Hash Tree Root Hash Blockchain Record Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for recording and verifying important documents and records are vulnerable to forgery, counterfeiting, and tampering, relying on central authorities that can be untrustworthy, and face challenges in security and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a computer to receive interaction data, generate hashes, and store them in a database, creating a hash tree with a root hash that is recorded on a public blockchain, enabling secure and efficient recording and verification of interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If records are maintained by a central authority in a centralized database, then verification and reproduction of records can be performed, but the system is vulnerable to forgery, counterfeiting, and tampering, and requires significant financial and human resources to counteract
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized record-keeping system into distributed nodes across a blockchain network. Each node maintains a copy of the ledger, eliminating the single point of failure and control. Records are divided into blocks that are chained together cryptographically, making tampering detectable. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by distributing trust across multiple independent entities rather than relying on a single central authority.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic hash functions and digital signatures as intermediaries between the record creator and the verification process. These cryptographic mechanisms serve as trusted mediators that provide mathematical proof of record integrity without requiring trust in any specific central authority. The hash tree structure with root hashes acts as an intermediary layer that enables efficient verification while maintaining security against forgery.
2Reliability
If records are decentralized to improve security and reduce reliance on central authorities, then trust-worthiness may be enhanced, but security and efficiency required for practical use have been inadequate in current attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-computing hash trees and root hashes before final record verification. The system prepares cryptographic proofs in advance and stores them in the blockchain ledger, enabling rapid verification without requiring complex real-time computations. This preliminary preparation of cryptographic data structures resolves the efficiency problem while maintaining decentralization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cryptographic copies (hashes) of the original records instead of storing and transmitting the full records themselves. The hash tree structure creates compact cryptographic representations that can be efficiently verified. This copying approach maintains the integrity and decentralization benefits while dramatically improving verification efficiency and reducing computational overhead.
3Measurement precision
If interaction data is recorded in full detail, then verification accuracy is improved, but storage requirements and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential verification elements (root hashes of hash trees) from the full interaction data and stores them in the blockchain. The complete interaction data can be stored off-chain or in private databases, while the blockchain contains only the cryptographic proofs needed for verification. This extraction resolves the contradiction by separating the verification-critical data from the full record set.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by recording only the necessary cryptographic components (hashes and root hashes) in the blockchain rather than complete interaction data. This partial recording provides sufficient verification accuracy for most purposes while dramatically reducing storage and processing requirements. The system uses exactly enough cryptographic proof to ensure verification accuracy without the overhead of full data duplication.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for efficiently storing and verifying records is disclosed. The method may comprise receiving a first hash of first interaction data and determining an interaction identifier associated with the first hash, then storing the first hash in a database along with the interaction identifier and determining a root hash of a hash tree. In addition, the method may also comprise providing the root hash of the hash tree to a public blockchain. Embodiments of the invention also allow users to easily present records to a third party or inquiring entity. Furthermore, interactions may be processed more quickly than previous blockchain methods that publish to a block during each individual interaction.