Blockchain Personal Data Management via Segmented Hash Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing personal information management systems using blockchain technology face challenges in detecting fraud and deleting personal information effectively, as they cannot modify or delete data once stored, which hinders fraud examination and compliance with data protection regulations.

Innovation Solution

A personal information management system that utilizes a blockchain network with a task processing server and blockchain servers to manage personal information metadata and accompanying information, enabling fraud detection through hash value comparison and allowing for the registration and deletion of audit trails, ensuring data integrity and compliance with regulations like the 'Right to be Forgotten'.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If personal information is stored in a blockchain, then data integrity and security are improved, but the ability to delete or modify data is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoiddata deletion capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments personal information into two distinct parts: metadata (stored immutably on blockchain) and content information (stored externally on ordinary storage). This segmentation allows the metadata to provide integrity verification while the content information can be deleted or modified without affecting the blockchain structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces hash values as an intermediary between the blockchain and personal information. The hash value of content information is stored on the blockchain, serving as a verifiable reference that does not contain the actual personal data. This intermediary enables fraud detection through hash comparison while allowing the actual content to be deleted from external storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If all personal information is stored on the blockchain, then fraud detection capability is improved, but system complexity and storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefraud detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides personal information into metadata (stored on blockchain) and content information (stored externally). Only essential verification data (hash values and metadata) are stored on the blockchain, reducing storage complexity while maintaining fraud detection capability through hash comparison.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the actual content information from the blockchain and stores it in external ordinary storage systems. Only the hash values and metadata necessary for verification remain on the blockchain, simplifying the blockchain structure while preserving the ability to detect fraud through hash comparison.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If personal information is stored in plain text on the blockchain, then data accessibility is improved, but data security and privacy are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoiddata security risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses hash values as intermediaries to represent personal information on the blockchain. Instead of storing plain text personal information, the system stores hash values that can be used for verification without exposing the actual data, thus maintaining security while enabling accessibility through hash comparison.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a cryptographic copy (hash value) of the personal information and stores this copy on the blockchain instead of the original data. This copy can be used for verification and fraud detection without revealing the actual personal information, thus maintaining both security and accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3940611B1Personal information management system, personal information management device, and personal information management method
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 HITACHI LTD
  • EP3940611B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3940611B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3940611B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A personal information management system includes: a blockchain server configured to store a blockchain including, for each block, a transaction and a transaction ID for identifying the transaction; and a personal information management apparatus configured to access the blockchain server, wherein the personal information management apparatus is configured to store a second piece of personal information on an individual, which accompanies a first piece of personal information for identifying the individual, in association with a first transaction ID received from the blockchain server, and wherein the blockchain server is configured to generate the first transaction ID, generate a first block including a first piece of converted data which is based on the first piece of personal information and the first transaction ID, add the first block to the blockchain, and transmit the first transaction ID to the personal information management apparatus.