We specifically focus on two instances of T-PoP and analyse their security and reliability properties under a range of adversarial conditions. Use-cases and applications are discussed towards the end of this paper.