Blockchain Consensus Pipelining for Low Finalization Time

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current blockchain consensus systems face issues such as high energy consumption, scalability limitations, and complex transaction finalization processes, leading to low throughput and increased transaction times, particularly in Proof of Work and Proof of Stake systems, and the creation of forks without an objective resolution mechanism.

Innovation Solution

A blockchain consensus protocol that utilizes a committee of node computers, comprising proposer and voter nodes, to perform a notarization process through a sequence number system, where proposer nodes prepare and send unnotarized proposals to voter nodes for signature, and a threshold number of signatures are required to finalize a block, allowing for multiple proposals to be processed without prior notarization, and enabling a reconciliation process to synchronize blockchain information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If pipelining is used to increase throughput, then transaction processing speed improves, but transaction finalization time increases and the finalization process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction processing speedVSAvoidtransaction finalization time

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the consensus process into distinct phases: proposal generation by proposer nodes, signature collection from voter nodes, and finalization. This segmentation allows multiple proposals to be processed in parallel while maintaining clear finalization boundaries, resolving the contradiction between throughput and finalization time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary actions by having voter nodes prepare and store their signatures in advance, and by having proposer nodes prepare multiple proposals before finalization is required. This allows the system to achieve high throughput while maintaining fast finalization, as the preliminary work is done before the critical finalization moment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple rounds of voting are implemented for consensus, then network reliability improves, but computational overhead and disk-space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork reliabilityVSAvoidcomputational overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential consensus function into a single round of voting where voter nodes directly sign proposals. By taking out the redundant intermediate voting rounds, the system maintains network reliability through direct verification while significantly reducing computational overhead and storage requirements for multiple signatures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cryptographic signatures that can be efficiently copied and verified. Instead of storing multiple rounds of voting data, the system stores only the final signatures which can be verified without retaining the full voting history, reducing disk-space overhead while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If Proof of Work system is used for consensus, then network security improves, but energy consumption increases and specialized hardware requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork securityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/computational intensive Proof of Work hashing algorithm with a cryptographic signature-based consensus mechanism. This substitution maintains network security through cryptographic verification while eliminating the need for specialized mining hardware and enormous energy consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Use of energy by moving object

If Proof of Stake system is used for consensus, then energy efficiency improves, but creation of multiple chains and forks increases without objective resolution mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidchain management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces asymmetry in the consensus process by designating specific roles (proposer nodes and voter nodes) with different functions. This asymmetric role assignment provides an objective resolution mechanism for forks, as the proposer node has the authority to propose and the voter nodes have the authority to verify and accept, eliminating the ambiguity present in symmetric Proof of Stake systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentUS11222009B2High throughput blockchain consensus systems and methods with low finalization time

Publication Date: 2022.01.11 THUNDER TOKEN INC

AI summary

The present invention is directed blockchain systems and censuses protocols that adopt a pipelining technique. The systems and protocols involve a committee of consensus nodes that include proposer nodes and voter nodes. Each proposer node can send two or more unnotarized proposals to the voter nodes, and the voter nodes can vote on an unnotarized proposal when they have the same freshest notarized chain or block. A sequence number is provided to facilitate the operation of the systems and protocols. The sequence number can be used to determine the freshest notarized chain or block and the finalized chain and switch proposer node. The systems and protocols also provide other features such as chain syncer, committee election scheme, and committee reconfiguration. The systems and protocols further provide a simple finalization process and thus have a low finalization time.