Blockchain Timestamping via Public Key Immutability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing timestamping solutions rely on central authorities for authentication, which can be unreliable and lack transparency, and they do not effectively utilize the immutable and ordered structure of blockchains for timestamp verification.

Innovation Solution

A method that generates public and private key pairs, signs digital files with the private key, and publishes the public key to a blockchain, leveraging the blockchain's immutability and consensus mechanisms to provide trusted and verifiable timestamps, with public keys stored in an ordered list to ensure authenticity and ease of verification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If central authorities are used for timestamp authentication, then authentication can be provided, but reliability and transparency are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetimestamp authentication reliabilityVSAvoidcentral authority dependency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the authentication function from central authorities and relocates it to the blockchain network. Public keys are published to the immutable blockchain, and the network collectively provides authentication through consensus mechanisms, eliminating dependency on any single central authority while maintaining security and transparency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain acts as an intermediary between timestamp providers and verifiers. By publishing public keys to the blockchain and using cryptographic signatures, the system creates a trusted intermediary layer that enables authentication without requiring direct trust in central authorities, thus improving reliability while reducing complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If traditional timestamping methods are used, then timestamps can be generated, but tampering prevention is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetimestamp tampering preventionVSAvoidtimestamping system implementation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by publishing public keys to the blockchain before they are needed for timestamp verification. This advance preparation ensures that the authentication infrastructure is already in place and immutable, providing strong tampering prevention from the outset while simplifying the actual timestamping process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical or administrative timestamping systems with a cryptographic system based on blockchain technology. By using cryptographic hashes, digital signatures, and immutable blockchain storage, the system achieves superior tampering prevention while maintaining ease of implementation through standardized cryptographic operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11777748B2Trusted timestamping

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A method, computer program product and computer system for trusted timestamping is provided. A processor generates a first key pair, where the key pair includes a public key and a private key. A processor publishes the public key of the first key pair to an immutable data structure. A processor receives a first digital file for timestamping. A processor signs the first digital file with the private key of the first key pair.