Decentralized Database Index Management via Consensus Protocols

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Solution Overview

Problem

Centralized databases face issues such as single points of failure, dependency on network connectivity, limited data access, and lack of data redundancy, leading to potential data loss and access bottlenecks.

Innovation Solution

A decentralized database system utilizing a blockchain network with a consensus protocol for managing ledger operations across peer nodes, ensuring coordinated and consistent index management through smart contracts and blockchain techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a centralized database is used, then ease of management and control is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to single point of failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of managementVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the centralized database into multiple distributed nodes across a network. Each node maintains copies of the database or portions thereof, eliminating the single point of failure while distributing management responsibilities across multiple entities rather than concentrating them in one location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local copies of the database at different network nodes, allowing each node to have its own local data storage and processing capabilities. This enables local access and operations while maintaining data redundancy across the distributed system, improving reliability without sacrificing manageability through standardized protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of substance

If a centralized database is used, then data redundancy is minimized, but loss of information worsens when data is unexpectedly lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata redundancyVSAvoiddata loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates multiple copies of the database data across different nodes in the distributed network. Each node stores redundant copies or portions of the data, ensuring that if data is lost at one location, identical or equivalent data can be retrieved from other nodes, thereby preventing information loss while maintaining controlled redundancy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preventive measures by storing redundant data copies in advance across multiple nodes before any data loss occurs. This cushioning approach ensures that the system is prepared to handle unexpected data loss scenarios without requiring manual intervention or back-up restoration, thus preventing information loss while managing redundancy proactively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If a centralized database is used, then network connectivity dependency is reduced, but speed deteriorates due to access time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork connectivity dependencyVSAvoidaccess speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the database system into multiple distributed nodes that can operate semi-independently. Each node can serve local requests without requiring constant communication with a central server, reducing network connectivity dependency while maintaining fast access speeds through local data storage and processing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a distributed network architecture where multiple nodes have equal capability to store and process data. This eliminates the bottleneck of a single central server by distributing access points across the network, allowing users to access data from the nearest or most available node, thereby reducing network dependency while maintaining or improving access speed through optimized data routing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

4Device complexity

If a centralized database is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to access bottlenecks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidaccess productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the database system into multiple independent nodes distributed across the network, allowing parallel data access and processing operations. This segmentation eliminates the single-point bottleneck of centralized databases, enabling multiple users to simultaneously access and modify data without interfering with each other, thereby significantly improving productivity while managing complexity through standardized communication protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a dynamic distributed database system where nodes can independently process requests, replicate data, and coordinate changes in real-time. This dynamic architecture allows the system to adapt to varying workload demands by distributing processing tasks across multiple nodes, improving productivity through parallel operations while maintaining manageable complexity through automated consensus mechanisms and conflict resolution protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11416548B2Index management for a database
Publication Date: 2022.08.16 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • US11416548B2 patent drawing
  • US11416548B2 patent drawing
  • US11416548B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An example operation may include one or more of generating a proposal to perform a ledger operation at a first node, informing one or more second nodes of the proposal, receiving a decision on consensus among the first node and the one or more second nodes for the proposal, and performing the ledger operation at the first node when there is consensus, wherein the ledger operation changes a state database of a ledger of the first node and wherein the state database corresponds to a blockchain stored in the ledger.