A Decentralized and Flexible BPM Framework Based on Blockchain VM Interpreter and Inter-Blockchain Communication

While integrating blockchain technology into Business Process Management (BPM) has gained attention, existing compilation-based approaches suffer from high redeployment costs and isolated network structures. This study proposes an FSM-based workflow interpreter engine utilizing the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol within the Cosmos ecosystem to overcome these limitations. The proposed system adopts an interpreter architecture that treats business logic as lightweight JSON specifications instead of hard-coding it into smart contracts. This separation allows for process updates through data modification rather than contract redeployment, significantly increasing operational flexibility. Furthermore, custom IBC packet structures were designed to enable seamless cross-chain process synchronization between independent application-specific blockchains. Experimental results demonstrate that the interpreter approach reduces process update costs by over 90% compared to conventional compilation methods. Additionally, gas consumption exhibited a linear growth pattern relative to task count and gateway complexity, ensuring cost predictability for large-scale business scenarios. Interoperability validation using a standard Procurement Order (PO) process showed successful cross-chain state transitions with a latency of approximately 1.45 s. This research provides a practical solution for building trust-based decentralized collaboration ecosystems by simultaneously achieving operational efficiency and interoperability in blockchain BPM.