Blockchain Single-Leader Election Algorithm

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blockchain implementations face inefficiencies in leader selection, leading to energy wastage, bias towards nodes with cheap energy or excessive computing power, and vulnerability to malicious actors altering transaction history.

Innovation Solution

A blockchain single-leader election algorithm using a burn chain and stack chain structure, where nodes register public keys and submit block commits indicating cryptocurrency burned, with selection based on burned cryptocurrency amounts and proof of work nonces, to ensure fair and unbiased leadership.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If proof of work mining is used for leader selection, then security against malicious actors is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the selection parameter from energy-based proof of work to cryptocurrency burning amount. Instead of requiring computational work to prove leadership eligibility, the system uses the amount of cryptocurrency burned as the selection criterion, fundamentally altering the resource requirement from energy to asset sacrifice.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical proof of work system (computational hashing) with a cryptographic sortition mechanism based on burned cryptocurrency amounts. The selection process substitutes computational mechanics with cryptographic verification of burned assets, eliminating the need for energy-intensive mining operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If nodes with excessive computing power are used for leader selection, then transaction processing speed is improved, but bias towards wealthy nodes increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction processing speedVSAvoidfairness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the selection parameter from computing power to cryptocurrency burning amount. This ensures that leadership selection is based on voluntary asset sacrifice rather than pre-existing computational resources, creating a more equitable system where any node can compete regardless of hardware capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of selecting leaders based on what nodes have (computing power), the system selects based on what nodes are willing to give up (cryptocurrency). This inversion of the selection criterion fundamentally changes the nature of competition from resource accumulation to resource sacrifice, promoting fairness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If traditional leader selection is used, then network decentralization is maintained, but energy wastage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedecentralizationVSAvoidenergy wastage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the resource requirement parameter from energy to cryptocurrency burning. This maintains the decentralized nature of the network while eliminating energy wastage, as the selection mechanism no longer requires proof of work computations but instead verifies cryptographic proofs based on burned asset amounts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If proof of work nonce generation is required, then security against attacks is improved, but computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical proof of work nonce generation process with a cryptographic sortition mechanism. Instead of requiring iterative hashing to find valid nonces, the system uses cryptographic verification of burned cryptocurrency amounts, significantly reducing computational complexity while maintaining security through cryptographic principles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11290280B1Cryptocurrency mining using a single-leader election algorithm

Publication Date: 2022.03.29 HIRO SYST PBC

AI summary

A blockchain single-leader election algorithm that overcomes the deficiencies of existing blockchain implementations, such as implementations that rely on the proof of work, is described herein. For example, the single-leader election algorithm may include a series of rounds, where at most one node is selected as a leader in each round and the selected leader is able to form a new block in the blockchain. The single-leader election is not an election in which there are votes, but an election in which a node is selected as a leader at random to avoid bias, such as the bias that is present in existing blockchain implementations. Any node can become a leader, and the elections are driven by burning or destroying a cryptocurrency that is different than the cryptocurrency provided to a node as a block reward and transaction fees when the node is selected as a leader.