Partial Hash Engine Circuit for Bitcoin Mining Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The energy consumption and hardware gate usage in Bitcoin mining are high due to the need for powerful computers to compute the proof-of-work function, which is resource-intensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A circuit with partial hash engines and a controller that computes a partial hash digest and generates notifications to activate a complete hash engine only when the partial hash digest satisfies a criterion, reducing the number of hardware gates and power consumption by computing the final hash digest only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the complete hash engine computes the final hash digest for every nonce value, then the mining accuracy is maintained, but the power consumption and hardware gate usage are excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The hash computation is segmented into two parts: a partial hash engine that computes only a portion of the hash digest (e.g., first 32 bits) and a complete hash engine that computes the full hash digest. The partial hash engine is used for initial filtering to reduce power consumption, while the complete hash engine is only activated when the partial hash meets the target criterion, thus maintaining mining accuracy while reducing energy usage.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of always performing the complete hash computation, the system performs a partial hash computation first as a filtering step. Only when the partial hash result satisfies the target condition does the system proceed to the excessive action of computing the complete hash digest. This partial action approach significantly reduces the frequency of full hash computations and associated power consumption.
2Reliability
If the complete hash engine is activated for every nonce attempt, then the mining reliability is ensured, but the hardware gate usage and cost are excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The mining hardware is segmented into a partial hash engine with fewer gates and a complete hash engine with more gates. The partial hash engine handles the majority of nonce attempts, reducing overall gate usage. The complete hash engine is only activated when needed to ensure mining reliability, thus achieving a balance between reliability and hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial hash computation as a preliminary filter before committing to full hash computation. This reduces the number of times the complex complete hash engine must operate, thereby reducing hardware gate usage and cost while maintaining mining reliability through selective activation of the complete hash engine.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the partial hash engine is used to filter nonce values, then the power consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to the need for both partial and complete hash engines
Solution Approach 1:
The hash computation functionality is segmented into a partial hash engine and a complete hash engine. The partial hash engine is simpler and consumes less power, handling the bulk of nonce attempts. The complete hash engine is more complex but is only activated when the partial hash meets the target, thus reducing overall power consumption while managing circuit complexity through functional segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs a partial hash computation first as a low-power filtering step. Only when this partial computation succeeds does the system activate the more complex complete hash engine. This partial action approach reduces power consumption significantly while the complexity of having two engines is justified by the reduction in their operational frequency.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit and corresponding method enable mining for digital currency in a blockchain network. The circuit comprises a controller and at least one partial hash engine that (i) implements a hash function, partially, to compute a partial hash digest of a final hash digest for a block header of a block candidate and (ii) generates a notification based on determining that the partial hash digest satisfies a criterion. The controller includes a complete hash engine that implements the hash function, completely. In response to the notification generated, the controller activates the complete hash engine to compute, in its entirety, the final hash digest for the block header, effectuating a decision for submission of the block candidate with the block header to the blockchain network for mining the digital currency. Power savings and reduction in area are achieved relative to multiple hash engines that compute the entire final hash digest.