Hash-Linked Blockchain Records for Authentic Data Modifications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized databases are vulnerable to single points of failure, network dependency, and data access bottlenecks, while decentralized blockchain systems struggle to authenticate modifications from external data sources, which can be fraudulent or erroneous.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism is implemented in a blockchain network to authenticate data modifications by generating and storing hash values of initial and modified content states, signed by the data provider and modifier, using smart contracts to verify authenticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized database is used to store and maintain data, then data integrity and consistency are maximized, but the system suffers from single point of failure, network dependency, and access bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized database into multiple decentralized nodes distributed across a network. Each node maintains a copy of the data, eliminating the single point of failure while preserving data integrity through distributed consensus mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic hash functions and digital signatures as intermediaries to verify data authenticity and integrity in the decentralized system. These mathematical tools mediate trust between untrusted nodes, enabling reliable data verification without central authority.
2Adaptability or versatility
If external data sources are used to provide data for blockchain transactions, then data diversity and functionality are enhanced, but the authenticity and reliability of data modifications cannot be verified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary cryptographic hashing to external data before it enters the blockchain. The hash of the original external data is stored on-chain, creating a verifiable reference point that allows later authentication of any modifications while maintaining system flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the blockchain system verifies modifications by comparing against the pre-stored hash values. This feedback loop authenticates data modifications by confirming they originate from authorized sources, thereby enhancing reliability without restricting external data integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An example operation may include one or more of receiving, at a data provider, a data file from a data modifier which comprises a modification to an initial content state of a data file, generating a hash value of the initial content state of the data file prior to modification and generating a hash value of a modified content state of the data file after the modification, and transmitting the generated hash values to a blockchain peer node for inclusion within one or more data blocks among a hash-linked chain of data blocks.