Blockchain Storage Optimization via Relative Value Encoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing data size of blockchain networks, particularly due to immutability, poses storage limitations and challenges for smaller systems and file transfers, as the storage size grows significantly over time, reaching gigabytes within a short period.
Innovation Solution
Implementing relative values for currency amounts and unspent transaction output indices within blockchain transactions, using a base value to reduce data size, such as modifying a transaction amount of 15326 to 326, thereby reducing the overall storage size of the blockchain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blockchain stores complete transaction data with absolute values, then transaction accuracy and immutability are maintained, but storage size increases significantly over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation from absolute values to relative values. Currency amounts are stored as differences from a base value rather than complete absolute values. For example, instead of storing the full amount 15326, the system stores the relative difference 326 (where 15326 - 15000 = 326). This parameter transformation maintains the ability to reconstruct accurate transaction values while significantly reducing the storage space required for each transaction record.
2Reliability
If blockchain maintains immutability by storing all transactions, then cryptographic security and transparency are strengthened, but data transfer and synchronization become increasingly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential variable information from complete transaction records. By removing redundant data (the base value that remains constant across many transactions) and storing only the relative differences, the system maintains the cryptographic integrity and immutability of the blockchain while dramatically reducing the amount of data that needs to be transferred and synchronized between nodes. This extraction principle allows smaller systems to participate more easily in the network.
3Loss of information
If blockchain stores full transaction amounts, then complete transaction history is preserved, but smaller computer systems cannot operate as nodes
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the storage parameter from absolute currency amounts to relative differences, the patent reduces the storage requirements for each transaction record. This parameter change enables smaller computer systems with limited storage capacity to operate as blockchain nodes while still maintaining access to the complete transaction history through the relative value representations. The base value and relative values together preserve all necessary information for reconstructing the full transaction history.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for optimizing blockchain storage size through use of relative values includes: receiving, by a blockchain node in a blockchain network that manages a blockchain, a plurality of blockchain data values, each including unspent transaction outputs, at least one destination address, and, for each destination address, an original currency amount; identifying a base value; modifying the original currency amount included in each blockchain data value to be a relative currency amount based on a difference between the identified base value and the original currency amount; generating a new block, the new block including a block header and the modified plurality of blockchain data values; and transmitting the generated new block to a plurality of additional nodes in the blockchain network.