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US 11,153,283 B2Granted
Network security devices and method
AssigneeWattre, Inc.
InventorsCurtis E. Graber, Jerry Wickey, Jr., Barry A. Richhart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A data communication encrypted system including a first module coupled to a first network member and a second module coupled to a second network member. The first module and the second module are in communication with each other thereby allowing communication between the first network member and the second network member. The first module and the second module each operating with a key hopping encryption/decryption method that changes key sets at irregular intervals of time as determined by the modules.
Claims13
A data communication encrypted system, comprising:
- a plurality of modules including a first module and a second module;
- a first network member coupled to the first module;
- and
- a second network member coupled to the second module, the first module and the second module being in communication with each other thereby allowing communication between the first network member and the second network member, the first module and the second module each operating with a key hopping encryption/decryption method that generates a key set change at irregular intervals of time as determined by the modules, each key set change that occurs at irregular intervals of time being one of a series of key set changes, each of the plurality of modules being configured to generate at least one of the series of key set changes independent of the remaining plurality of modules, a key set being used by the modules to encrypt/decrypt being a current key set, a key set that is generated when a key set change is called for being a new key set, each key set including a data key and a refresh key, the refresh key of the current key set being used to encrypt the new key set before the new key set is sent by the first module or the second module, the refresh key of the new key set being a set of data of arbitrary length;
- encryption/decryption takes place within the modules with the data key of the current key set until the call for generation of the new key set takes place, then the new key set is generated by either the first module or the second module, the new key set is encrypted with the refresh key of the current key set, the encrypted new key set being communicated to the other modules.
2 more elements
An encryption method for use with a computer network, the method comprising the steps of:
- coupling a first module of a plurality of modules to a first network member;
- coupling a second module to a second network member, the first module and the second module being in communication with each other thereby allowing communication between the first network member and the second network member;
- and
- operating the first module and the second module with a key hopping encryption/decryption method that changes key sets at irregular intervals of time as determined by the modules, each key set change that occurs at irregular intervals of time being one of a series of key set changes, each of the plurality of modules being able to generate at least one of the series of key set changes independent of the remaining plurality of modules, each key set including a data key and a refresh key, the data key of the current key set encrypting/decrypting data from/to the corresponding module, a key set being used by the modules to encrypt/decrypt being a current key set, a key set that is generated when a key set change is called for being a new key set, the refresh key of the current key set encrypting/decrypting the new key set, the refresh key of the new key set being a set of data of arbitrary length, encryption/decryption takes place within the modules with the data key of the current key set until a call for generation of the new key set takes place, then the new key set is generated by either the first module or the second module, the new key set is encrypted with the refresh key of the current key set, the encrypted new key set being communicated to the other modules.
1 more element
A set of encryption/decryption modules for use with a computer network, the set of encryption/decryption modules comprising:
- a first module couplable to a first network member;
- and
- a second module couplable to a second network member, the first module and the second module being in communication with each other, the first module and the second module each operating with a key hopping encryption/decryption method that changes key sets at irregular intervals of time as determined by the modules, each key set change that occurs at irregular intervals of time being one of a series of key set changes, each of the plurality of modules being able to generate at least one of the series of key set changes independent of the remaining plurality of modules, a key set being used by the modules to encrypt/decrypt being a current key set, a key set that is generated when a key set change is called for being a new key set, the key sets each having a data key and a refresh key, the refresh key of the current key set encodes the new key set before the new key set is sent, a new key set that is received is decrypted by the refresh key of the current key set, then the new key set becomes the current key set, the refresh key of the new key set being a set of data of arbitrary length, encryption/decryption takes place within the modules with the data key of the current key set until a call for generation of the new key set takes place, then the new key set is generated by either the first module or the second module, the new key set is encrypted with the refresh key of the current key set, the encrypted new key set being communicated to the other modules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.