P2P Data Exchange Fairness via Completion Notification

Solution Overview

Problem

In peer-to-peer (P2P) data exchange systems, unfair practices occur when one unit completes data transmission before the other, leading to incomplete data reception, and existing solutions with mediator servers increase communication costs and server load.

Innovation Solution

A system where exchange completion data is only transmitted to the exchange completion data keeping device when both units have successfully received data, allowing each unit to reproduce data only with the necessary exchange completion data, and using encryption/decryption keys as exchange completion data to ensure fair data exchange.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a mediator server is used to ensure fair data exchange, then data exchange fairness is improved, but communication cost and server load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata exchange fairnessVSAvoidcommunication cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential completion notification data from the full data exchange process, separating it from the actual data content. This allows the mediator server to handle minimal completion information rather than all exchanged data, reducing communication overhead while maintaining fairness guarantees

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by having units notify the mediator server of data completion before actual data transfer occurs. This advance notification allows the mediator to prepare fairness enforcement mechanisms, ensuring fair exchange without requiring continuous server involvement throughout the entire data transfer process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a mediator server is used to ensure fair data exchange, then data exchange fairness is improved, but server load increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata exchange fairnessVSAvoidserver load

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential completion notification data from the full data exchange process, separating it from the actual data content. This allows the mediator server to handle minimal completion information rather than all exchanged data, reducing communication overhead while maintaining fairness guarantees

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service by having trading units automatically notify the mediator server of their completion status without requiring server intervention in the actual data transfer. This automation reduces the mediator's workload to merely receiving notifications and enforcing fairness rules, rather than managing the entire exchange process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If data is uploaded to the mediator server before exchange, then data exchange fairness is improved, but communication cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata exchange fairnessVSAvoidcommunication volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential completion notification data from the full data exchange process, separating it from the actual data content. This allows the mediator server to handle minimal completion information rather than all exchanged data, reducing communication overhead while maintaining fairness guarantees

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of uploading data to the mediator before exchange, the system inverts the approach by having units exchange data directly and then notify the mediator of completion. This reversal eliminates the need for pre-upload while maintaining fairness through post-exchange verification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS7814168B2Unit-to-unit data exchange system, and unit, exchange completion data keeping device and program for use in the same

Publication Date: 2010.10.12 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA

AI summary

A unit-to-unit data exchange system preventing an unfair exchange without increasing communications cost or a load on a server. A unit (11a) exchanges data with a unit (11b). An exchange completion data keeping device keeps exchange completion data that is necessary for each unit (11a and 11b) to reproduce the obtained data after the data exchange is completed. The exchange completion data keeping device transmits the exchange completion data obtained from the unit (11b) to the unit (11a) and transmits the exchange completion data obtained from the unit (11a) to the unit (11b) only when the unit (11a) and the unit (11b) have successfully received data of interest.