Distributed Ledger Block Sequence Determination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Distributed ledgers, such as blockchains, face challenges in maintaining a consistent sequence of blocks when multiple blocks are proposed simultaneously for recordation, leading to potential race conditions and ambiguities in determining the sequence, which can result in inconsistencies and failures in hash calculations across nodes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing sequence information that indicates the order of blocks, using values such as random numbers or cryptographic hashes, to determine the sequence of simultaneously proposed blocks, ensuring all nodes maintain the same sequence and resolve ambiguities, thereby allowing multiple blocks to be recorded while maintaining the integrity of the distributed ledger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple blocks are proposed simultaneously for recordation to a distributed ledger, then the productivity of the distributed ledger is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to race conditions and sequence ambiguities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by including sequence information (such as random numbers or cryptographic hashes) in each block before it is proposed. This pre-included sequence information allows nodes to determine the correct order of simultaneously proposed blocks without race conditions, enabling multiple blocks to be recorded simultaneously while maintaining sequence consistency across all nodes.
2Reliability
If sequence information is included in each block to determine the order of simultaneously proposed blocks, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the block structure to include sequence information as an additional parameter. This sequence information (random numbers or cryptographic hashes) provides a deterministic way to order blocks without requiring complex consensus protocols or additional coordination mechanisms, thus improving reliability while keeping the complexity increase manageable.
Data Source
AI summary
A device described herein may maintain a distributed ledger that is also maintained by at least one other device, where the distributed ledger includes at least a particular record. The device may receive a first record and a second record for recordation to the distributed ledger, where the first and second records each include a reference to the particular record, and where the first and second records further respectively include first and second values. The device may compare, based on the first and second records each including the reference to the same particular record, the first value to the second value. The device may determine, based on the comparing, a sequence of the first and second records, and may maintain information indicating that the distributed ledger includes the first and second records. The information may further indicate the determined sequence of the first and second records.