Blockchain Data Integrity via Device-Specific Decryption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current solutions lack mechanisms to ensure the integrity and authenticity of sensor data transmitted from a service platform to a blockchain, as data can be corrupted or fake, and there is no method to verify the trustworthiness of the platform, leading to potential hacking and unauthorized modifications.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a blockchain platform that stores device identifiers and their associated decryption means, decrypts encrypted data, hashes it, and stores it in the blockchain, while also generating virtual encryption keys and transmitting them to the service platform to ensure secure data transmission and authenticity verification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If data is transmitted in clear from the service platform to the blockchain, then transmission simplicity is improved, but data integrity and authenticity cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission simplicityVSAvoiddata integrity and authenticity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the service platform encrypt data with the device's public key before transmission to the blockchain. This pre-encryption ensures that only the intended device can decrypt and verify the data, maintaining both transmission simplicity and data integrity. The encryption is performed in advance, so the blockchain receives already-secured data without needing complex verification mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cryptographic keys as intermediaries between the service platform and the blockchain. The public key acts as a mediator that enables secure transmission without exposing sensitive information. The blockchain verifies data authenticity through the cryptographic intermediary rather than requiring direct trust relationships, solving the contradiction between simple transmission and reliable verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If data is encrypted using private key and network key before transmission, then data security is improved, but decryption complexity at the platform increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoiddecryption process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional encryption approach by having the service platform encrypt data with the device's public key instead of the device encrypting with its private key. This reversal simplifies the decryption process at the device end (using the private key already stored in the device) while maintaining strong security. The complexity is shifted to key management rather than decryption operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables self-service by storing the private key directly in the device, allowing the device to autonomously decrypt data without requiring complex platform-based decryption mechanisms. The device uses its own stored private key to decrypt data that was encrypted with its public key, eliminating the need for the service platform to manage decryption complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the blockchain verifies data authenticity through multiple decryption steps, then data trustworthiness is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata trustworthinessVSAvoiddata processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre encrypting data with the device's public key before transmission to the blockchain. This ensures that the blockchain receives data that is already authenticated and encrypted, requiring only a single decryption step with the stored private key. The trust verification is performed in advance through the encryption process, reducing blockchain processing time while maintaining data trustworthiness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3633915B1Secure storage of data in a blockchain
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IND SAS
  • EP3633915B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3633915B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3633915B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention concerns a method for processing data in a blockchain. It aims at securely storing data issued from devices and going through a service platform by ensuring integrity and authenticity of the data. To this end, a list of device identifiers may by associated with respective decryption means in a blockchain platform. Upon reception (406) of a message comprising encrypted data and comprising a device identifier, the blockchain platform decrypts (407-409) the first encrypted data using the decryption means that are associated with the device identifier. The decrypted data is then hashed (409) and stored in the blockchain.