Blockchain Hash Verification Using Reduced-Step Approximate Checks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized databases are prone to single points of failure, network dependency, and limited data access, while traditional blockchain hashes consume significant computational resources.
Innovation Solution
Implement approximate hash verification in a blockchain system by generating a reduced-step hash alongside a full-step hash, allowing for faster verification with fault-tolerant mechanisms to correct rare errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional blockchain hash verification is used, then data security and integrity are maintained, but computational resources and verification time consume significantly more
Solution Approach 1:
The hash verification process is segmented into two distinct steps: a first hash function applied to the data, and a second hash function applied to the result of the first hash. This segmentation allows the system to use computationally cheaper hash functions while maintaining security through the combination of multiple hashing steps, thereby reducing overall computational resource consumption while preserving data integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the hash verification process by using different hash functions with varying computational complexities. The first hash function uses stronger hashing (e.g., SHA-256) while the second hash function uses weaker, faster hashing (e.g., MD5 or SHA-1). This parameter change allows the system to achieve adequate security with reduced computational overhead by not requiring maximum strength hashing at every step.
2Measurement precision
If full-step hash verification is performed, then verification accuracy is maintained, but verification time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial hash verification by applying the second hash function to the result of the first hash function. This partial action approach verifies the integrity of the data through the combination of both hash functions, which provides sufficient accuracy for blockchain verification while significantly reducing the time required compared to using only the stronger first hash function alone.
3Ease of operation
If centralized database is used, then data management ease is improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a distributed blockchain system where multiple nodes maintain copies of the ledger. Each node stores a copy of the blockchain data and can independently verify transactions through the dual hash function mechanism. This copying approach eliminates the single point of failure inherent in centralized databases while maintaining ease of operation through automated consensus protocols that require minimal manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
An example operation may include one or more of receiving a data block for storage on a blockchain from an orderer node, the data block comprising a full-step hash of a storage request and a reduced-step hash of the storage request, performing an approximate hash verification on the data block based on the reduced-step hash of the storage request included in the data block, and in response to a success of the approximate hash verification, committing the data block among a hash-linked chain of data blocks stored within a distributed ledger of a blockchain.