Blockchain Credential Issuance via Smart Contract Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Centralized credential issuance systems face issues like information asymmetry and single points of failure, making them unreliable for autonomous operation and verification.

Innovation Solution

A decentralized system using a blockchain platform to register credential issuance authority information, where smart contracts generate and verify credentials, allowing issuers to autonomously issue credentials within assigned attribute ranges and enabling external verification through a public ledger.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a centralized hierarchical structure is used for credential issuance, then credential verification can be performed through a root-level issuer, but information asymmetry and single point of failure occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecredential verification reliabilityVSAvoidsystem structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized root-level issuer is segmented into multiple distributed credential issuers, each capable of independently issuing credentials within their authorized scopes. The single root issuer is divided into multiple nodes that collectively form a decentralized network, eliminating the single point of failure while maintaining verification reliability through distributed consensus mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The root-level issuer function is extracted and redistributed to multiple credential issuers in the network. Each issuer is given a portion of the issuance authority through attribute value ranges, removing the centralization requirement while preserving the ability to verify credentials through the public ledger and smart contracts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Extent of automation

If a root-level issuer is used to issue credentials, then credential authority can be centralized, but autonomous operation capability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecredential issuance autonomyVSAvoidcredential verification reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Credential issuers are empowered to autonomously issue credentials within their assigned attribute value ranges without requiring manual approval from a root-level issuer. The system enables self-service credential issuance through smart contracts that automatically validate issuance requests against pre-defined authority scopes registered in the public ledger, enhancing both autonomy and reliability through automated verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The attribute value ranges and issuance authorities are predetermined and registered in the public ledger before credential issuance begins. Smart contracts are pre-configured with these authority parameters, allowing issuers to autonomously operate within pre-established boundaries without real-time centralization, thus achieving both autonomy and verification reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If decentralized credential issuance is implemented, then autonomous operation is enabled, but verification complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecredential issuance easeVSAvoidverification process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Smart contracts serve as intermediaries between credential issuers and verifiers. These automated contracts hold the authority information in the public ledger and automatically verify issuance legitimacy by checking attribute values against pre-register ed ranges, simplifying the verification process despite the decentralized nature of the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The smart contract verification mechanism serves multiple functions: it validates credential issuance authority, checks attribute value ranges, and confirms issuer legitimacy. This multi-functional approach consolidates various verification tasks into a single automated process, reducing overall verification complexity while maintaining decentralized autonomous operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12003496B2System and method for autonomously operating public ledger-based credential

Publication Date: 2024.06.04 DATA ALLIANCE CO LTD

AI summary

In a system and a method for autonomously operating a public ledger-based credential, the method includes registering credential issuance authority information in a public ledger of a blockchain platform, and verifying a credential issued to a first computing device by referring to the credential issuance authority information registered in the public ledger. The credential issuance authority information includes an attribute value range assigned to a credential issuer and public key information of the credential issuer. A second computing device verifies the credential issued to the first computing device by referring to the credential issuance authority information registered in the public ledger.