Bidirectional Blockchain Linking for Truncation and Integrity Checks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blockchain structures are limited in their ability to securely store data due to unidirectional chaining, which makes it difficult to detect manipulation, truncation, or alteration of blocks, and cannot verify the completeness or integrity of the blockchain structure.
Innovation Solution
A bidirectionally chained blockchain structure is implemented, where each block includes a combined block-dependent check value calculated from both the previous and additional blocks, and a block-independent concatenation process-specific function is used to enhance security and authenticity checks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unidirectional concatenation using cryptographic check values is used to secure blockchain structures, then manipulation of individual blocks becomes difficult to execute, but detection of truncation or completeness issues becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies bidirectional concatenation where each block contains check values of both preceding and succeeding blocks, inverting the traditional unidirectional approach. This allows verification to proceed in both directions along the chain, enabling detection of truncation by checking if the last block's succeeding check value is present and valid.
Solution Approach 2:
The bidirectional check value mechanism creates feedback loops where each block validates both its predecessor and successor. This feedback system enables comprehensive integrity verification, as any truncation or manipulation breaks the feedback chain and becomes detectable through the missing or invalid check values.
2Ease of manufacture
If unidirectional chaining is used to simplify blockchain structure, then implementation becomes easier, but verification of blockchain completeness becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the unidirectional approach to bidirectional concatenation, the patent enables completeness verification while maintaining implementation feasibility. Each block's dual check values (preceding and succeeding) provide the necessary information to verify completeness without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bidirectional concatenation mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects against manipulation, detects truncation, and verifies blockchain completeness. This multi-functionality achieves comprehensive security and verification capabilities without requiring separate mechanisms for each function.
3Use of energy by moving object
If only preceding block check values are used in concatenation, then computational requirements are reduced, but detection of last block manipulation becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional check value direction by having each block contain check values of both preceding and succeeding blocks. This bidirectional approach protects the last block from manipulation while the computational overhead remains manageable due to the efficient use of cryptographic hash functions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for manipulation-proof storage of data in an electronic memory. The method according to the invention comprises: • providing a bidirectionally linked blockchain structure (100), • generating an additional block (112) for expanding the blockchain structure (100), which comprises the data (210) to be stored and is provided to be bidirectionally linked to the last block (110) in the blockchain structure (100), wherein the last block (110) of the blockchain structure (100) comprises stored data, • calculating a first block-dependent linking function (122) for the bidirectionally linking of the last block (110) to the additional block (112), wherein the calculating of the linking function (122) comprises: • calculating a combined block-dependent test value of the last and of the additional block (110 and 112) using the data stored in the last block (110) and the data (210) to be stored in the additional block (112), • linking the combined test value to a block-independent linking process individual function, • adding the first block-dependent linking function (122) to the last block (110) and to the additional block (112).