Distributed Ledger Architecture for Smart Vehicle Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized databases for smart vehicles limit accessibility of vehicle data to owners and authorized third parties, lacking a secure and decentralized solution for tracking and managing smart vehicle data, insurance claims, and other transactions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a distributed ledger system, such as a blockchain, where each node maintains a copy of the ledger, enabling decentralized consensus and secure storage of transaction records through cryptographic hashing and consensus mechanisms like proof of work, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centralized database is used to store smart vehicle data, then data storage and management is simplified, but data accessibility to owners and authorized third parties is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized database into multiple distributed nodes across a blockchain network. Each node maintains a copy of the ledger, segmenting the data storage function while improving accessibility through decentralized query capabilities and eliminating single-point access restrictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces smart contracts as intermediary automated programs that mediate data access requests. These contracts enforce access policies, authenticate users, and grant permissions without requiring centralized manual approval, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining security.
2Reliability
If a centralized server stores smart vehicle data, then data management is centralized and simple, but security and single points of failure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized storage into distributed ledger copies across multiple nodes. This segmentation eliminates single points of failure, as the system can tolerate node failures while maintaining data availability and security through cryptographic verification at each node.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the storage architecture from centralized to decentralized by changing the fundamental parameter of data location. Each node holds an identical copy of the ledger, and cryptographic hashing ensures data integrity, fundamentally altering how security is achieved from perimeter-based to distributed trust-based security.
3Loss of information
If centralized databases are used for smart vehicle data, then implementation is simpler, but data consistency and transparency across multiple parties is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent data copies held by different nodes into a single consistent state through cryptographic consensus mechanisms. Each node maintains a copy of the ledger, and the combining of these copies through hashing and consensus algorithms ensures all parties see the same data, eliminating information loss while distributing the system.
4Reliability
If decentralized distributed ledger is implemented, then data accessibility and security are improved, but system complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated smart contracts that autonomously verify data integrity, authenticate users, and enforce access policies without requiring manual intervention. The consensus mechanism automatically validates transactions and maintains ledger consistency, reducing the perceived complexity for end users while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed with respect to using a distributed ledger, such as a blockchain, for tracking changes for a user. Example methods may include implementing one or more servers, each of the one or more servers maintaining a copy of a distributed ledger; detecting a change in a policy or claim status for a user; responding to the detection of the change, including: (i) generating, via a server of the one or more servers, a transaction record for the distributed ledger including data corresponding to the change; (ii) generating a hash value representative of at least the transaction record using at least a generated nonce value; and (iii) storing the transaction record and the hash value to each copy of the distributed ledger at the one or more servers; and performing a function based upon the transaction record stored to the distributed ledger.