Blockchain Timestamping for Digital Data Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital data cannot be reliably used as evidence due to its susceptibility to copying and editing, and existing timestamp techniques and proof of existence services rely on central systems that may not guarantee data integrity.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that acquires feature information from a blockchain and registers proof information to a time proof service, utilizing a distributed ledger system like Bitcoin to prove the existence and generation time of data, ensuring data integrity through the blockchain's decentralized and tamper-proof structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If digital data is used as evidence, then data can be easily copied and edited, but data integrity and authenticity cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces blockchain technology as an intermediary system between data generation and evidence verification. The blockchain network acts as a decentralized mediator that records and verifies data timestamps without requiring trust in any single central authority, thus maintaining data integrity while allowing easy copying of the evidence
2Ease of operation
If a central time stamp authority is used, then timestamp verification is simplified, but the system relies on the reliability of a single central entity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized timestamp authority into multiple decentralized nodes distributed across the blockchain network. Each node independently validates and records timestamps, eliminating the single point of failure while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized verification protocols
3Reliability
If proof of existence service is implemented, then data existence at a specific time can be verified, but the system complexity increases due to multiple nodes and consensus mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the blockchain's inherent copying mechanism where each node maintains an identical copy of the distributed ledger. This allows multiple nodes to independently verify data existence without requiring complex communication protocols, as each node already possesses the complete verification data locally
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an information processing apparatus. An acquisition unit acquires feature information of a latest block in a block chain when target data is generated. A registration unit registers proof information indicating that the generated target data is correlated with the feature information acquired by the acquisition unit when the target data is generated to a time proof service.