Blockchain-based file handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021141909-A1
Application number	US-201916676998-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2019
Priority date	Nov 7, 2019
Publication date	May 13, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Blockchain-based file handling is provided by receiving a data file from a user device, storing the data file to local storage of the blockchain peer, generating a file identifier of the data file, providing the file identifier to the user device, storing the file identifier to a synchronized ledger of the blockchain network, where the synchronized ledger tracks access to the data file, and distributing data of the data file to one or more other blockchain peers of the blockchain network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by a blockchain peer of a blockchain network, a data file from a user device; storing, by the blockchain peer, the data file to local storage of the blockchain peer; generating a file identifier of the data file; providing the file identifier to the user device; storing the file identifier to a synchronized ledger of the blockchain network, the synchronized ledger tracking access to the data file; and distributing data of the data file to one or more other blockchain peers of a plurality of blockchain peers of the blockchain network.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the one or more other blockchain peers to which to distribute data of the data file, the determining being based on monitoring disk space of the one or more other blockchain peers.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the distributing comprises compressing the data file to obtain a compressed data file and distributing the compressed data file to the one or more other blockchain peers.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the distributing comprises encrypting the data file to obtain an encrypted data file and distributing the encrypted data file to the one or more other blockchain peers.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the distributing comprises splitting the data of the data file into a plurality of separate data files and distributing a respective at least one separate data file of the plurality of separate data files to each of the one or more other blockchain peers.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the distributing distributes to at least one of the one or more blockchain peers some, but not all, separate data files of the plurality of separate data files.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein based on at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) loss and (ii) improper modification of the data of the data file at the blockchain peer, receiving the data of the data file from at least one of the one or more other blockchain peers to restore the data of the data file to the blockchain peer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein access to the data file is regulated based on a policy, wherein the policy prevents a blockchain peer of the blockchain network that has the data file from viewing the data file.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the synchronized ledger tracks access of the data file on the blockchain network, and wherein view of the tracked access is regulated such that only some blockchain peers of the blockchain network can view the tracked access.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based on a request made to the blockchain peer to access another data file stored to the blockchain network:
initially determining that the blockchain peer does not have the requested another data file; and based on information in the synchronized ledger indicating which blockchain peers of the blockchain network have at least some data of the another data file, selecting a closest one or more blockchain peers that have data of the another data file, and requesting the closest one or more blockchain peers to provide the data of the another data file.

11 . A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
receiving, by a blockchain peer of a blockchain network, a data file from a user device;
storing, by the blockchain peer, the data file to local storage of the blockchain peer;
generating a file identifier of the data file;
providing the file identifier to the user device;
storing the file identifier to a synchronized ledger of the blockchain network, the synchronized ledger tracking access to the data file; and
distributing data of the data file to one or more other blockchain peers of a plurality of blockchain peers of the blockchain network.

12 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises determining the one or more other blockchain peers to which to distribute data of the data file, the determining being based on monitoring disk space of the one or more other blockchain peers.

13 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the distributing comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
compressing the data file to obtain a compressed data file and distributing the compressed data file to the one or more other blockchain peers; and encrypting the data file to obtain an encrypted data file and distributing the encrypted data file to the one or more other blockchain peers.

14 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the distributing comprises splitting the data of the data file into a plurality of separate data files and distributing a respective at least one separate data file of the plurality of separate data files to each of the one or more other blockchain peers, and wherein the distributing distributes to at least one of the one or more blockchain peers some, but not all, separate data files of the plurality of separate data files.

15 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein access to the data file is regulated based on a policy, wherein the policy prevents a blockchain peer of the blockchain network that has the data file from viewing the data file.

16 . The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the synchronized ledger tracks access of the data file on the blockchain network, and wherein view of the tracked access is regulated such that only some blockchain peers of the blockchain network can view the tracked access.

17 . A computer system comprising:
a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method comprising:
receiving, by a blockchain peer of a blockchain network, a data file from a user device;
storing, by the blockchain peer, the data file to local storage of the blockchain peer;
generating a file identifier of the data file;
providing the file identifier to the user device;
storing the file identifier to a synchronized ledger of the blockchain network, the synchronized ledger tracking access to the data file; and
distributing data of the data file to one or more other blockchain peers of a plurality of blockchain peers of the blockchain network.

18 . The computer system of claim 17 , wherein the distributing comprises splitting the data of the data file into a plurality of separate data files and distributing a respective at least one separate data file of the plurality of separate data files to each of the one or more other blockchain peers, wherein the distributing distributes to at least one of the one or more blockchain peers some, but not all, separate data files of the plurality of separate data files, and wherein the distributing further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
compressing data of the data file, or the plurality of separate data files, to obtain compressed data, and distributing the compressed data to the one or more other blockchain peers; and encrypting data of the data or the plurality of separate data files, to obtain encrypted data, and distributing the encrypted data to the one or more other blockchain peers.

19 . The computer system of claim 17 , wherein access to the data file is regulated based on a policy, wherein the policy prevents a blockchain peer of the blockchain network that has the data file from

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Zhai yu lin
• Ji Zi Jian
• Sun Si Heng
• Li yuan yuan
• Wang xiao lu
• Zhang Yue

Classifications

• H04L9/50

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title

• G06F16/13

  File access structures, e.g. distributed indices (arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06) · CPC title

• G06F16/9024

  Graphs; Linked lists (G06F16/9027 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L9/3239

  involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD · CPC title

• G06F21/602 Primary

  Providing cryptographic facilities or services · CPC title