Verifiable Image Embedding via Blockchain Identity Beacon
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems are limited in ensuring that images are unmodified and provide true identities of objects or entities within them, lacking effective methods to guarantee the authenticity and immutability of embedded tags.
Innovation Solution
The use of entity beacon devices and a blockchain network with a verifier server system to capture and verify images with embedded immutable identities, employing time-based cryptographic hashing to generate secured representations of blockchain addresses, which are then embedded in images and verified through an interactive proving protocol.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional image tagging methods are used, then images can be processed and analyzed, but the authenticity and immutability of embedded identities cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces blockchain technology as an intermediary layer between image capture and identity verification. The blockchain network serves as a trusted mediator that records and verifies entity identities independently, allowing the image processing system to rely on blockchain's cryptographic guarantees rather than implementing complex verification protocols itself. This resolves the contradiction by outsourcing reliability assurance to a specialized intermediary system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates cryptographic copies of entity identities (hashes of blockchain addresses) and embeds them in images. These cryptographic copies serve as immutable proofs of identity that can be verified without accessing the original blockchain data directly. This approach ensures authenticity while keeping the image processing system simple, as verification only requires basic cryptographic checks rather than full blockchain node functionality.
2Reliability
If blockchain verification is implemented, then image authenticity and immutability are ensured, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by embedding cryptographic proofs (hashes of blockchain addresses) directly into images at the time of capture. This allows verification to be done later using only the embedded data without needing to query the blockchain network in real-time. The heavy computational work of cryptographic hashing is done upfront during image capture, not during verification, thus reducing verification time while maintaining immutability guarantees.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the verification function from the main image processing workflow by separating identity verification from image analysis. The embedded cryptographic proofs can be verified independently and in parallel with other image processing tasks. This extraction allows verification to occur without blocking other processing operations, effectively reducing the perceived verification time in the overall system workflow.
3Reliability
If cryptographic hashing is applied to all images, then security is enhanced, but computational overhead and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies cryptographic hashing locally only to the identity portion of image data (the blockchain address), rather than hashing the entire image. This selective application of cryptographic operations focuses computational resources only where security is needed - the identity embedding - while leaving the rest of the image processing energy-efficient. The local application of hashing to specific data fields rather than all data resolves the contradiction between security and energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of the disclosure are directed to capturing verifiable images having an embedded immutable identity of things appearing in the image. In implementations, a method includes: obtaining an image of an entity; receiving a beacon from a beacon device of the entity, the beacon including a secured representation of the entity's distributed ledger address; and embedding the secured representation of the entity's distributed ledger address in the image to create an image dataset.