Blockchain Data Isolation via Workflow Node Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional blockchain networks face challenges in privacy protection due to their inherent openness, as transactions containing sensitive information are publicly available, posing issues for entities that wish to maintain confidentiality.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where private transaction details are isolated by storing them in a private blockchain, while publishing transaction summaries and account balance updates to a public blockchain, using workflow nodes to manage and encrypt data, ensuring only authorized entities access sensitive information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If transaction details are stored in a public blockchain network, then transparency and verification are improved, but privacy and confidentiality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetransparencyVSAvoidprivacy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the blockchain network into multiple isolated networks (first blockchain network and second blockchain network). Transaction details are segmented and stored only in the private blockchain network, while transaction summaries are stored in the public blockchain network. This segmentation allows transparency at the summary level while maintaining privacy for detailed information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts sensitive transaction details from the public blockchain network and stores them separately in a private blockchain network. Only non-sensitive transaction summaries remain in the public network. This extraction resolves the contradiction by removing harmful information (private details) from the transparent environment while preserving necessary transparency through summaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of information

If a private blockchain network is created to protect privacy, then confidentiality is improved, but network complexity and access management deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveconfidentialityVSAvoidnetwork complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a summary generation mechanism as an intermediary between the private and public blockchain networks. The workflow node automatically generates transaction summaries from detailed transactions and publishes them to the public network. This intermediary simplifies access management by providing a standardized interface for sharing information between networks without requiring complex manual configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the workflow node multi-functional by enabling it to perform both private transaction processing and public summary publishing. This single node handles multiple functions including transaction validation, summary generation, and cross-network communication, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite maintaining separate private and public networks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If transaction details are kept local and isolated, then privacy protection is improved, but information sharing and verification capabilities deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidverification capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates simplified copies of transaction data (summaries) that contain essential verification information without revealing sensitive details. These summary copies are published to the public blockchain network, enabling verification of transaction occurrences and balances without exposing private transaction information. The copying process preserves verification capability while protecting privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different quality characteristics to different parts of the data structure. Transaction summaries published to the public network have high transparency quality for verification purposes, while detailed transaction records maintained in the private network have high confidentiality quality. This local differentiation of data quality allows simultaneous achievement of verification and privacy protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3559885B1Data isolation in a blockchain network
Publication Date: 2022.08.24 ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD
  • EP3559885B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3559885B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3559885B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Implementations of the present specification include receiving a request to perform a private transaction associated with at least one account; in response to receiving the request, performing, by a workflow node, the private transaction; in response to performing the private transaction, generating, by the workflow node, a representation of the private transaction configured to be accessible only to entities that are authorized to access the private transaction; storing, in a private blockchain, the representation of the private transaction; generating, by the workflow node, an account record for the at least one account associated with the private transaction based at least in part on the private transaction, wherein the account record is configured to be accessible to at least one entity that is not authorized to access the representation of the private transaction in the private blockchain; and storing, in a public blockchain, the account record.