Hierarchical Distributed Ledger for Tamper-Proof Production Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional monitoring techniques for production of technical apparatuses are vulnerable to falsification and forgery, necessitating advanced security measures.
Innovation Solution
Employing a distributed ledger technology, specifically a Blockchain, to record and encapsulate production data across multiple components, ensuring secure and tamper-proof logging of production steps and integration processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional production logs are used to monitor production, then monitoring can be performed, but the logs are vulnerable to falsification and forgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional centralized production log systems with a distributed ledger technology (blockchain) system. This substitution transforms the monitoring mechanism from a vulnerable centralized database to a decentralized, cryptographically secured network of nodes, eliminating the mechanical vulnerability to falsification while maintaining monitoring functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the production monitoring system into multiple independent nodes that each maintain copies of the ledger. By distributing the monitoring function across multiple independent entities rather than a single centralized system, the patent prevents any single point of failure or manipulation, thereby improving reliability against falsification.
2Reliability
If distributed ledger technology is implemented to prevent falsification, then data integrity is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal distributed ledger system that serves multiple functions: recording production data, ensuring data integrity through cryptographic hashing, enabling traceability across the supply chain, and providing immutable audit trails. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single platform, managing complexity while delivering comprehensive reliability improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hierarchical ledger structure where ledgers are nested within ledgers - component-level ledgers are encapsulated within assembly-level ledgers, which are in turn encapsulated within product-level ledgers. This nested architecture organizes complexity in a manageable hierarchical fashion while maintaining the falsification-resistant properties at each level.
3Loss of information
If production data is recorded in a distributed ledger for each production step, then transparency is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically generating cryptographic hash values and embedding them in the ledger entries at the time of data creation. This preliminary cryptographic processing ensures that information transparency is maintained from the outset, and the immutable structure is established before any potential manipulation could occur, reducing the need for complex ongoing verification mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A monitoring production of a technical apparatus in a secure and reliable manner is provided. This monitoring is achieved using encapsulation of a first distributed ledger into a second distributed ledger.