US5857022A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Enhanced cryptographic system and method with key escrow feature
Assignee: Certco Inc
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Filing: 1997-02-19
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Granted: 1999-01-05
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Expires: 2017-02-19
Abstract
Abstract The invention provides a cryptographic system and method with a key escrow feature that uses a method for verifiably splitting users' private encryption keys into components and for sending those components to trusted agents chosen by the particular users, and provides a system that uses modern public key certificate management, enforced by a chip device that also self-certifies. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the chip encrypts or decrypts only if certain conditions are met, namely, (1) if a valid "sender certificate" and a valid "recipient certificate" are input, where "valid" means that the particular user's private decryption key is provably escrowed with a specified number of escrow agents and that the master escrow center is registered and certified by the chip manufacturer, and (2) if a valid Message Control Header is generated by the sender and validated by the recipient, thereby giving authorized investigators sufficient information with which to request and obtain the escrowed keys.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank Wells Sudia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/02; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/382; G06Q20/3821; G06Q20/3829; H; H04; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/08; H04L9/0816; H04L9/0819; H04L9/0825; H04L9/0838; H04L9/0841; H04L9/0844; H04L9/085; H04L9/088; H04L9/0894; H04L9/32; H04L9/3247; H04L9/3263; G06F; G06F7/00; G06F7/60; G06F7/72; G06F7/724; G06F7/725
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for generating a verifiably trusted communication between a plurality of users comprising the steps of: generating a secure communication within an electronic hardware device of a first user, said secure communication including access information to permit access to the secure communication by an outside party; signing the secure communication with a chip specific private signature key of a signing chip of the electronic hardware device of the first user, said chip specific private signature key having been embedded within a tamper-resistant memory associated with the signing chip of the first user prior to the electronic hardware device being provided to the first user; appending a certificate to the secure communication, said certificate including a public signature key, corresponding to the private signature key of the signing chip of the first user, signed with a private signature key of a trusted authority; and transmitting the secure communication to a second user.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for generating a verifiably trusted communication between a plurality of users comprising the steps of: generating a secure communication within an electronic hardware device of a first user, said secure communication including access information to permit access to the secure communication by an outside party; signing the secure communication with a chip specific private signature key of a signing chip of the electronic hardware device of the first user, said chip specific private signature key having been embedded within a tamper-resistant memory associated with the signing chip of the first user prior to the electronic hardware device being provided to the first user; appending a certificate to the secure communication, said certificate including a public signature key, corresponding to the private signature key of the signing chip of the first user, signed with a private signature key of a trusted authority; and transmitting the secure communication to a second user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: receiving the secure communication at an electronic hardware device of the second user; and verifying the public signature key of the signing chip of the first user using a public signature key of the trusted authority.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the certificate is embedded in the tamper-resistant memory of the signing chip of the first user prior to the electronic hardware device being provided to the first user.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3, wherein the public signature key of the trusted authority is embedded in a non-readable tamper-resistant memory of a signing chip of the electronic hardware device of the second user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the trusted authority is the manufacturer of the signing chip of the first user.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4, wherein public signature keys of a plurality of trusted authorities are embedded within the non-readable tamper-resistant memory of the signing chip of the second user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of; generating a user specific public/private encryption/decryption key pair within the electronic hardware device of the first user; and encrypting the secure communication using the private encryption key within the electronic hardware device of the first user.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the public/private encryption/decryption key pair is generated using the RSA algorithm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the private signature key of the signing chip of the first user is generated using the DSA algorithm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the private signature key of the trusted authority is generated using the DSA algorithm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-01-04 | 2002-07-06 | 2003-01-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-01-04 | 2006-07-06 | 2007-01-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-01-04 | 2010-07-06 | 2011-01-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |