Bidirectional Blockchain Linking for Tamper and Gap Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing unidirectional blockchain structures lack the ability to verify the completeness and integrity of the blockchain, as they cannot check for tampering or alterations in the last block or missing segments, and require all subsequent blocks to be checked sequentially.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a bidirectional blockchain structure with block-dependent linking functions that include a combined check value calculated from both the last block and the additional block, allowing for bidirectional integrity checks and recognition of alterations or removals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unidirectional linking with hash values is used to protect block integrity, then manipulation of preceding blocks can be detected, but completeness of the blockchain cannot be verified and the last block cannot be checked for tampering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by implementing bidirectional linking where each block contains verification data for both the preceding block (forward link) and the succeeding block (backward link). This allows verification to proceed in both directions along the chain, enabling detection of tampering in the last block and verification of blockchain completeness, which unidirectional structures cannot achieve.
2Reliability
If sequential checking from first to last block is performed to verify blockchain integrity, then all blocks can be checked, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing verification data (hash values and linking functions) in each block during chain construction. This preparation allows verification nodes to quickly validate blocks without performing lengthy sequential computations, significantly reducing verification time while maintaining comprehensive integrity checking.
3Device complexity
If only unidirectional hash linking is implemented, then the structure is simple, but the ability to detect tampering in the last block or missing segments is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges forward linking (verifying preceding blocks) and backward linking (verifying succeeding blocks) into a unified bidirectional structure. Each block contains both a hash of the preceding block and a linking function for the succeeding block, combining multiple verification capabilities into a single integrated system that enhances reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment the method includes providing a bidirectionally linked blockchain structure; generating an additional block for expanding the blockchain structure, which includes the data to be stored and is intended to be linked bidirectionally to the last block of the blockchain structure, the last block of the blockchain structure including stored data; and calculating a first block-dependent linking function for bidirectionally linking the last block to the additional block. The calculation of the linking function including calculating a combined block-dependent check value of the last block and of the additional block, using the data stored in the last block and the data to be stored in the additional block; and associating the combined check value with a block-independent, linking process-specific function. The method further includes adding the first block-dependent linking function to the last block and to the additional block.