Blockchain Signature Sequence Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blockchain systems lack a secure mechanism to attest electronically that a first party has agreed to a document, with the challenge being to provide trust in the attestation, particularly in ensuring that the second party's signature was generated after the first party's agreement.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a blockchain to evidence a first party's agreement to a statement, where a second party receives confirmation of the agreement and a piece of information unavailable until after the first party's signature, and then generates a cryptographic signature by signing this information. Transactions are sent to a network with validation conditions ensuring the correct sequence of signatures, thereby providing cryptographic evidence of the order of signatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blockchain system uses traditional electronic signature attestation, then the process is simple and fast, but the system lacks security and trust in verifying the order of signatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the first party sign a message before the second party receives it. The signature is created in advance and then transmitted to the second party, who can verify it without needing to be present at the signing moment. This resolves the contradiction by establishing trust through pre-established cryptographic evidence while keeping the verification process simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cryptographic hash function as an intermediary mechanism. The hash of the signed message serves as a mediator that proves the message existed in a specific state before transmission, without requiring the second party to trust the first party directly. This intermediary cryptographic proof establishes reliability while maintaining system simplicity.
2Reliability
If the second party generates signature before receiving information from first party, then the process is efficient, but the signature order cannot be verified and trust is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent requires the first party to perform the signing action preliminarily, before the second party generates their signature. The sequence is: first party signs message → transmits signed message → second party verifies and signs. This preliminary action by the first party ensures the signature order is cryptographically provable while minimizing time loss through efficient cryptographic operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by having the second party verify the first party's signature before generating their own. The verification result feeds back into the decision of whether to proceed with signing, ensuring the correct order is maintained. This feedback mechanism guarantees reliability without significant time penalty.
3Reliability
If the system requires sequential signature verification, then trust and security are enhanced, but the processing time and network propagation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cryptographic hashing to create a copy or representation of the message state that can be verified without processing the entire message chain. The hash copy serves as a compact proof of the message's prior state, enabling fast verification while maintaining security. This copying mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing security through cryptographic proofs rather than time-consuming sequential verification.
Data Source
AI summary
A second party receives confirmation that a first party agrees to a statement. The second party receives a piece of information after said confirmation and after a cryptographic signature of the first party. To attest to this, the second party generates their own cryptographic signature by signing a portion of data comprising said piece of information or a transformation thereof. A network of nodes is then sent one or more transactions comprising the first and second signatures. Transactions are propagated across the network to be recorded in a blockchain on condition of meeting a validation condition. The validation condition for one of the one or more transactions is that the first signature is included in one of the one or more transactions, the second signature is included in one of the one or more transactions, and the second signature was generated by signing the particular portion of data.