Blockchain Virtual Document Issuance and Hash Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for document authentication, such as notarization, are insecure and inefficient, particularly for digital documents and large-scale document verification, as they rely on visual inspection and are vulnerable to forgery, and the application of security features to physical documents is logistically challenging and costly.
Innovation Solution
A method using a blockchain to issue and verify virtual documents by creating a hash value of the document, which is stored on the blockchain with a timestamp, allowing for secure and efficient authentication of documents and their copies, enabling secure issuance and verification of virtual credentials without the need for physical notarization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional notarization methods are used for document authentication, then document verification can be performed, but the security against forgery is insufficient and the process is vulnerable to manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual inspection system of traditional notarization with a cryptographic hash-based authentication system. Instead of relying on human visual verification and physical seals, the invention uses cryptographic hash functions to create unique digital fingerprints of documents that can be verified computationally, eliminating the vulnerabilities of manual authentication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the document authentication process by changing the fundamental parameter from visual inspection to cryptographic verification. By converting documents into hash values and storing them in a blockchain, the system changes the authentication mechanism from subjective human judgment to objective mathematical verification, dramatically improving security against forgery.
2Reliability
If security features are applied to physical document bodies, then forgery protection is enhanced, but the logistical complexity and costs increase proportionally with the number of documents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy (hash value) of each document and stores it in a blockchain. This digital copy serves as the security feature, replacing the need for physical security elements on document bodies. The blockchain acts as a centralized repository that can verify any number of document copies without requiring additional security features on each individual document, thus eliminating the proportional increase in complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it stores document hashes, provides verification capability, maintains a timestamped record, and enables verification of unlimited document copies. This universal system replaces the need for separate security features for each document, achieving economies of scale where the marginal cost of securing additional documents approaches zero.
3Reliability
If traditional notarization methods are used for each document copy, then authenticity verification is possible, but the time and resources required increase with the number of copies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by storing the cryptographic hash of the original document in the blockchain before any copies are made or verified. This pre-stored hash serves as the reference standard, allowing any subsequent copy to be verified by simply comparing its hash against the stored value, eliminating the need for repeated full authentication processes for each copy.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain system enables self-service verification where any party can independently verify document authenticity by computing the hash of the document and comparing it with the stored hash in the blockchain. This eliminates the need for centralized notarization services for each verification event, allowing parallel verification of multiple documents simultaneously and dramatically improving productivity.
4Reliability
If physical documents with security features are distributed, then authentication capability is provided, but the risk of theft and misuse during distribution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication capability from the physical document body and places it in the blockchain. Instead of embedding security features within each physical document that must be physically distributed and protected, the invention separates the authentication data (hash values) and stores them securely in a decentralized blockchain, eliminating the risks associated with physical distribution of security features.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for issuing a virtual document by a first computer system of an issuer, includes creating the virtual document; calculating a hash value of the virtual document; sending a signed entry request including the hash value to a blockchain server; receiving the signed entry request by the blockchain server; and executing, by the blockchain server, program instructions of a program module identified by the signed entry request, wherein the execution of the program instructions includes checking the signature of the entry request, using a public cryptographic key of the issuer registered in the blockchain, and, if the signature is valid, generating an additional block of the blockchain for the issue of the virtual document, wherein the generated block includes an entry associated with the program module and including the first hash value.