Patent Application: Blockchain Block Propagation with Poisoned Transactions

ChangeBridge: Patent Apps - Business Methods (G06Q)

Published December 1st, 2025

Detected March 26th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has published a patent application (US20260087493A1) detailing methods for block propagation in a blockchain network. The application describes techniques involving poisoned transactions and encrypted lists to identify invalid transactions, aiming to enhance network security and integrity.

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What changed

This document is a published patent application (US20260087493A1) from the USPTO concerning blockchain technology. It outlines a method for block propagation where a mining node intentionally includes invalid transactions ('poisoned transactions') in a candidate block and provides an encrypted list to identify them. This approach aims to prevent other nodes from prematurely relying on the originating node's validation and to improve the overall security and efficiency of blockchain networks.

As this is a patent application, it does not impose immediate regulatory obligations. However, companies involved in blockchain development, cryptocurrency, or distributed ledger technology should be aware of this filing as it represents potential future technological advancements and intellectual property in the space. The application was filed on December 1, 2025, and published with an application number of 19405105.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Applications

BLOCK PROPAGATION WITH POISONED TRANSACTIONS IN A BLOCKCHAIN NETWORK

Application US20260087493A1 Kind: A1 Mar 26, 2026

Inventors

Steven Patrick COUGHLAN

Abstract

Methods and devices for propagating blocks in a blockchain network. At a first mining node, while hashing a first block header of a first candidate block, the first mining node sends, to other mining nodes, a first message specifying transactions and their order in a first ordered set of transactions contained in the first candidate block. To prevent the other nodes from relying on the first mining node having validated the transactions in the candidate block, the first mining node seeds the first ordered set with one or more invalid transactions to create a poisoned ordered set, and provides an encrypted list identifying the invalid transactions. Once a proof-of-work is found for the candidate block, the first mining node provides a decryption key to decrypt the encrypted list and identify the invalid transactions. It may further provide replacement transactions for the invalid transactions.