Electronic Voucher Security via Blockchain and Cryptographic Signatures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electronic vouchers are vulnerable to forgery and illegal copying due to their reliance on barcodes or registration numbers, and there is a risk of duplicate issuance, which invalidates the coupons.

Innovation Solution

A method is implemented using a blockchain network to register electronic vouchers, involving a server that acquires and verifies issuing data, public keys, and signature values from issuers and users, ensuring validity and preventing forgery through cryptography and transaction IDs on both public and private blockchain networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If electronic vouchers use barcodes or registration numbers for transfer, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to vulnerability to forgery and illegal copying

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of voucher transferVSAvoidsecurity against forgery

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical barcode system with a cryptographic digital signature system. Instead of using visual barcodes that can be copied, the voucher uses digital signatures generated by private keys and verified by public keys, making forgery computationally infeasible while maintaining ease of electronic transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cryptographic copying where the voucher information is encrypted and signed. The digital representation can be copied and transferred electronically, but the cryptographic signatures ensure that only authorized copies are valid, preventing illegal copying while enabling legitimate electronic distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of manufacture

If electronic vouchers use simple registration numbers, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to duplicate issuance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of voucher generationVSAvoidprevention of duplicate issuance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces simple registration number generation with a cryptographic key pair generation system. Each voucher is associated with a unique private key that generates a digital signature, ensuring that even if duplicates are issued, each can be individually verified and tracked through its unique cryptographic identity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a blockchain network as an intermediary that records and verifies all voucher issuances. The blockchain acts as a distributed ledger that tracks each voucher's creation and transfer, preventing duplicate issuance by providing a transparent, immutable record of all transactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11907917B2Method for issuing, redeeming, refunding, settling and revoking electronic voucher by using utxo-based protocol, and server employing same

Publication Date: 2024.02.20 CPLABS INC

AI summary

The present invention provides a method for issuing an electronic voucher, the method comprising: (a) a step in which a server checks whether or not (i) electronic voucher data, (ii) a public key of a specific issuer and (iii) a signature value of the specific issuer are valid; and (b) a step in which, if the validity check result is positive, the server registers or supports the registration of a function value associated with (i) the electronic voucher data, (ii) the public key of the specific issuer and (iii) the signature value of the specific issuer in a blockchain network, and acquires or supports the acquisition of Txid indicating information on the location of the function value, registered in the blockchain network.