Blockchain Anchor Blocks for Fork Resolution and Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blockchain systems face instability and security risks due to frequent forks, which reduce security, fairness, and increase the likelihood of selfish mining and double spend attacks, while also limiting transaction throughput.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of anchors, which are small bitstrings containing a hash of a block and Proof Of Work (PoW), are generated, propagated, and accepted by peer nodes to increase chain stability and responsiveness, allowing miners to quickly estimate mining power distribution and resolve forks faster.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional blockchain consensus mechanisms are used, then decentralization is maintained, but fork resolution time increases and system stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the blockchain validation process by introducing anchor blocks that are validated separately from regular blocks. Anchor blocks serve as stable reference points that are quickly validated and locked, while regular blocks continue to be processed in the traditional manner. This segmentation allows the system to maintain decentralization while achieving faster fork resolution through the rapid validation of anchor blocks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-validating and locking anchor blocks before they are fully integrated into the main blockchain. These anchor blocks are selected and validated in advance, creating stable reference points that guide subsequent block validation. This preliminary validation reduces the time required for fork resolution by providing pre-established trusted reference points.
2Productivity
If block size is increased to improve transaction throughput, then more transactions can be processed, but fork frequency increases and security decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments transactions into anchor transactions included in anchor blocks and regular transactions in regular blocks. Anchor blocks contain a limited set of pre-validated transactions that serve as stable reference points. This segmentation allows the system to process high-volume regular transactions while maintaining security through the smaller, pre-validated anchor blocks, thus improving throughput without compromising security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-validating transactions that will be included in anchor blocks before they are committed to the blockchain. This pre-validation ensures that anchor transactions are secure and trustworthy before serving as reference points for subsequent blocks. By performing validation in advance, the system can process more transactions efficiently while maintaining security through the pre-validated anchor structure.
3Speed
If block interval is decreased to increase responsiveness, then transaction confirmation speed improves, but fork frequency increases and system stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the block validation process into anchor blocks and regular blocks with different validation requirements. Anchor blocks are validated quickly and serve as stable reference points, while regular blocks follow the traditional validation process. This segmentation allows the system to maintain short block intervals for fast confirmation while ensuring stability through the periodically validated anchor blocks that prevent excessive forking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-selecting and pre-validating anchor blocks at shorter intervals than regular blocks. These anchor blocks are locked in advance and serve as stable reference points that guide the validation of subsequent regular blocks. By performing this preliminary validation, the system achieves fast transaction confirmation through short block intervals while maintaining stability through the pre-established anchor structure that prevents fork proliferation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a computer implemented method in a blockchain system, wherein said method comprising: plurality of anchors, wherein said anchors includes a bitstring comprising (i) hash of a block in a main chain, and (ii) a Proof Of Work (PoW). The plurality of anchors generated, propagated and thereby accepted by plurality of peer nodes in a network on said blockchain system so as to increase the responsiveness and stability of a blockchain.