Blockchain Ledger for Collaborative Document Editing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional collaborative document editing systems, especially those used for financial documents, face limitations in privacy, error susceptibility, and inadequate auditability, making them cumbersome and prone to errors.

Innovation Solution

The use of a blockchain-based distributed ledger system for collaborative document editing, where user devices establish trust through cryptographic information or MAC addresses, allowing secure and auditable changes to be stored across a permissioned network, enabling simultaneous editing and tracking of document changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional cloud-based collaborative document editing systems are used, then document editing accessibility is improved, but privacy protection deteriorates and auditability is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument editing accessibilityVSAvoidprivacy protection and auditability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A blockchain-based intermediary layer is introduced between users and the document editing system. This blockchain ledger acts as a neutral mediator that records all document changes immutably, providing auditability without requiring users to trust a central authority. The blockchain mediates the verification of edits while maintaining user privacy through cryptographic techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the document editing functionality into two independent parts: (1) the document editing interface that provides accessibility and ease of use, and (2) the blockchain ledger that independently handles auditability and privacy protection. This segmentation allows each component to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If conventional collaborative editing systems are used for financial documents, then editing efficiency is improved, but error susceptibility increases and auditability is inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveediting efficiencyVSAvoiderror susceptibility and auditability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements immediate feedback mechanisms where every document change is automatically recorded on the blockchain with a timestamp and cryptographic verification. Users receive real-time feedback about the status of their edits and can verify the integrity of the document history, reducing errors through immediate detection and correction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain ledger provides a pre-established immutable record-keeping structure that cushions against potential errors and disputes. By having the audit trail established beforehand through cryptographic hashing and distributed consensus, the system prevents errors from propagating and provides automatic protection against unauthorized modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Device complexity

If a single third-party connection is used for document editing, then system simplicity is maintained, but privacy and security are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidprivacy and security

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The blockchain network serves as a distributed intermediary that replaces the single third-party connection. Instead of one central authority, multiple decentralized nodes act as intermediaries, maintaining system simplicity from the user perspective while dramatically improving security through distributed consensus and elimination of single points of failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates cryptographic copies of the document history across multiple blockchain nodes rather than storing the actual document in a single location. These cryptographic copies verify document integrity without exposing the actual content, maintaining simplicity while enhancing security through distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS11687495B2System and method for managing collaborative multiuser document editing via a distributed ledger

Publication Date: 2023.06.27 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

AI summary

An electronic device may include logic to provide a trust credential for linking to a permissioned network over a local network, comprising a plurality of user devices; retrieve a document in an initial status for editing, corresponding to a first state of a distributed ledger, maintained by the permissioned network; generate a first change in the document, wherein the document is in a second status; send, to the permissioned network via the local network, the first change for storage in the distributed ledger, in a second state; retrieve the document in a third status, including a second change, performed subsequently to the first change, the second change being generated by a user device, external to the electronic device, and coupled to the local network; and link to the distributed ledger to retrieve a third state of the distributed ledger, the third state comprising the first change and the second change.