Blockchain Supply Chain Ledger for Secure Data Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing supply chain management systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks and failures due to their centralized nature, which hinders efficient and secure information sharing between entities, impacting cost reduction and revenue growth.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a blockchain-enabled distributed transaction ledger system that allows entities to securely record and share supply chain information, using a decentralized network for validation and storage, thereby reducing reliance on centralized control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a centralized system is implemented to manage supply chain information, then information exchange between entities is improved, but the system becomes susceptible to cyber-attacks and failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation exchange efficiencyVSAvoidsystem security

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the centralized information management system into multiple distributed nodes across the supply chain. Each entity maintains its own information locally while sharing relevant data through the distributed ledger, eliminating the single point of failure inherent in centralized systems. This segmentation improves both information exchange efficiency and system security by distributing control across multiple independent entities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The distributed ledger acts as an intermediary layer between supply chain entities, enabling secure information exchange without requiring a central authority. The ledger provides a trusted mechanism for validating and recording transactions while maintaining decentralization, thus improving information exchange while preserving system security through cryptographic verification rather than centralized control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If critical business information is stored centrally, then information accessibility is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to persistent cyber-attacks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation accessibilityVSAvoidcyber-attack vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized storage architecture into distributed storage across multiple nodes. Each supply chain entity stores and manages its own information locally, reducing the concentration of valuable targets for cyber-attacks. Information accessibility is maintained through the distributed ledger protocol that allows authorized entities to query and retrieve relevant data from any node in the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The distributed ledger creates replicated copies of transaction records across multiple nodes in the network. Instead of storing all information in a single centralized location, the system maintains identical or near-identical copies distributed throughout the network, ensuring that information remains accessible even if some nodes are compromised, while eliminating the single point of failure that makes centralized systems vulnerable to persistent attacks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If a decentralized blockchain system is implemented, then system security is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem securityVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal distributed ledger protocol that performs multiple functions: secure information exchange, transaction validation, consensus achievement, and data storage. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate complex systems into a single unified platform, improving security while managing complexity through functional integration rather than multiplication of separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The distributed ledger system operates autonomously through automated consensus mechanisms and cryptographic verification. Nodes automatically validate transactions, maintain ledger integrity, and reach consensus without requiring centralized coordination or manual intervention. This self-service capability reduces operational complexity despite the decentralized architecture, as the system manages its own security and coordination through automated protocols rather than requiring complex external management infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11783346B2Blockchain enabled collaborative transaction information processing for a supply chain

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 BLUE RIDGE INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

According to some embodiments, a system may facilitate collaborative transaction processing associated with a supply chain having a first entity and a second entity. In particular, a first entity database may store electronic records including information associated with at least a portion of the supply chain, and a first entity communication port may exchange information via a distributed computer system. A first entity computer processor may retrieve from the first entity database the information associated with the at least a portion of the supply chain. A subset of information about the supply chain may be identified by the first entity computer processor as being of interest to the second entity. The identified subset of information about the supply chain may then be recorded via a secure, distributed transaction ledger.