Distributed Ledger Storage for Trusted Industrial Measurement Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Process control systems in industrial plants face trust, privacy, and security issues due to the lack of confidence between data contributors and storage centers, particularly with the vulnerability of single storage centers and concerns over data integrity.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a distributed ledger system, such as a blockchain, where data contributors encrypt measurement data and send it to storage centers, which maintain a distributed ledger for secure and immutable storage, allowing data subscribers to verify the authenticity of the data through cryptographic hashes and decryption information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a centralized storage center is used to store measurement data, then data storage efficiency is improved, but security and trust issues worsen due to vulnerability to cyber intrusions and lack of data integrity verification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized storage system into multiple distributed storage nodes across a blockchain network. Each node stores copies of the data, eliminating the single point of failure in centralized systems. This segmentation improves both security (no single vulnerable point) and maintains storage efficiency (distributed redundancy).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic hash functions and digital signatures as intermediaries between data storage and verification. These cryptographic mechanisms mediate trust by providing mathematical proof of data integrity without requiring direct trust between parties, thus improving reliability while maintaining system efficiency.
2Reliability
If data is encrypted and stored in a distributed ledger, then data security and integrity are improved, but system complexity worsens due to cryptographic operations and distributed consensus mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated cryptographic operations where the system itself performs encryption, hashing, and consensus validation without requiring external intervention. Smart contracts automatically execute verification logic, reducing the need for complex manual security management and operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a storage medium, a verification mechanism, a security layer, and a consensus engine all in one unified structure. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate complex systems into a single integrated platform.
3Reliability
If a distributed ledger system is implemented, then trust and data authenticity are improved, but data access and retrieval time worsen due to distributed consensus verification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-computing and storing cryptographic hashes of data alongside the actual data in the distributed ledger. When verification is needed, the system only needs to compare hashes rather than verify entire data sets, dramatically reducing access time while maintaining authenticity verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows different nodes in the distributed network to have different roles and capabilities. Some nodes are optimized for fast data retrieval, others for verification, and others for consensus. This local specialization enables the system to provide fast access where needed while maintaining overall security and authenticity through the distributed network.
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a trusted, secure, and immutable record of storage operations executed by a storage center for storing measurement data provided by a process plant, techniques are described for utilizing a distributed ledger. When a data contributor such as a process plant generates measurement data, an encrypted version of a set of measurement data is transmitted to a storage center for secure storage of the measurement data. In some instances, the data contributor divides the set of measurement data into several subsets and transmits each subset of encrypted measurement data to a different storage center. Furthermore, the storage center generates a transaction for the storage operation which is recorded in a distributed ledger. When a data subscriber retrieves the encrypted measurement data from a storage center, the data subscriber can verify the authenticity of the data based on the information recorded in the distributed ledger.