Consortium Blockchain Consensus View Change Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

In consortium blockchain systems using the PBFT consensus algorithm, if a consensus operation is not completed within a predetermined time period, the consensus operation on target data cannot be ensured to continue after a view change operation, as non-primary consensus nodes lack the necessary PRE-PREPARE message for proposal recovery.

Innovation Solution

A consensus method where a first consensus node broadcasts a ViewChange message in the network based on ECHO messages and signatures received from other nodes, allowing the primary node to construct a NewView message and broadcast it to change the network view, enabling other nodes to continue the consensus operation by broadcasting ECHO messages with corresponding signatures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a view change operation is performed when consensus operation is not completed within predetermined time period, then the consensus primary node can be replaced to improve system reliability, but the consensus operation on target data cannot continue because non-primary nodes lack the PRE-PREPARE message for proposal recovery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconsensus continuityVSAvoidproposal recovery capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the primary node broadcast the PRE-PREPARE message to all backup nodes before the view change operation. This ensures that when the view change occurs, all nodes already possess the necessary proposal information to continue consensus operations, eliminating the information loss that would normally occur during view changes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the PRE-PREPARE message universally available to all nodes (both primary and backup) rather than restricting it only to the primary node. This multi-functionality approach ensures that any node can serve as primary after view change while maintaining the ability to recover and continue the original proposal, thus resolving the contradiction between view change capability and consensus continuity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3934164B1Consensus methods and systems in consortium blockchain
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECH CO LTD
  • EP3934164B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3934164B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present specification discloses a consensus method and system in a consortium blockchain, where the method includes: broadcasting, by a first consensus node, a ViewChange message in a consensus network when the first consensus node in the consensus network of the consortium blockchain does not complete a consensus operation on the target consensus data within a predetermined time period; receiving, by the first consensus primary node in the consensus network, the ViewChange message broadcast by the consensus node in the consensus network; constructing, by the first consensus primary node, a NiewView message based on ECHO messages and signatures in N-f verified ViewChange messages when the first consensus primary node determines that the N-f verified ViewChange messages are received, and broadcasting the constructed NiewView message to the consensus network to change a view of the consensus network to a target view; and broadcasting, by a second consensus node, the ECHO message for the target consensus data in the consensus network when the second consensus node that receives the NiewView message determines that the present consensus node has an ECHO message corresponding to the target consensus data.