Poisoned Transaction Sets for Faster Blockchain Block Propagation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In blockchain networks, the increasing size of blocks leads to delays in block propagation, which can result in temporary forks and orphan blocks, wasting computational resources and undermining consensus rules.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where mining nodes share information about their candidate blocks before finding a proof-of-work, using poisoned ordered sets with invalid transactions to ensure all nodes validate transactions independently, reducing reliance on a single node's validation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full block data is propagated to all mining nodes, then all nodes can validate the block independently, but the propagation time increases and network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The block data is segmented into two parts: block header (propagated to all nodes) and transaction list (propagated only to requesting nodes). This segmentation allows nodes to quickly validate the block header independently while obtaining full transaction details only when needed, thus reducing overall propagation time and network bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The block header is propagated preliminarily to all mining nodes before the full block data. This preliminary action enables nodes to perform initial validation and prepare for potential fork scenarios without waiting for the complete block transmission, thereby reducing validation delay and improving response time.
2Speed
If only block header is propagated to reduce transmission data, then propagation speed increases, but nodes cannot fully validate transactions without requesting additional data
Solution Approach 1:
The validation process is made dynamic: nodes first validate the block header quickly, then conditionally request full transaction details based on whether they need complete validation. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt between fast propagation mode and complete validation mode, balancing speed and thoroughness based on network conditions and node requirements.
3Reliability
If miners wait for full block propagation before switching to next block, then they can validate completely, but computational resources are wasted during waiting period
Solution Approach 1:
Miners maintain continuous useful action by immediately switching to mine the next candidate block upon receiving a block header, without waiting for full propagation. The validation process continues in parallel where nodes request and verify transaction details as needed, ensuring both computational efficiency and validation completeness without idle waiting periods.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and devices for propagating blocks in a blockchain network. At a first mining node, while hashing a first block header of a first candidate block, the first mining node sends, to other mining nodes, a first message specifying transactions and their order in a first ordered set of transactions contained in the first candidate block. To prevent the other nodes from relying on the first mining node having validated the transactions in the candidate block, the first mining node seeds the first ordered set with one or more invalid transactions to create a poisoned ordered set, and provides an encrypted list identifying the invalid transactions. Once a proof-of-work is found for the candidate block, the first mining node provides a decryption key to decrypt the encrypted list and identify the invalid transactions. It may further provide replacement transactions for the invalid transactions.