Blockchain Coupon System Using Hashlock Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coupon redemption systems lack secure and efficient methods to maintain confidentiality of discount information while ensuring reliable and transparent transaction tracking, often relying on single administrators or point-of-failure systems.
Innovation Solution
A blockchain-based system that uses a coupon-minter to generate encrypted coupons with hashlocks, a store-manager to claim and update coupons, and a clearing-house-manager to decrypt and credit the discount information, ensuring secure and transparent transactions without disclosing sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If discount information is stored in plain text on the blockchain, then transparency and accessibility are improved, but security and confidentiality of the discount information deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The coupon data is segmented into public components (hashlock, coupon identifier) and private components (discount information encrypted with discount key). The public components can be displayed on the blockchain while the private components remain encrypted, resolving the contradiction between transparency and security.
Solution Approach 2:
Encryption acts as an intermediary between the discount information and the blockchain storage. The encrypted discount information can be stored and displayed on the blockchain without exposing the actual discount values, while still maintaining accessibility through the encryption mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If a single administrator manages the coupon system, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability and security deteriorate due to point-of-failure risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into multiple independent roles: coupon-minter (creates coupons), store-manager (claims and updates coupons), and clearing-house-manager (decrypts and credits). This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure while maintaining operational simplicity through defined role responsibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Each role performs self-service operations with appropriate access controls. The store-manager can claim coupons and update them without needing access to the discount keys, while the clearing-house-manager only accesses encrypted data after verification. This self-service model improves reliability by distributing responsibilities.
3Ease of operation
If discount keys are stored publicly for accessibility, then ease of operation is improved, but security and confidentiality of discount information deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the system have different access qualities. The coupon-minter and store-manager have access to encrypted discount information through the blockchain, but only the authorized clearing-house-manager can decrypt it using the private key. This local quality differentiation maintains security while allowing appropriate accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The encryption mechanism serves as an intermediary that controls access to discount information. The encrypted discount information is stored on the blockchain for accessibility, while the private key acts as a mediator that authorizes only the clearing-house-manager to decrypt and access the actual discount values.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional coupon redemption systems are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but productivity and speed of redemption deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical coupon redemption processes with a blockchain-based digital system. The automated verification of hashlocks and encrypted data on the blockchain eliminates manual processing steps, significantly increasing redemption speed while maintaining ease of implementation through standardized cryptographic operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A coupon-minter is configured to perform operations including: generating a coupon comprising encrypted discount information, wherein the encrypted discount information is encrypted with a discount key; generating, for the coupon, a hashlock from a preimage; introducing the coupon to a blockchain in association with the hashlock, wherein the blockchain is configured to permit claiming of the generated coupon only upon receiving access to the preimage used to generate the hashlock. A store-manager configured to perform operations including: claiming, using the preimage, the coupon in the blockchain; encrypting the discount key with a clearing-house public key; updating the coupon with the encrypted discount key. A clearing-house-manager configured to perform operations comprising: detecting the store-manager's claiming of the coupon; decrypting the encrypted discount key with a clearing-house private key to re-generate the discount key; and decrypting the encrypted discount information with the preimage.