Off-Chain Data Manager for Blockchain Consistency

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Inconsistencies in off-chain data accessed by different nodes in a blockchain network lead to forks, affecting the efficiency of data processing.

Innovation Solution

A data processing method that involves obtaining a transaction request, parsing it for transaction and chain height parameters, querying for off-chain data based on the chain height, and determining the type of the target node to obtain the data from either the data manager or an external source, ensuring consistency and reducing the likelihood of forks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If blockchain nodes directly access off-chain data sources, then data access speed is improved, but data consistency deteriorates causing forks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access speedVSAvoiddata consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an off-chain data manager as an intermediary component between blockchain nodes and off-chain data sources. This data manager centrally manages off-chain data access, ensuring that all nodes receive consistent data while maintaining fast access speeds. The data manager acts as a mediator that resolves the contradiction by providing a unified interface for data access without requiring nodes to directly connect to external sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If nodes access off-chain data independently, then system complexity is reduced, but data processing efficiency deteriorates due to forks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoiddata processing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data access function by separating the data management responsibility from the blockchain consensus mechanism. The off-chain data manager handles data access and consistency independently, while blockchain nodes focus on consensus and transaction processing. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity in the core blockchain protocol while improving overall data processing efficiency through specialized data management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11386076B2Data processing method and apparatus based on blockchain network, electronic device, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2022.07.12 TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO LTD
  • US11386076B2 patent drawing
  • US11386076B2 patent drawing
  • US11386076B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A data processing method is provided for an electronic device. The method includes obtaining from a target node a transaction request for off-chain data, parsing the transaction request to obtain a transaction parameter and a chain height parameter of the target node, querying, according to the chain height parameter of the target node, for the off-chain data, in response to determining the off-chain data is present in the data manager, sending the off-chain data to the target node, and in response to determining the off-chain data is absent in the data manager, obtaining the off-chain data from a data source according to a type of the target node.