Bidirectional Blockchain Linking for Tamper-Proof Data Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing unidirectional chained blockchain structures lack comprehensive security measures, as they cannot verify if a blockchain is complete or if parts have been manipulated, and they store sensitive data in plain text, making it insecure for storing security-related data.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a bidirectional chaining method in blockchain structures, where blocks are encrypted using a block-dependent bidirectional concatenation function, ensuring that data is secured against manipulation and unauthorized access, and allowing verification of the integrity and completeness of the blockchain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If unidirectional concatenation is used to secure block integrity, then manipulation detection is improved, but completeness verification capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblock integrity protectionVSAvoidcompleteness verification capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies bidirectional concatenation where each block is concatenated with both the previous block (forward direction) and the next block (backward direction). This inversion of the traditional unidirectional approach enables verification of both integrity and completeness, as the backward concatenation allows detection of missing or truncated blocks in the chain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a second dimension to block concatenation by implementing bidirectional linking instead of unidirectional chaining. This dimensional change from one-directional to two-directional concatenation adds the capability to verify completeness while maintaining integrity protection, resolving the limitation of unidirectional approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If data is stored in plain text in blockchain structures, then accessibility is improved, but security against unauthorized access deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoidunauthorized access risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different quality treatments to different parts of the blockchain structure. Sensitive data fields are encrypted while non-sensitive metadata remains in plain text. This local differentiation allows selective protection where encryption is applied only to portions requiring security, maintaining accessibility for public information while protecting sensitive data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite data structure combining encrypted and unencrypted portions within the same blockchain block. This composite approach allows the blockchain to simultaneously provide accessibility (through unencrypted metadata) and security (through encrypted sensitive data fields), resolving the contradiction between ease of access and protection from unauthorized access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3552344B1Bidirectionally linked blockchain structure
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH
  • EP3552344B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3552344B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~2
  • EP3552344B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for the tamper-proof storing of data (214) in a bidirectionally linked blockchain structure (100, 101). The method includes: - for the blockchain structure (100), generating an additional block (102) which comprises the data (214) to be stored, - generating a first block-dependent bidirectional linking function (112) from the block-independent linking function (110), wherein, in order to complete this step, data content of the last block (103) of the blockchain structure (100) is used as a first parameter and data content of the additional block (102) for the blockchain structure (100) is used as a second parameter of the block-independent linking function (110), so that the generated first block-dependent bidirectional linking function (112) has paired dependency on both the last block (103) of the blockchain structure (100) and on the additional block (102) for the blockchain structure (100), - bidirectionally linking the last block (103) of the blockchain structure (100) with the additional block (102) for the blockchain structure (100), wherein the bidirectional linking procedure includes transforming the last block (103) of the blockchain structure (100) into a first ciphertext using the first block-dependent bidirectional linking function (112), and transforming the additional block (102) for the blockchain structure (100) into a second ciphertext using the first block-dependent bidirectional linking function (112), - storing the resulting extended blockchain structure (101) which includes the first and the second ciphertexts.