Distributed blockchain data management in a satellite environment
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsJohn Metzger, Shaun Coleman
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing data storage in a satellite platform. In one implementation, a satellite platform includes a plurality of satellites, wherein a first satellite of the platform is configured to identify a request for a ledger entry for a blockchain maintained by the satellite platform and, in response to the request, distribute the ledger entry to one or more other satellites of the satellite platform, wherein the one or more other satellites comprise full nodes for the blockchain. Once distributed, the one or more other satellites each determine whether the ledger entry is verified and, when the ledger entry is verified, enters the ledger entry in a ledger for the satellite.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- in a first node of communication system, establishing a ledger entry for a blockchain, wherein the ledger entry indicates a source node for the ledger entry and corresponds to data originated by sensors of the first node or received by the first node over a communication interface configured to communicate with other nodes of the communication system having sensors that originate the data;
- determining one or more shortest paths traversing the communication system to distribute the ledger entry from the first node to one or more second nodes that comprise full nodes for the blockchain, wherein at least one node along the one or more shortest paths does not maintain the blockchain;
- and
- distributing the ledger entry to the one or more second nodes using the one or more shortest paths, wherein the one or more second nodes determine when the ledger entry is verified and responsively enter the ledger entry in a ledger for the second node.
A system comprising:
- a first node of communication system configured to establish a ledger entry for a blockchain, wherein the ledger entry indicates a source node for the ledger entry and corresponds to data originated by sensors of the first node or received by the first node over a communication interface configured to communicate with other nodes of the communication system having sensors that originate the data;
- the first node configured to determine one or more shortest paths traversing the communication system to distribute the ledger entry from the first node to a one or more second nodes that comprise full nodes for the blockchain, wherein at least one node along the one or more shortest paths does not maintain the blockchain;
- and
- the first node configured to distribute the ledger entry to the one or more second nodes using the one or more shortest paths, wherein the one or more second nodes determine when the ledger entry is verified and responsively enter the ledger entry in a ledger for the one or more second nodes.
A node comprising:
- one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media;
- program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to at least:
- establish a ledger entry for a blockchain, wherein the ledger entry indicates a source node for the ledger entry and corresponds to data originated by sensors of a first node of communication system or received by the first node over a communication interface configured to communicate with other nodes of the communication system having sensors that originate the data;
- determine one or more shortest paths over the communication system to distribute the ledger entry from the first node to one or more second nodes that comprise full nodes for the blockchain, wherein at least one node along the one or more shortest paths does not maintain the blockchain;
- and
- distribute the ledger entry to the one or more second nodes using the one or more shortest paths, wherein the one or more second nodes determine when the ledger entry is verified and responsively enter the ledger entry in a ledger for the one or more second nodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.