Blockchain Proof of Storage Mining Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current Proof of Work (PoW) based blockchain systems lack incentives for miners to store the blockchain data, leading to security and sustainability issues due to the lack of redundancy and susceptibility to data corruption and loss.
Innovation Solution
Integrating Proof of Storage (PoS) into the blockchain network, where miners must store parts of the blockchain to solve hash-based PoS puzzles, ensuring data redundancy and verifiability, and modifying the mining process to enforce storage by binding mining to the stored data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If miners use mining pools to solve PoW puzzles, then mining efficiency and profit sharing are improved, but the incentive to store blockchain data is lost and security is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Storage (PoS) into a unified mining mechanism. Miners must simultaneously demonstrate computational work (PoW) and storage capability (PoS) to validate blocks. This merging ensures that mining pools maintain both high mining efficiency through PoW while also preserving blockchain security through PoS requirements that mandate storing historical block data.
Solution Approach 2:
The mining mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions: it validates transactions through PoW, stores historical data through PoS, and provides redundancy for blockchain recovery. The same mining infrastructure performs both computational validation and data preservation, making the system multi-functional and addressing both efficiency and security concerns.
2Reliability
If miners store more blockchain data, then data redundancy and security are improved, but storage costs and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the blockchain storage requirement among multiple miners rather than requiring each miner to store the entire blockchain. Each miner stores a portion of historical blocks, and the system collectively maintains full redundancy. This segmentation reduces individual storage burdens and energy consumption while preserving overall data redundancy and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the storage requirements based on blockchain size and network conditions. As the blockchain grows, the amount of data each miner must store is optimized to maintain security without excessive energy consumption. The parameter of storage quantity is changed from fixed to adaptive, balancing redundancy needs with energy constraints.
3Reliability
If the difficulty of PoW mining is increased, then blockchain security is improved, but mining profitability and network participation decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic difficulty adjustment that considers both PoW computational requirements and PoS storage contributions. The difficulty level is not fixed but adapts based on network participation, storage capacity, and security needs. This dynamic approach maintains high security standards while adjusting profitability to encourage continued network participation and storage contribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops where mining profitability and security metrics are continuously monitored. When security thresholds are met through adequate storage redundancy, the system can adjust difficulty to maintain profitability. Conversely, when storage redundancy is insufficient, difficulty adjustments ensure security is prioritized. This feedback mechanism balances security and profitability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for integrating a Proof of Storage (PoS) into a blockchain increases security, robustness and verifiability of a blockchain network. A part of the blockchain to be stored is received at a first one of a plurality of mining nodes of the blockchain network. The part of the blockchain is stored. Mining of the new block is bound to the stored data and performed so as to enforce that the mining nodes store different parts of the blockchain. The PoS is integrated into the new block. The PoS is verified before accepting the new block into the blockchain.