Blockchain Document Vault NFT Hashing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic document management systems are susceptible to fraud and unauthorized modifications due to the lack of comprehensive security measures throughout the document lifecycle, from creation to delivery, which compromises the integrity and security of electronic documents.

Innovation Solution

A blockchain-based electronic document vault system that involves receiving and validating electronic documents, generating a document hash, creating a private key, encrypting the document, minting a non-fungible token (NFT), and recording it on a private blockchain to secure and control access to the document.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If electronic documents are stored in traditional document management systems, then accessibility and ease of retrieval are improved, but security and integrity are compromised due to susceptibility to fraud and unauthorized modifications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocument retrievalVSAvoiddocument integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The document is segmented into its cryptographic hash representation stored on blockchain and the actual document content stored separately. The blockchain stores only the hash value and metadata, while the full document is kept in secure off-chain storage, allowing efficient retrieval while maintaining integrity verification through the distributed ledger.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A cryptographic hash function acts as an intermediary between the document content and the blockchain storage. The hash serves as a unique fingerprint that verifies document integrity without exposing the actual content, enabling secure verification while maintaining accessibility of the document through separate storage channels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If encryption and digital signatures are applied to electronic documents, then security is improved, but the complete document lifecycle management and integrity assurance are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocument securityVSAvoiddocument lifecycle management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The blockchain system serves multiple functions throughout the document lifecycle: it provides cryptographic verification, timestamps creation, tracks ownership transfers, records access permissions, and maintains an immutable audit trail. This multi-functional approach replaces multiple separate security mechanisms with a unified blockchain-based system that handles the entire document lifecycle.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The document's cryptographic hash is calculated and recorded on the blockchain at the moment of creation or before any operations are performed. This preliminary action establishes a trusted baseline that enables future verification of document integrity, ownership changes, and access permissions without requiring repeated complex verification processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If blockchain technology is used to store encrypted documents with NFT tokens, then document integrity and access control are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess controlVSAvoidsystem architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex cryptographic operations, key management, and encryption/decryption processes are extracted from the blockchain system itself and handled by external components. The blockchain only stores the cryptographic hash, NFT tokens, and access control metadata, while the actual document encryption and decryption occur in separate secure environments, reducing blockchain complexity while maintaining strong access control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the system have specialized functions: the blockchain handles immutable verification and ownership tracking, off-chain storage handles document content, and local applications handle user-specific encryption keys and decryption operations. This distribution of quality and function across different layers reduces the complexity burden on any single component while maintaining overall system security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20240171414A1Blockchain-based electronic document vault
Publication Date: 2024.05.23 BLOCK VAULT LLC
  • US20240171414A1 patent drawing
  • US20240171414A1 patent drawing
  • US20240171414A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A system and method for implementing and executing a blockchain-based electronic document vault for electronic document storage, access and management. As such, users may define, submit, deploy, and execute their electronic document storage, access and management in a fully transparent and secure fashion. Validating the electronic document and generating a document hash leads to the minting and tokenizing using an NFT of the encrypted electronic document in combination with an associated document hash providing for the formation of a digital document vault which is one of a plurality of digital document vaults of an electronic storage vault residing on a private blockchain. These individual digital document vaults of the electronic storage vault provides for the security of the electronic document (e.g., prevent unauthorized modifications) and controls access to only authorized individual(s) after their authentication.