Chain Data Structure With Multiple Ancestor Pointers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blockchain data structures are vulnerable to partial data loss or corruption due to widespread replication and immutability, which can lead to disjoint chains and inability to reconstruct ordered sequences, and lack flexibility for data manipulation in certain use cases.
Innovation Solution
A chain data structure with multiple ancestor pointers and cumulative integrity values is introduced, allowing for the inference of relative ordering and enabling data integrity preservation, along with the ability to specify different integrity requirements and perform operations like editing and deletion through service blocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional blockchain data structures use widespread peer-to-peer replication and consensus mechanisms to ensure data integrity, then data security and immutability are improved, but system complexity and resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential integrity verification function from the complex consensus mechanism. By using cryptographic hash chains where each block contains a hash of the previous block, the system achieves data integrity verification without requiring widespread peer-to-peer replication and consensus protocols. This reduces system complexity while maintaining the core reliability function.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of replicating entire blockchain copies across multiple nodes with consensus mechanisms, the patent uses cryptographic hash references that allow verification without full replication. Each block contains a hash copy of the previous block's data, enabling integrity verification with minimal replication overhead.
2Device complexity
If conventional blockchain eliminates widespread replication to reduce complexity, then system simplicity is improved, but vulnerability to partial data loss or corruption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing cryptographic hash values of previous blocks within each block structure. This preliminary preparation of hash references enables rapid integrity verification and chain reconstruction without requiring complex real-time consensus mechanisms, thus maintaining reliability while simplifying the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of widespread data replication and consensus voting with a cryptographic mechanism. Each block contains cryptographic hash references to previous blocks, creating a mathematical chain of trust that eliminates the need for complex distributed consensus protocols while maintaining data integrity.
3Device complexity
If conventional blockchain uses single-ancestor pointers to link blocks, then data structure simplicity is improved, but ability to reconstruct ordered sequences after data loss deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional linear chain structure to a multi-dimensional structure by adding multiple ancestor pointers to each block. Each block can reference multiple previous blocks at different positions in the chain, creating a redundant pathways network that enables reconstruction from multiple starting points if data is lost or corrupted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making each block have different pointer configurations based on its position and content in the chain. Different blocks may have different numbers and types of ancestor pointers, optimizing the local structure for specific reconstruction scenarios while maintaining overall system simplicity.
4Reliability
If conventional blockchain implements immutable storage to ensure data integrity, then data security is improved, but flexibility for data manipulation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics by allowing the blockchain structure to adapt its integrity verification requirements based on the specific application needs. Different block types can have different levels of immutability and manipulation permissions, enabling the system to balance security and flexibility dynamically rather than enforcing rigid immutability across all data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables parameter changes by allowing different blocks to have different integrity levels and manipulation permissions defined by configurable parameters. This allows the system to adjust the degree of immutability and data manipulation flexibility based on specific use cases while maintaining cryptographic security foundations.
Data Source
AI summary
A secure chain data structure is stored by grouping source data into blocks of data, calculating a hash value of an immediate prior block for each block of said blocks of data and a hash value of a non-immediate prior block for at least some blocks of said blocks of data, associating the hash value or values of each block with each block of said blocks of data, and storing said blocks of data and their associated hash values to form a secure chain data structure. Trust can be provided to blocks in the secure chain data structure by later blocks containing valid hash values of prior blocks including valid ones of the hash values of non-immediate prior blocks.