Peer-to-Peer Geolocation System Using Distributed Ledger Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location tracking systems face high maintenance costs, single points of failure, and data integrity issues due to centralized database architectures, which can lead to data loss and unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
A peer-to-peer network system where location reports from network-enabled devices are validated and stored in a distributed ledger, using cryptographic techniques to ensure integrity and availability, with a credit system incentivizing participation from miners.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If location data is recorded in a database maintained by the entity, then data integrity and security are improved, but hardware and network infrastructure costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables peer devices to autonomously validate and store location data without requiring centralized entity infrastructure. Each peer device independently performs validation computations and maintains copies of the shared ledger, eliminating the need for entity-owned servers and reducing hardware dependency
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized database function is segmented and distributed across multiple peer devices in the network. Each peer maintains a copy of the shared ledger and participates in validation, transforming a single-point storage system into a distributed networked system that improves reliability while reducing individual hardware requirements
2Device complexity
If location data is stored in a third party facility, then infrastructure costs are reduced, but data availability and security are worsened due to network failures and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The third-party centralized storage is segmented into distributed copies across multiple peer devices. The shared ledger is replicated throughout the peer-to-peer network, ensuring that data remains accessible even if individual peers or network connections fail, thus improving availability without requiring expensive third-party infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The system preemptively addresses potential failures by implementing cryptographic validation and distributed replication before any data loss or unavailability can occur. Multiple copies of the ledger across independent peers provide a cushion against network failures, hardware faults, or third-party service disruptions
3Ease of operation
If a centralized database is used, then data storage and retrieval are simplified, but single points of failure and security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized database is segmented into a distributed shared ledger across multiple peer devices. Each peer maintains a complete or partial copy, eliminating single points of failure while preserving straightforward data access through the peer-to-peer network protocol
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple independent peer devices are merged into a unified distributed storage system. The shared ledger combines the storage capacity and computational power of all participating peers, creating a resilient system that maintains operational simplicity through standardized validation procedures
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for location sharing, consisting of sending a location report by a location determining device to a plurality of network enabled devices over a peer-to-peer network, the location determining device being associated with a first digital key pair. A first of the plurality of network enabled devices, associated with a second digital key pair, performs a validation computation on the location report and submits a validation computation result and the location report to a remainder of the plurality of network enabled devices for inclusion in a shared ledger. Including the location report creates commercially-valued credits associated with the public key of the second digital key pair recorded in the shared ledger. A transfer of commercially-valued credits from association with the first public key of the first digital key pair to the public key of the second digital key pair is also recorded in the shared ledger.