Blockchain Consensus Last Block Hash Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blockchain consensus protocols cannot guarantee that nodes generate a consistent block based on the same transaction set, leading to potential inconsistencies and fork issues.

Innovation Solution

Introducing a function for reaching a consensus on a last block hash into the Byzantine fault tolerance algorithm-based consensus protocol, allowing nodes to determine if they are forked and decide whether to participate in the consensus, ensuring consistency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing consensus protocols are used to copy transaction sets to nodes, then most nodes can have consistent data copies, but consistent block generation cannot be guaranteed due to potential fork issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblock consistencyVSAvoidconsensus protocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by requiring nodes to verify the last block hash before participating in consensus. This pre-check ensures that nodes are operating from the same baseline state (consistent last block) before attempting to generate new blocks, preventing fork issues from propagating. The verification of last block hash is performed in advance as a prerequisite for consensus participation, which resolves the block consistency issue without requiring complex post-consensus reconciliation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Stability of the object's composition

If nodes participate in consensus without verifying last block consistency, then consensus speed is maintained, but fork issues occur leading to network instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork stabilityVSAvoidconsensus time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary anti-action by having nodes proactively verify the last block hash of the proposing node before engaging in consensus. This pre-verification acts as a preventive measure against participating in forks, eliminating the need for time-consuming post-consensus conflict resolution. By detecting and avoiding inconsistent states beforehand, the network maintains stability while the verification process itself is designed to be efficient, minimizing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Reliability

If a function to reach consensus on last block hash is introduced, then nodes can judge fork status and ensure consistent block generation, but the consensus protocol becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsensus reliabilityVSAvoidprotocol structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies feedback by incorporating the last block hash verification result as a decision criterion for consensus participation. Nodes receive feedback about the proposing node's last block hash, compare it with their own, and use this feedback to determine whether to participate in the consensus. This feedback mechanism enables nodes to automatically detect and avoid forks, significantly improving consensus reliability. The feedback is integrated into the existing consensus flow, adding minimal structural complexity while achieving robust fork prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3933644B1Consensus method, apparatus, and system for blockchain based on byzantine fault tolerance algorithm
Publication Date: 2025.02.19 ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECH CO LTD
  • EP3933644B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3933644B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3933644B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

A consensus method, apparatus, and system for a blockchain based on a Byzantine fault tolerance algorithm are provided in embodiments of the present specification. The method includes: introducing a last block hash into a consensus protocol by taking advantage of different characteristics of the last block hash in a distributed ledger maintained by forked nodes and non-forked nodes, generating, by respective nodes, a proposal digest based on respective last block hashes, and verifying, according to the proposal digest, consistency between last blocks of the respective nodes and a node that initiates a consensus proposal, to ensure that the nodes participating in a consensus reach a consensus based on a consistent last block.