Reorganization-Immune Blockchain Indexing via Mono-Increasing Sequences

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Solution Overview

Problem

The decentralized nature of blockchains poses challenges for data indexing, as new chains and protocols constantly emerge, requiring a compatible indexing platform that can handle chain reorganizations and data availability issues, while conventional approaches are inefficient and unreliable.

Innovation Solution

A bifurcated indexing system with a dynamic compute engine decouples storage and compute layers, allowing for flexible data formatting and processing schema selection, and uses sticky master nodes for efficient node balancing and reorganization-immune indexing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a common indexing platform is developed to handle blockchain data, then indexing efficiency and scalability are improved, but the system must handle chain reorganizations and forks which complicates the indexing logic and reduces reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindexing efficiencyVSAvoidindexing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the indexing process into separate components: a blockchain data receiver that ingests blocks independently, a reorganization detector that identifies forks and reorgs, and an indexer that processes only canonical chain data. This segmentation allows each component to handle its specific task reliably while maintaining overall indexing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary reorganization detector component that sits between the blockchain receiver and the indexer. This intermediary monitors chain reorganizations and forks, filtering out non-canonical data before it reaches the indexer, thus protecting the indexing system from reliability issues while maintaining high indexing throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If data is extracted from blockchain nodes on an ad hoc basis, then data availability flexibility is improved, but extraction speed and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata extraction flexibilityVSAvoiddata extraction speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by maintaining a persistent connection to blockchain nodes and pre-fetching blocks as they are produced. The system continuously receives and buffers blockchain data in advance, so when indexing is needed, the data is already available in the buffer, eliminating extraction delays while maintaining flexibility in when indexing occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If the indexing system processes all blockchain data including forks and reorganizations, then comprehensive data coverage is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata coverageVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by selectively processing only the canonical chain data and ignoring forked or reorganized blocks. The reorganization detector identifies which blocks belong to the canonical chain versus forks, and the indexer processes only those canonical blocks. This partial processing approach maintains data coverage for the valid chain while significantly reducing processing time and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Device complexity

If a standardized indexing schema is used for all blockchains, then system simplicity is improved, but adaptability to new chains and protocols deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidprotocol compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality by designing an indexing system with a configurable schema that can adapt to different blockchain protocols while maintaining a consistent processing framework. The system includes protocol-specific parsers and configurable data models that allow the same core indexing engine to handle multiple blockchain types (Ethereum, Bitcoin, etc.) and their evolving protocols, thus achieving both simplicity and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11914560B2Systems and methods for creating a reorganization-immune blockchain index using mono-increasing sequence records

Publication Date: 2024.02.27 COINBASE INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for creating a reorganization-immune blockchain index using mono-increasing sequence records are described. For example, the system may receive on-chain data for a plurality of blocks, wherein the plurality of blocks comprises a first block comprising a first event of a plurality of blockchain events within the on-chain data. The system may determine a first sequence number for the first event, wherein the first sequence number is based on a mono-increasing sequence record.