Blockchain Block Reduction Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

As blockchain networks grow in size due to increasing transactions, they consume more memory, leading to performance issues for nodes in the network.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a block reduction mechanism that identifies triggers for reducing the blockchain size, such as exceeding a threshold number of blocks, and removes specific blocks while recording their transaction state for reference, thereby reducing memory usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If blocks are continuously added to the blockchain to record transactions, then the transaction recording capability is improved, but the memory consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of blocksVSAvoidmemory consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes historical blocks from the blockchain when a trigger condition is met (e.g., blockchain size exceeds a threshold). By taking out unnecessary historical blocks while preserving the essential transaction state information, the system reduces memory consumption while maintaining the integrity and functionality of the blockchain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary determination of transaction states before removing blocks. By calculating and storing the net transaction states (e.g., balance changes) in advance, the system ensures that removing blocks does not result in loss of essential information, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing block quantity and maintaining transaction integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by moving object

If the blockchain size is reduced by removing blocks, then the memory usage decreases, but the transaction history completeness may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory usageVSAvoidtransaction history

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of completely deleting block data, the system creates a simplified copy or representation of the essential transaction information (transaction states) and stores it in the header of the first block. This copying approach allows the system to remove detailed transaction records while preserving the critical state information needed for maintaining account balances and transaction integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the representation parameters of transaction data by transforming detailed transaction records into aggregated transaction states (e.g., net balance changes). This parameter transformation allows the system to store less data while maintaining the essential information needed for blockchain functionality, thus reducing memory usage without losing critical transaction history.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11416475B2Block quantity reduction in distributed ledgers

Publication Date: 2022.08.16 ADOBE INC

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer storage media directed to reducing a size of a blockchain. In implementation, upon identifying an indication to reduce a size of a blockchain, a set of blocks to remove from the blockchain can be determined. The set of blocks can then be removed from the blockchain to reduce the size of the blockchain thereby reducing the amount of memory used by the blockchain.