System and Method for Provenance-Chained Retrieval-Augmented Generation with Cryptographic Integrity Verification
Abstract
A method and system for retrieval-augmented generation in which every retrieved chunk carries a cryptographically verifiable chain of provenance back to its source event, allowing the inference output to be audited token-by-token against an immutable substrate.
Most production RAG systems treat retrieved context as if it materialised. This patent describes a system in which every chunk admitted to the prompt is bound to a hash chain rooted in the original event log. Any cited claim in the model's output can be traced. Any tampering, in transit or at rest, can be detected.
The integrity verification is folded into the retrieval pass itself. Chunks failing verification are evicted before they ever reach inference. This sidesteps the common failure mode where a downstream verifier is ignored under load.
Filed under Indian Patent Application No. 202641035477.