Blockchain Autonomous Agent Identity Hashing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blockchain transactions are inherently anonymous, but associating user identity with smart contracts in a way that maintains user anonymity is challenging, as the only public identities on a blockchain are public addresses derived from public encryption keys, making it difficult to verify identities without compromising anonymity.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to associate user identity with autonomous agents on a blockchain by engaging in a user authentication process, computing an identity hash from verified identity attributes, and storing this hash in the smart contract's state register, ensuring that the identity is immutably linked to the contract without revealing the real-world identity publicly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If user identity data is stored on the blockchain to verify identity, then identity verification reliability is improved, but user anonymity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential identity verification function from the full identity data by using cryptographic hashes. The hash of identity attributes is stored on the blockchain instead of the actual identity data, allowing verification without exposing the real identity. This extraction resolves the contradiction by keeping only the minimal necessary information (the hash) on the public blockchain while the full identity data remains private.
Solution Approach 2:
The cryptographic hash function acts as an intermediary between the user's real identity and the blockchain. The hash serves as a bridge that enables verification of identity without directly storing or revealing the actual identity data on the public ledger. This intermediary approach allows the system to verify identity reliability while maintaining user anonymity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If public addresses are used to identify users on the blockchain, then user anonymity is maintained, but identity verification capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for identity representation from direct public addresses or full identity data to cryptographic hashes of identity attributes. This parameter transformation enables the system to maintain the anonymity benefits of public addresses while gaining the identity verification capability through hash-based identification. The hash serves as a new parameter that combines both verification and anonymity properties.
3Reliability
If identity data is made immutable on the blockchain, then verification trust is improved, but flexibility in identity management is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identity management system into two parts: immutable hash values stored on the blockchain for verification trust, and flexible identity data stored off-chain for management flexibility. The hash on the blockchain provides permanent verification trust, while the actual identity data can be managed, updated, or deleted in off-chain systems. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the immutable verification function from the flexible management function.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of associating user identity with an autonomous agent embodied on a blockchain stored in a blockchain network, the method comprising the following steps: a user engaging in a user authentication process to obtain a set of one or more verified identity attributes of the user; computing an identity hash, by applying a hash function to input data comprising the set of verified identity attributes; and sending to the blockchain network a data package comprising the identity hash and an identifier of the autonomous agent; wherein the autonomous agent is embodied on the blockchain as program code and at least one associated state register for storing associated program state, and wherein the data package causes at least a portion of the autonomous agent's program code to be executed on a node of the blockchain network, which upon execution stores the identity hash in the at least one state register of the autonomous agent.