Blockchain Data Transfer via Smart Contract Validation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data transfer systems, as described in PTL 1, are unable to transfer data stored outside a blockchain network.

Innovation Solution

A data transfer system comprising multiple blockchain nodes with a node storage unit, a data provision server, and a data acquisition server, where each blockchain node includes an access permission smart contract and a token validation smart contract, enabling the data acquisition server to request access rights and acquire data from the data provision server through token validation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of stationary object

If data is stored outside the blockchain network, then data storage capacity and flexibility are improved, but the ability to transfer and validate data securely is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata storage capacityVSAvoiddata transfer security
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces smart contracts as intermediaries between the blockchain network and external data storage systems. These smart contracts act as mediators that verify data integrity, manage access rights, and ensure secure data transfer without requiring data to be stored on the blockchain itself. The smart contract validates data provenance and coordinates between external data sources and blockchain participants, resolving the contradiction between external storage flexibility and transfer security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the data management system into distinct functional components: external data storage systems, smart contract validators, and blockchain participants. This segmentation allows data to be stored externally while maintaining security through distributed validation. The smart contract separates the concerns of data storage (external) from data verification (blockchain), enabling secure data transfer without compromising either storage capacity or transfer reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If access rights to external data are managed through blockchain smart contracts, then access control security is improved, but system complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess control securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The smart contract is designed as a universal access control mechanism that handles multiple functions: validating data provenance, managing access rights, verifying participant credentials, and coordinating data transfer. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single smart contract, improving access control security without proportionally increasing system complexity.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The smart contract automatically performs access validation and data transfer coordination without requiring manual intervention from participants. The system self-manages access rights verification, automatically granting or denying access based on predefined conditions, and autonomously coordinates between external data sources and blockchain participants. This automation improves security consistency while reducing the operational complexity of managing access controls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If token validation is performed for every data access request, then access security is improved, but processing time is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess securityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The smart contract performs preliminary validation of participant credentials and access rights before actual data access requests are processed. By pre-verifying participant identities and permissions in advance, the system reduces the validation time required for each subsequent data access request. This preliminary action maintains high access security while minimizing the time penalty for token validation during actual data operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4250161A1Data transfer system and data transfer method
Publication Date: 2023.09.27 HITACHI LTD
  • EP4250161A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4250161A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4250161A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A data transfer system includes a plurality of blockchain nodes having a node storage unit, a data provision server that retains data, and a data acquisition server that does not have the data, wherein each of the plurality of blockchain nodes comprises an access permission smart contract which records in the node storage unit, as access right information, token validation data for validating a token when permitting access to a request for an access right to the data, and a token validation smart contract which validates the token using the token validation data, the data acquisition server comprises: an access right acquisition unit which requests the access permission smart contract to grant an access right to the data; and a data acquisition unit which sends the token to the data provision server and acquires the data, and the data provision server includes: an access right validation unit which causes the token validation smart contract to validate the token sent from the data acquisition server; and a data provision unit which provides the data to the data acquisition server when validation by the access right validation unit is successful.