Hybrid Blockchain Ledger Receipts for Relational Data Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional methods for determining data integrity in relational databases are complex, costly, and inefficient, particularly in untrusted environments, and do not support rich data modeling or integration of sensitive data with regular data, while existing blockchain solutions are slow and require distributed consensus.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a cryptographic hybrid blockchain ledger with Merkle trees to maintain a history of database changes, generating cryptographic receipts for transaction verification, and using asynchronous methods to ensure data integrity without impacting performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional distributed ledgers and blockchains are used to determine data integrity, then data integrity verification is achieved, but the system becomes complex, expensive, and slow due to requiring distributed consensus

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrity verificationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential function of blockchain (tamper-evident logging) and implements it locally within the database system using cryptographic hash chains, removing the need for distributed consensus infrastructure while maintaining data integrity verification capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cryptographic hash functions and Merkle trees as intermediaries between data entries and integrity verification, enabling efficient verification without requiring direct distributed consensus among multiple parties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If distributed consensus is implemented for data integrity, then reliability is improved, but processing speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrity verificationVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent computes cryptographic hash values and builds Merkle trees in advance as data is inserted or modified, so that integrity verification can be performed immediately without waiting for distributed consensus processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The database system performs its own integrity verification using locally stored cryptographic structures, eliminating the need for external distributed consensus validation and enabling autonomous fast verification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If cryptographic verification is performed synchronously with transactions, then data integrity is ensured, but database performance is impacted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoiddatabase performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements asynchronous periodic verification where cryptographic validation is performed at scheduled intervals or triggered by specific events rather than synchronously with every transaction, reducing performance overhead while maintaining integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent maintains continuous cryptographic verification capabilities through background processes that asynchronously validate data integrity, ensuring reliability without blocking normal database operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Ease of manufacture

If traditional flat document validation is used, then implementation is simple, but rich data modeling and relational database functionality are not supported

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation simplicityVSAvoiddata modeling capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal cryptographic verification framework that works with any data structure including relational tables, hierarchical documents, and graph databases, enabling both simple and complex data modeling with consistent integrity verification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260089008A1Data truncation from cryptographic data structures

Publication Date: 2026.03.26 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Methods for asynchronously determining relational data integrity using cryptographic data structures are performed by systems and devices. Changes in current tables of relational databases are reflected in associated history tables. Cryptographic hybrid blockchain ledgers are updated with transaction records, for entry changes in current and history tables, including transaction information and hash values of corresponding entry changes. Hybrid blockchain ledgers also include root hash values of Merkle trees of transaction records in current blocks, and hash values of prior blocks. A current block receipt is asynchronously generated and provided as a single hash value from which the validity states of the tables and ledger are able to be verified. Cryptographic receipts of specific transactions reflected in table entry changes are generated and provide immutable evidence of specific transaction existence for users. Ledger-enabled tables are provided for mixed database operations with ledger-disabled tables, and temporal history table database operations are enabled.