Secret Sharing Storage Backup for Small-File Disk Waste

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In secret sharing storage systems, the fragmentation of small-capacity files results in surplus sectors, leading to increased disk usage due to each fragment file being smaller than the sector size.

Innovation Solution

A processing system that compresses multiple files into a single file and then uploads the compressed file to the secret sharing storage, reducing the surplus region by implementing the said technical solutions. The system includes a backup unit that combines a backup unit that compresses a plurality of files into one file at a predetermined compression rate and uploads the compressed file to a secret sharing storage, which then encrypts and divides the file into fragment files across multiple storage servers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If small-capacity files are stored directly in secret sharing storage, then file storage is simple, but surplus sectors increase and disk usage efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage simplicityVSAvoiddisk space waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple small-capacity files into a single composite file before applying secret sharing fragmentation. This combining approach ensures that the total file size exceeds the sector size threshold, eliminating surplus sectors and improving disk space utilization while maintaining storage functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs file combination as a preliminary action before the secret sharing fragmentation process. By pre-combining files to achieve optimal size, the system avoids the disk space waste that would occur during subsequent fragmentation, thereby improving overall storage efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If files are fragmented into small fragment files, then secret sharing security is achieved, but each fragment file becomes smaller than sector size causing surplus regions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecret sharing securityVSAvoidsurplus region size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple files into a larger composite file before fragmentation, ensuring that even when divided into multiple fragments, each fragment file maintains a size greater than the sector size threshold. This eliminates surplus regions while preserving secret sharing security requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple small files are stored separately, then file independence is maintained, but disk usage increases due to sector surplus for each file

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefile independenceVSAvoiddisk usage efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent files into a single composite file structure before applying secret sharing. This approach maintains the logical independence and recoverability of individual files while physically combining them to eliminate sector surplus, thereby improving disk usage efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies segmentation at the fragment file level rather than at the individual file level. By dividing the combined file into multiple fragments distributed across servers, the system achieves both security through secret sharing and efficiency through reduced surplus regions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4708101A1Processing system, processing method, and processing program
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS INC
  • EP4708101A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4708101A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4708101A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A processing system (1) includes: a client (10) that uploads a file to be stored; and a secret sharing storage (30) that stores fragment files obtained by dividing the uploaded file in a distributed manner across a plurality of storage servers (30-1) to (30-3), in which the client (10) includes a backup unit (11) that compresses a plurality of files to be stored into one file at a predetermined compression rate and then uploads the compressed file, and the secret sharing storage (30) includes: the plurality of storage servers (30-1) to (30-3); and a distribution server (20) that encrypts the compressed file, and then divides the compressed file into fragment files and stores the fragment files in a distributed manner across the plurality of storage servers (30-1) to (30-3).