Blockchain File Certification via Hash Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic notarization systems rely on manual registration and are limited in scalability and security for certifying the existence, integrity, and ownership of digital files and communications, as they use digital signatures and certificates without a robust, distributed ledger system.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing the Bitcoin blockchain to certify the existence, integrity, and ownership of files or communications by hashing data units, generating cryptographic structures, and publishing them on the blockchain, allowing for secure and scalable certification through a distributed ledger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual registration is used for electronic notarization, then digital certificates can be created and managed, but scalability is limited and the system cannot handle a virtually unlimited number of files or communications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical registration process with an automated blockchain-based system. The blockchain ledger automatically records cryptographic hashes of data units, eliminating the need for manual entry and enabling scalable, automated certification of virtually unlimited files and communications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service certification where data units are automatically hashed, stored on the blockchain, and certified without human intervention. The automated process allows any user to certify data units by simply providing them to the system, which then handles the entire certification workflow independently.
2Reliability
If digital signatures and certificates are used for notarization, then security can be provided, but the system lacks the robust security and transparency of a distributed ledger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain intermediary layer that enhances security without requiring direct implementation of a full distributed ledger in every system. The blockchain acts as a trusted mediator that stores cryptographic hashes and provides verifiable proof of data existence, integrity, and timing, combining the security benefits of distributed ledgers with easier integration.
3Reliability
If data is embedded into the Bitcoin blockchain, then security and decentralization are enhanced, but the amount of data that may be embedded is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential cryptographic hash of each data unit and stores it on the blockchain, rather than embedding the entire data unit. This extraction approach allows the system to leverage the blockchain's security and decentralization while overcoming its data capacity limitations, as hashes are extremely compact representations of the original data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from storing data in one dimension (direct embedding in blockchain) to storing data in multiple dimensions: the cryptographic hash is stored on the blockchain while the actual data units are stored elsewhere and referenced through the hash. This dimensional transformation allows unlimited data storage while maintaining blockchain security benefits.
4Measurement precision
If cryptographic structures are published on the blockchain, then verification of data integrity and existence is enabled, but the process requires complex cryptographic operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary cryptographic hashing of data units before they are published on the blockchain. By pre-computing the cryptographic hash and storing it on the blockchain, the system enables efficient verification later without requiring complex real-time cryptographic operations during the verification process itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A block chain may be used to certify the existence, integrity, and/or ownership of a file or communication. The present disclosure describes receiving a plurality of data units; hashing the plurality of data units to provide a plurality of hashes, individual hashes being unique cryptographic identifiers of corresponding data units such that an individual hash verifiably relates to a corresponding data unit and the individual hashes cannot be used by themselves to obtain corresponding data units; temporarily storing the hashes; generating a first cryptographic structure based on the plurality of hashes; publishing the first cryptographic structure on the block chain; providing proofs associated with individual ones of the plurality of data units that allow independent verification that the data units are certified; and verifying certification of data units based on roots of reconstructed cryptographic structures.