Blockchain Identity Verification via Distributed Hash Tables
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for storing and verifying identity and credential data are prone to inaccuracies and fabrications, making it difficult to authenticate entities accurately.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a distributed hash table and blockchain for the immutable storage of identity and credential data, ensuring fast accessibility while preventing data fabrication, by generating hash values for entities and storing them in a distributed manner with geographic jurisdiction compliance, and using blockchain for an immutable ledger with timestamped blocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional identity proof methods (government ID, credit cards, business cards) are used, then identity verification can be performed, but the data may be inaccurate or fabricated and difficult to verify
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain-based identity verification system as an intermediary between entities needing verification. The blockchain serves as a trusted mediator that stores immutable identity and credential data, allowing verification without direct trust between parties. This resolves the contradiction by providing reliable verification (improving reliability) while keeping the actual verification process simple through cryptographic proofs (maintaining low complexity).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates cryptographic copies (hashes) of identity data stored on blockchain. Instead of storing or transmitting sensitive original identity information, the system uses cryptographic hash copies that verify authenticity without exposing underlying data. This enables reliable verification while maintaining system simplicity and security.
2Reliability
If distributed storage is used to prevent data fabrication, then data integrity is improved, but data accessibility and retrieval speed may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments identity data into different components: sensitive personal information is encrypted and stored locally or in secure storage, while cryptographic hashes and verification data are distributed across the blockchain network. This segmentation allows fast verification through hash lookup while maintaining data integrity through distributed storage, resolving the speed-integrity contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the verification-critical elements (cryptographic hashes, digital signatures) from the complete identity data and places them on the blockchain for fast access. The full sensitive data remains in secure storage. This extraction enables rapid verification without compromising data integrity, as the extracted hash elements are sufficient for authentication but don't expose sensitive information.
3Reliability
If blockchain is used for immutable storage, then data fabrication is prevented, but storage and processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores only cryptographic hash copies of identity data on the blockchain rather than complete records. These hash copies provide immutability and verification capabilities with minimal storage requirements. The full data resides in conventional storage systems. This copying approach achieves data immutability while keeping blockchain storage overhead low and system complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential verification elements (hashes, signatures, metadata) from complete identity records and places them on blockchain. This extraction minimizes the data burden on blockchain infrastructure while maintaining immutability for critical verification data, reducing storage and processing overhead compared to storing complete records.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for distributed storage of identity data includes: receiving entity data for a plurality of entities, the data including an associated public key, associated attributes, and a geographic jurisdiction, and where one entity is a subordinate; generating a data file for each entity including the associated attributes and public key, and where the subordinate entity's data file includes a digital signature associated with a superior entity; generating an identity value for each entity via hashing the associated data file; and storing, in a distributed hash table, a key-value pair for each entity, wherein the key is the associated identity value, the value comprises the associated attributes, and the key-value pair is stored in a physical data storage device located in a geographic area corresponding to the associated geographic jurisdiction.