Blockchain Number Management System for ENUM Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ENUM systems face issues with reliability, cost, and data updating challenges for small-scale communication providers, and there is a risk of information leakage due to centralized database management, especially when ENUM servers break down or communication providers withdraw.

Innovation Solution

A number management system utilizing a blockchain network where multiple number management apparatuses store and manage number portability information, enabling decentralized data management, encryption of connection destination information, and distributed decryption keys to ensure availability and confidentiality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a centralized ENUM server is used for number portability management, then number resolution can be performed, but the system reliability decreases when the ENUM server breaks down

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem availabilityVSAvoidcentralized server structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the centralized ENUM server into multiple distributed number management apparatuses (first, second, and third number management apparatuses). Each apparatus stores a portion of the number portability information in its own blockchain, eliminating the single point of failure and improving system reliability through segmentation of the centralized structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a two-dimensional centralized server model to a three-dimensional distributed blockchain network model. Multiple number management apparatuses operate across different network dimensions, with each maintaining independent blockchain ledgers, thereby adding spatial redundancy and improving fault tolerance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If small-scale providers build their own ENUM servers to ensure availability, then system reliability improves, but the cost and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber resolution availabilityVSAvoidENUM server construction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of multiple number management apparatuses into a unified blockchain network where each participant contributes to and benefits from the collective system. Small-scale providers join the existing network rather than building independent servers, sharing the infrastructure and reducing individual complexity while maintaining collective reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain-based number management system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a distributed database, a consensus mechanism for data validation, and a secure communication protocol. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate ENUM server infrastructure, reducing complexity for small-scale providers while ensuring system-wide availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If connection destination information is stored in plain text in a centralized database, then data access is simple, but information security and confidentiality are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata access simplicityVSAvoidinformation leakage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different quality characteristics to different parts of the data structure. Connection destination information is encrypted with asymmetric cryptography, while only the hash values are stored in plain text in the blockchain. This local differentiation of encryption quality maintains data accessibility through hash matching while protecting sensitive information from leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces hash values as an intermediary between the stored data and the access mechanism. Instead of directly storing or querying connection destination information, the system uses hash values as mediators for verification. This intermediary layer enables simple query operations while preventing direct access to sensitive plaintext data, thus maintaining both ease of operation and information security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11665275B2Number management system, number management method, number management device and number management program

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP

AI summary

A number management unit (11) of a number management system (1) generates a transaction using number portability information including a telephone number and encrypted connection destination information, newly generates a block using multiple transactions, approves the generated block, and stores the block in a number database (13) as a blockchain. A number resolution unit (12) searches transactions in the blockchain using a telephone number that is a query target as a key, extracts and decrypts the encrypted connection destination information corresponding to the query telephone number, and sends the connection destination information corresponding to the query telephone number as a response.