Blockchain Carbon Data Management via Privacy-Graded Encryption

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Solution Overview

Problem

The construction industry faces challenges in managing carbon data for construction materials and products due to data non-transparency and manipulation issues in traditional centralized data management tools, leading to unreliable carbon footprints.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for managing carbon data using a blockchain network, which involves categorizing carbon data into privacy levels, encrypting it using appropriate encryption schemes, and generating blockchain transactions for secure and transparent data management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional centralized data management tools are used for carbon data, then data management is simple and centralized, but data transparency and reliability deteriorate due to manipulation problems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarbon footprint reliabilityVSAvoiddata management system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces blockchain technology as an intermediary layer between data users and carbon data. The blockchain network acts as a trusted mediator that verifies and records carbon footprint data from multiple sources, ensuring data integrity and transparency without requiring a single centralized authority. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability through decentralized consensus while managing complexity through standardized blockchain protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the carbon data management system into multiple independent components: data collection layer, blockchain verification layer, and application layer. Each layer operates independently with specific functions, allowing the system to achieve high reliability through distributed validation while managing overall complexity through modular architecture. The segmentation enables parallel processing and reduces single-point failures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If all carbon data is made transparent and accessible to all users, then data transparency improves, but data privacy deteriorates due to exposure of sensitive information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transparencyVSAvoiddata privacy risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different privacy protection levels to different types of carbon data based on their sensitivity. Public carbon footprint data is made fully transparent and accessible to all users, while sensitive commercial information is protected with restricted access. This local differentiation of data quality and accessibility resolves the contradiction by providing transparency where needed while protecting privacy where required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the accessibility parameter of carbon data dynamically based on data type and user authorization. Instead of a uniform approach, the system adjusts data visibility parameters - making some data public, some privately accessible, and some confidential - thereby achieving both transparency and privacy protection simultaneously through parameter-based data classification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple encryption schemes are applied to different privacy levels of carbon data, then data privacy protection improves, but processing complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata privacy protectionVSAvoidencryption processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies encryption schemes in advance during data ingestion, categorizing carbon data into different privacy levels and applying appropriate encryption before the data enters the blockchain network. This preliminary encryption action simplifies subsequent processing, as the encryption state is determined upfront rather than requiring complex real-time decision-making about which encryption scheme to apply.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different levels of encryption strength based on data sensitivity requirements. Not all carbon data requires the same level of encryption - public data uses lighter protection while sensitive data uses stronger encryption. This partial application of encryption schemes reduces overall processing complexity while maintaining adequate privacy protection where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20250184115A1Method of managing carbon data using blockchain network and system for the same
Publication Date: 2025.06.05 THE HONG KONG UNIV OF SCI & TECH
  • US20250184115A1 patent drawing
  • US20250184115A1 patent drawing
  • US20250184115A1 patent drawing

AI summary

There is provided a method of managing carbon data using a blockchain network. The method includes categorizing, by a processing device, each of one or more carbon data received from at least one user of the blockchain network into respective privacy levels. Each of the respective privacy levels represents a privacy requirement corresponding to each of the one or more carbon data. The method further includes encrypting, by the processing device, each of the one or more categorized carbon data using one of a plurality of encryption schemes. The one of the plurality of encryption schemes is determined based on the privacy level of the carbon data. The method further includes generating, by the processing device, one or more blockchain transactions corresponding to each of the one or more encrypted carbon data and transmitting, by the processing device, the one or more blockchain transactions into the blockchain network.