Smart Contract Invocation via External Data Digests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional smart contract invocation processes in blockchain systems are limited by a 'closed data use loop', where data content stored externally cannot be referenced, leading to data redundancy and security concerns due to direct use of plaintext data.
Innovation Solution
A method where a blockchain system interconnects with a third-party storage system, using data digests to query and verify encrypted data, allowing smart contracts to perform computations on referenced data without synchronizing original content across nodes, thus breaking the closed data loop and enhancing security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data content is stored externally and referenced by smart contracts, then data storage redundancy is reduced, but data security is compromised due to direct use of plaintext data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data content from the blockchain storage and places it in an external storage system, keeping only the data digest (hash value) on the blockchain. This extraction resolves the contradiction by reducing on-chain storage redundancy while maintaining security through cryptographic hashing, as the plaintext data never exposes the blockchain network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a data digest (cryptographic hash) as an intermediary between the external data storage and the smart contract invocation. This intermediary allows smart contracts to reference external data without direct plaintext exposure, as the data digest serves as a secure reference that can be verified without revealing the underlying data content.
2Ease of operation
If plaintext data is directly used in smart contract invocation, then data accessibility is improved, but security is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a cryptographic copy (data digest/hash) of the original data instead of the plaintext itself. This copy maintains the essential verification function while eliminating security risks, as the data digest can be computed and verified without exposing the original data content to the smart contract execution environment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If all nodes synchronize original data content, then data consistency is ensured, but storage overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the large data content from the blockchain synchronization process and retains only the compact data digest on each node. This extraction maintains data consistency through cryptographic verification of the digest while dramatically reducing storage overhead, as nodes only need to store and verify small hash values rather than large plaintext datasets.
Data Source
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AI summary
A target transaction comprising invocation data used to initiate the invocation of the smart contract based on a blockchain is received, where at least a part of the invocation data comprises a data digest of target data stored in a third-party storage system interconnected with the blockchain. The target data corresponding to the data digest from the third-party storage system is queried. A query result comprising encrypted target data returned by the third-party storage system is received. A key used to decrypt the encrypted target data is obtained and the encrypted target data is decrypted based on the key. Content verification on decrypted target data is performed. If the verification succeeds, the smart contract is invoked to perform smart contract computation on the invocation data. A computation result is stored in a distributed database of the blockchain after the smart contract computation is completed.