Fork-Tolerant Consensus Protocol for Blockchain Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blockchain networks face challenges in throughput due to decentralization, leading to chain forks and orphaned blocks, which result in wasted computation and limited throughput, as only one producer's block can be added to the main chain, while others are discarded or included for security, thus impacting the efficiency of transaction processing.
Innovation Solution
A fork-tolerant consensus protocol using a leaderless, asynchronous, probabilistic Byzantine consensus protocol that allows Messagenodes to assemble blocks in parallel and Validators to batch transactions, reducing message complexity and ensuring high scalability and decentralization, with a messageboard model enabling data hubs and isolating block creation and validation processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large number of diverse participants are used to replace individual trust, then decentralization and security are improved, but blockchain throughput deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments participants into two distinct roles: Messagenodes that assemble blocks in parallel without trust requirements, and Validators that verify blocks in batches. This segmentation allows many Messagenodes to contribute to block creation simultaneously, improving throughput while maintaining decentralization, as the trust verification is consolidated at the Validator layer rather than required between all participants
Solution Approach 2:
Validators act as intermediaries between the decentralized Messagenodes and the final committed blocks. The Validators batch and verify transactions from multiple Messagenodes, providing a trust layer that enables parallel block assembly by Messagenodes without requiring direct trust between them, thus resolving the throughput-decentralization tradeoff
2Productivity
If multiple producers release new blocks concurrently, then decentralization and parallel processing are improved, but chain forks and orphaned blocks increase, resulting in wasted computation
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines which blocks become part of the main chain through a probabilistic commitment process. Multiple Messagenodes can assemble blocks in parallel dynamically, and the dynamic voting process by Validators determines which blocks are committed to the chain, allowing parallel processing while minimizing wasted computation through the fork-tolerant mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of block finality from deterministic (single winner) to probabilistic (commitment through voting). By using a probabilistic Byzantine consensus protocol, the system allows multiple blocks to be assembled in parallel and then determines commitment through a voting process, reducing wasted computation compared to traditional single-winner approaches
3Stability of the object's composition
If only one producer's block is added to the main chain, then chain consistency is improved, but throughput and resource utilization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the block creation and validation functions: Messagenodes segment the block assembly process and can work in parallel without affecting chain consistency, while Validators segment the verification process by batching transactions and voting on commitment. This allows multiple blocks to be created simultaneously while maintaining chain consistency through the coordinated validation process
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through the Validator voting process. Validators receive blocks from multiple Messagenodes, vote on which blocks to commit, and provide feedback that determines chain consistency. This feedback mechanism allows parallel block creation while ensuring only committed blocks are added to the main chain, maintaining consistency without limiting throughput
Data Source
AI summary
A consensus network includes Messagenodes and Validators. The Messagenodes add transactions to pre-built blocks of a blockchain. The Validators validate the transactions added to the blocks by the Messagenodes. Validators individually sign blocks in a pre-commit phase and if a block receives a threshold number of signatures, the Validators verify the signatures in a counting phase and commit the block to the blockchain. When a block is committed, it is linked to the previous sealed block in the blockchain.