Blockchain Document Segmentation for Integrity Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital signature methods do not effectively track and verify individual portions of multiple versions of documents in collaborative settings, where multiple authors contribute to a single document, making it difficult to authenticate and verify the integrity of specific portions across all users.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a blockchain system that uses public key cryptography and digital signatures to create a distributed ledger, where each portion of a document is hashed and signed by its author, allowing for the tracking and verification of individual contributions across a network of client devices, ensuring the integrity and authenticity of document changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional digital signature methods are used to authenticate documents, then the overall document integrity can be ensured, but individual portions of multiple versions of the document cannot be tracked and verified by all users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the document authentication process into segments by creating separate cryptographic hashes for individual portions or sections of the document. Each portion can be independently hashed and signed, allowing users to track and verify specific segments rather than treating the entire document as a single unit. This segmentation enables granular tracking of individual contributions and modifications throughout the document's version history.
2Ease of operation
If digital signatures are applied to the entire document, then authentication is achieved, but individual author contributions and document versions cannot be differentiated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by associating specific cryptographic signatures with particular portions of the document and their respective authors. Instead of a single global signature, each document portion can have its own signature metadata that identifies the author, timestamp, and verification status. This allows the system to maintain ease of operation through automated cryptographic verification while simultaneously preserving detailed information about individual author contributions and their specific sections.
3Device complexity
If a centralized authentication system is used, then document verification is simplified, but the system cannot provide a tamper-proof distributed record of transactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain-based intermediary layer that acts as a decentralized trust mechanism. Rather than relying on a single centralized authority, the system uses blockchain technology to create an immutable distributed ledger that records all document transactions, signatures, and verifications. This intermediary blockchain structure provides tamper-proof recording of all authentication events while maintaining relatively simple authentication operations for users through standardized cryptographic protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques for implementing blockchain for document verification and tracking. The techniques include parsing at least one portion of a version of a data file based at least on one or more parsing parameters, wherein at least one portion is associated with a transaction. The techniques also include generating a hash value for at least one portion associated with the transaction from a hash function and generating a digital signature using the hash value and key. Blocks representing the transaction is inserted onto a blockchain distributed ledger. The techniques further include receiving an updated version of the data file comprising the at least one portion of the data file associated with a new transaction and inserting additional blocks onto the blockchain distributed ledger recording the new transaction. Thereafter, the techniques include indicating differences between the version and the updated version of the data file.