Blockchain Citation Management for Unpublished Research Attribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current citation and attribution systems in academia face challenges such as unpublished works not being recognized for their contribution, delayed dissemination of research due to lengthy publishing processes, and inefficiencies in tracking citations and attributions, leading to missed opportunities for authors to receive proper credit.

Innovation Solution

A blockchain-based system that creates an immutable record of created works, allowing authors to prove ownership and receive attribution, even for unpublished works, and improves citation tracking by making it machine-readable and error-resistant, incorporating metadata and contextual information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If authors wait for formal publishing to disseminate their works, then publication quality and peer review are ensured, but the time delay prevents timely citation and recognition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepublication qualityVSAvoiddissemination delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary registration of research works on the blockchain before formal publication, creating an immutable timestamp that proves existence and ownership. This preliminary action allows authors to establish priority and enable citations before the lengthy peer-review and publication process completes, resolving the contradiction between ensuring quality through formal publishing and enabling timely recognition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If authors share unpublished works early, then timely citation and recognition are achieved, but lack of formal publishing reduces work quality and reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecitation speedVSAvoidwork quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Authors can perform preliminary registration of their works on the blockchain before formal publication, establishing an immutable record of existence and ownership. This allows early sharing and citation while maintaining a clear pathway to formal publication that ensures quality control, thus achieving both timely recognition and work quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain system acts as an intermediary that bridges early sharing and formal publication. It provides a trusted environment where works can be registered and shared before formal publishing, with the blockchain serving as the mediator that guarantees authenticity and enables citations while the formal publishing process continues to ensure quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If traditional citation tracking systems are used, then citation data can be collected, but errors and citation breaks occur due to lack of machine readability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecitation accuracyVSAvoidmachine readability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual, error-prone citation tracking with automated blockchain-based verification. By substituting the mechanical process of manual citation management with automated smart contract execution and blockchain verification, the system eliminates citation breaks and errors while improving machine readability and tracking accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain system enables self-service citation tracking where the immutable records automatically verify citations without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by using the blockchain's inherent properties to detect and verify citations, eliminating the need for error-prone manual tracking processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Loss of information

If comprehensive citation data and context are captured, then improved metrics and analytics are generated, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecitation data completenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blockchain system provides multi-functionality by simultaneously serving as a registration platform, citation tracking system, verification mechanism, and data storage solution. This universal approach captures comprehensive citation data and context without requiring separate complex systems for each function, as the blockchain infrastructure handles multiple tasks in an integrated manner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11153071B2Citation and attribution management methods and systems

Publication Date: 2021.10.19 ARTIFACTSOFRESEARCH INC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method comprising: accessing, at a client device, a first artifact and artifact metadata corresponding to the artifact; creating, at the client device, an artifact cryptographic digest corresponding to the artifact to certify existence of the artifact; transmitting, at the client device, the artifact cryptographic digest and artifact metadata to a server; adding, at the server device, the artifact cryptographic digest to a block chain; and adding, at the server device, the artifact cryptographic digest, the artifact metadata and the first artifact to a data storage device separate and distinct from the block chain to reference the artifact cryptographic digest on the block chain.