Smart Contract Content Verification for Blockchain Documents

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blockchain-based systems lack effective mechanisms for verifying the integrity of electronic documents before they are signed online, which can lead to tampering and compromised security.

Innovation Solution

A blockchain-based content verification method that utilizes smart contracts to read and verify the original content of electronic documents from the blockchain, comparing summary information to ensure integrity and returning verification results to the signer before signing, thereby enhancing security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If blockchain technology is used for online signing, then decentralization and transparency are improved, but security against tampering deteriorates due to lack of verification mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedecentralizationVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing content verification before the signing operation. The system calculates the first hash value of the electronic document content and stores it on the blockchain before any signing occurs. This pre-verification mechanism ensures that the original content is preserved and can be used to detect any tampering attempts, thus resolving the security concern while maintaining blockchain's decentralized nature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by creating a verification mechanism that compares the first hash value (stored before signing) with a second hash value (calculated after signing). This feedback loop allows the system to detect whether the electronic document content has been tampered with, providing continuous security monitoring that enhances reliability without compromising the decentralized blockchain architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If content verification is added to blockchain-based signing, then security is improved, but system complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical verification systems with cryptographic hash functions. Instead of using elaborate verification mechanisms, the system simply calculates hash values of the electronic document content at different stages (before and after signing) and compares them. This substitution of cryptographic operations for mechanical verification processes adds security while minimizing the increase in system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating hash value representations of the electronic document content rather than storing and comparing the actual content. The first hash value is stored on the blockchain as a compact representation of the original content, and the verification process involves calculating and comparing hash values rather than performing complex content analysis, thus reducing system complexity while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If hash value storage and comparison mechanism is implemented, then tampering detection is improved, but data processing time worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetampering detection accuracyVSAvoiddata processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses cheap short-living objects by employing hash values as disposable representations of the electronic document content. The hash values are calculated quickly, stored temporarily on the blockchain for verification purposes, and then discarded after the verification process. This approach provides accurate tampering detection without requiring long-term storage or complex processing, thus minimizing data processing time while maintaining high detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS11196572B2Blockchain-based content verification

Publication Date: 2021.12.07 ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD

AI summary

This disclosure relates to blockchain-based content verification. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a client device of a signer, a target transaction request for triggering presentation of a target electronic document. A smart contract for content verification of the target electronic document is invoked in response to receiving the target transaction request. A content verification program declared in the smart contract is executed. The executing includes reading content of the target electronic document from a blockchain and performing content verification on the target electronic document based on the content of the target electronic document read from the blockchain. A content verification result and the content of the target electronic document is returned to the client device for presentation to the signer.