Blockchain Hub for Verifiable Collaboration Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Collaborative processes involving multiple entities face challenges in maintaining object integrity and validity, especially when different software applications are used, leading to difficulties in tracking document flows and associating communications, which complicates auditing and intellectual property management.

Innovation Solution

A centralized hub system that employs blockchain technology to record and verify actions taken to collaboration entity instance, and authentication information can be generated from chat content, such as a hash value generated from chat content, and authentication information can be recorded in the blockchain, and the hub system facilitates collaboration between entities by creating and modifying a collaboration entity instance, and authentication information can be generated from the content of the collaboration entity instance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a centralized hub system with blockchain verification is implemented, then object integrity and collaboration security are improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobject integrityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A centralized hub system acts as an intermediary between multiple client systems, coordinating collaboration activities and maintaining object integrity. The hub manages collaboration entity instances, records actions in a blockchain, and verifies authentication information, thereby ensuring reliability without requiring direct integration between client systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The hub system provides multiple functions including creating collaboration entity instances, recording actions in blockchain, verifying authentication information, and managing object integrity. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity into a single system while maintaining high reliability across diverse collaboration scenarios.

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

2Reliability

If blockchain technology is used to record all collaboration actions, then auditability and verification capability are improved, but loss of time and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveauditabilityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only essential collaboration actions and authentication information for blockchain recording, rather than recording all possible data. This selective approach maintains auditability while reducing processing time and blockchain transaction overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Authentication information is generated and verified before collaboration actions are recorded in the blockchain. This preliminary verification ensures that only valid actions are recorded, reducing rework and improving overall processing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If different client systems use different software applications, then adaptability and ease of operation are improved, but object integrity and collaboration coordination deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesoftware compatibilityVSAvoidobject integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The hub system serves as a mediator that enables client systems using different software applications to collaborate effectively. It standardizes interaction protocols and maintains object integrity across heterogeneous systems without requiring them to integrate directly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The hub system provides universal support for multiple client systems and software applications through standardized interfaces. It handles diverse collaboration scenarios including document collaboration, chat sessions, and task management while maintaining consistent object integrity across all platforms.

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

4Reliability

If authentication information is generated from collaboration entity content, then security and verification capability are improved, but device complexity and computational requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex cryptographic authentication mechanisms with hash-based authentication information generation. By generating authentication information from collaboration entity content using hash functions, the system achieves strong security verification with reduced computational overhead compared to traditional cryptographic approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3800601B1Collaboration hub with blockchain verification
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 SAP SE
  • EP3800601B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3800601B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3800601B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Techniques and solutions are described for facilitating collaborations between entities. A hub computing system is provided that is accessible to multiple client systems. The hub computing system can be used to create instances of collaboration entities, which can be of various defined types. Object instances can be created and included in, or referenced by, the collaboration entity instances. Clients may take various actions with respect to a collaboration entity instance using one or more hub services. At least a portion of the actions taken with respect to a collaboration entity instance can be recorded in a blockchain. The blockchain records can be used to verify actions taken with respect to a collaboration entity instance, and to verify the integrity of collaboration entity instances.