Blockchain Data Backup via Unused Transaction Roll-Over

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number of blocks in a blockchain system leads to significant storage pressure on individual nodes, affecting system performance and requiring efficient storage management solutions.

Innovation Solution

A data backup method that automatically identifies and rolls over unused transaction output information into new blocks, allowing for the deletion of old blocks and storage of new blocks in a separate system, thereby reducing storage demands and maintaining data integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all blockchain data is stored on each node device, then data integrity and decentralization are maintained, but storage space consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidstorage space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the blockchain data into two segments: active chain data stored in the node device's memory and historical chain data stored in an external storage system. This segmentation allows the node to maintain only the necessary active data locally while archiving historical data externally, thereby reducing local storage consumption while preserving data integrity through the connection between segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts historical chain data from the node device's storage system and moves it to an external storage system. This extraction process separates data that is no longer actively needed from data that must remain locally accessible, reducing the storage burden on individual nodes while maintaining the completeness of the blockchain record.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If all blockchain data is stored on each node device, then complete data availability is ensured, but system performance deteriorates due to storage pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidsystem performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting data storage between active and historical portions, the system improves performance by reducing the amount of data that must be managed locally while ensuring data availability through the external storage connection. The node can quickly access active data locally while historical data remains available for retrieval when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Extracting historical data from the node device relieves storage pressure and improves system performance by reducing the burden on local storage resources. The extracted data remains accessible through the external storage system, maintaining data availability while enhancing overall system efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If old blocks are deleted to save storage space, then storage efficiency improves, but data completeness may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage spaceVSAvoiddata completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts historical block data from the node device and stores it in an external storage system, allowing the node to delete old blocks locally while preserving data completeness in the external system. This extraction ensures that data is not lost but merely relocated to appropriate storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The external storage system acts as an intermediary between the node device and historical data. It mediates the storage relationship by holding archived blockchain data that can be retrieved when needed, ensuring data completeness is maintained even when local storage is optimized by deleting old blocks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If traditional backup methods are used, then data safety is improved, but storage costs and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata safetyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the backup function into automatic identification of unused transaction outputs, generation of new blocks containing this data, and storage in an external system. This segmented approach automates the backup process, improving data safety while reducing system complexity by eliminating manual intervention and simplifying the backup architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service backup by automatically identifying unused transaction outputs, generating new blocks with this data, and storing them externally. This self-service mechanism improves data safety through automated redundancy while reducing system complexity by eliminating the need for complex manual backup procedures and external management interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3779732B1Data backup method, storage medium, and computing device
Publication Date: 2025.01.15 TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO LTD
  • EP3779732B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3779732B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3779732B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A data backup method is provided, including querying a first block of a first blockchain to obtain unused transaction output information based on a first condition being met, the first block including each block of all blocks included in the first blockchain; generating transaction information according to the unused transaction output information obtained based on the querying, the transaction information indicating a transaction operation that does not change an account address to which the unused transaction output information belongs; recording the generated transaction information in a second block and releasing the second block, and recording the second block on which a consensus is reached on a second blockchain; and backing up the first blockchain into a storage system, and deleting the first blockchain. A storage medium and a computing device are also provided.