Tamper-Resistant Ledger Verification With Periodic Proofs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ledger verification systems face high computational costs and inefficiencies, particularly in verifying the integrity of large and complex transaction logs, which can lead to fraud and compliance issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing incremental verification of a tamper-resistant ledger through periodic proofs generated by an untrusted party, using hash trees and zero-knowledge proofs, offloading costly computations to the untrusted party and enabling efficient verification by a verifier.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional ledger verification methods are used to ensure integrity of large transaction logs, then verification accuracy is improved, but computational cost and processing time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveledger integrity verification accuracyVSAvoidcomputational cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the ledger verification process into periodic segments, where only incremental changes since the last verification point need to be checked. The ledger is split into time-based periods with verification points, allowing the system to verify integrity incrementally rather than re-verifying the entire ledger each time, thus reducing computational cost while maintaining verification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary verification actions at periodic intervals by generating proofs of integrity at verification points. These preliminary proofs are created in advance and can be efficiently verified later, reducing the computational burden during actual verification operations while ensuring ledger integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If comprehensive ledger verification is performed to prevent fraud and ensure compliance, then reliability is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud prevention capabilityVSAvoidverification processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic verification at designated points in time rather than continuous verification. The ledger is divided into periods with verification points where integrity proofs are generated and verified. This periodic approach maintains fraud prevention capability by regularly checking integrity while significantly reducing processing time compared to continuous verification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial verification by focusing only on incremental changes since the last verification point rather than re-verifying the entire ledger history. This partial action approach maintains adequate fraud prevention through periodic integrity checks while reducing processing time by avoiding redundant verification of unchanged data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If full ledger verification is performed to ensure accuracy and consistency, then measurement precision is improved, but computational resources consumed increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction accuracy verificationVSAvoidcomputational resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The verification process is segmented into periodic intervals with verification points. Instead of verifying the entire ledger, the system segments verification into manageable periods where only incremental changes need to be checked. This segmentation maintains measurement precision for transaction accuracy while reducing computational resource consumption by focusing verification efforts on relevant incremental data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

If incremental verification through periodic proofs is implemented, then computational efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveverification computational efficiencyVSAvoidproof generation and verification mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces periodic proofs as an intermediary mechanism between the ledger data and the verification process. These proofs serve as mediators that encapsulate integrity information in a verifiable format, allowing efficient verification without directly processing the entire ledger. This intermediary approach improves computational efficiency while managing system complexity through standardized proof structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20260019286A1Incremental verification of tamper-resistant ledger

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Incremental verification of a tamper-resistant ledger is disclosed herein. Periodic proofs are generated by periodically verifying the integrity of a tamper-resistant ledger. The periodic proofs enable a verifier to incrementally verify the integrity of the tamper-resistant ledger by verifying the periodic proofs. A periodic proof is generated based on a preceding proof and entries added to the tamper-resistant ledger since the preceding proof. A verifier verifies a periodic proof based on the preceding proof and the entries added to the ledger between preceding proof and the proof being verified. An action is performed responsive to verifying the integrity of the tamper-resistant ledger.