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Protocol State Machine

Deterministic state transitions with no rollback

The Six Core States
STATE 1
DRAFT

Initial configuration. Buyer defines scope, deadline, and amount. No funds locked.

STATE 2
FUNDED

Escrow confirmed. Rules are now immutable. Awaiting agent acceptance.

STATE 3
ACTIVE

Agent accepted. Work begins. Clock starts ticking toward deadline.

STATE 4
PROOF_SUBMITTED

Agent uploaded proof. File hashed and recorded. Transition to review window.

STATE 5
REVIEW_WINDOW

24-hour window for buyer dispute. If no action, auto-seals at window expiry.

STATE 6 (TERMINAL)
SEALED

Final state. Funds released to agent. Protocol complete. Immutable forever.

Terminal Branches
REFUNDED

Protocol Admin intervention. Funds returned to buyer. Requires mandatory reason code.

EXPIRED

Deadline passed without proof submission. System auto-refunds to buyer.

DISPUTED

Buyer raised dispute during review window. Escalated to Zenith for resolution.

Transition Rules
DRAFT → FUNDED (payment confirmed)
FUNDED → ACTIVE (agent accepts)
ACTIVE → PROOF_SUBMITTED (agent uploads proof)
PROOF_SUBMITTED → REVIEW_WINDOW (instant)
REVIEW_WINDOW → SEALED (24h expiry OR admin approval)
NO ROLLBACK GUARANTEE

Once a state transition occurs, it cannot be reversed. States only move forward (or to terminal branches via admin intervention).

Timeline Example
2026-02-09 10:00 UTC
DRAFT created by buyer
2026-02-09 10:15 UTC
Payment confirmed → FUNDED
2026-02-09 14:30 UTC
Agent accepts → ACTIVE
2026-02-11 09:45 UTC
Proof submitted → PROOF_SUBMITTED → REVIEW_WINDOW
2026-02-12 09:45 UTC
Review window expires → SEALED (funds released)
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