# US 11,902,421 B2 · Server device, communication terminal, communication system, and program

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- Number: US 11,902,421 B2
- Document ID: US11902421B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/287,101
- Filed: 2019-10-15
- Published: 2021-12-16
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-24
- Assignees: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
- Applicants: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
- Inventors: Yuki Okano; Reo Yoshida; Tetsutaro Kobayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11902421B2

## CPC

- H04L 9/0662: {with particular pseudorandom sequence generator}
- H04L 9/0833: {involving conference or group key (network architectures or network communication protocols for key management in group communication in a packet data network H04L63/065)}
- H04L 9/0869: {involving random numbers or seeds}
- H04L 9/0891: {Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying}
- H04L 9/0894: {Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage}
- H04L 63/0471: {applying encryption by an intermediary, e.g. receiving clear information at the intermediary and encrypting the received information at the intermediary before forwarding}
- H04L 63/065: {for group communications (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833)}
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A server device includes a memory and a processor to execute saving an encrypted text of a message generated by encrypting the message with a message key generated from a shared key and a group identifier, by using a message key identifier as an identifier of the message key as a key; saving an encrypted text of the message key generated by encrypting the message key to be re-encryptable by using the shared key, by using the message key identifier as a key; and receiving, after update of the shared key, a re-encryption key from a communication terminal that has generated the re-encryption key by using the shared key and the updated shared key, using the re-encryption key to generate a re-encrypted encrypted text of the message key, and overwriting the encrypted text of the message key before re-encryption with the re-encrypted encrypted text of the message key.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A server device used in a communication system that executes transmission and reception of messages via the server device among a plurality of communication terminals forming a group to which a group identifier is assigned, while concealing the messages to the server device, the server device comprising:
a memory, and
a processor configured to execute operations comprising:
saving, in the memory, an encrypted text of a message generated by encrypting the message with a message key generated from a shared key shared among the plurality of communication terminals belonging to the group while excluding the server device and the group identifier, by using a message key identifier as an identifier of the message key as a key;
saving, in the memory, an encrypted text of the message key using the message key identifier as an index key, wherein the encrypted text of the message key is generated by a first communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals, and the first communication terminal encrypting the message key to be re-encryptable by using the shared key; and
receiving, after the shared key has been updated by a second communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals, a re-encryption key from a third communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals, wherein the second communication terminal has generated the re-encryption key by using the shared key and the updated shared key;
generating, by the processor, a re-encrypted encrypted text of the message key using the re-encryption key, to overwrite the encrypted text of the message key with the re-encrypted encrypted text of the message key to be saved, in the memory.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The server device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message key is a key generated by inputting the shared key and the group identifier into a twisted pseudorandom function or a pseudorandom function.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The server device according to claim 1, wherein the server device includes a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which when executed, causes a computer to function as the server device as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 4

A communication terminal used in a communication system that executes transmission and reception of messages via a server device among a plurality of communication terminals forming a group to which a group identifier is assigned, while concealing the messages to the server device, the communication terminal comprising:
a memory, and
a processor configured to execute operations comprising:
generating a message key from a shared key shared among the plurality of communication terminals belonging to the group while excluding the server device and the group identifier, and the message key is to be re-encryptable by using the shared key;
generating an encrypted text of the message key by encrypting the message key to be re-encryptable, by using the shared key;
generating a message key identifier as an identifier of the message key;
generating an encrypted text of a message by encrypting the message with the message key; and
transmitting the encrypted text of the message key, the message key identifier, and the encrypted text of the message to the server device, wherein the encrypted text is to be re-encryptable by overwriting the encrypted text by the server device using a re-encryption key.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The communication terminal as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:
generating, after the shared key has been updated, the re-encryption key by using the shared key and the updated shared key,
wherein the transmitting transmits the re-encryption key to the server device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the communication terminal includes a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which when executed, causes a computer to function as the communication terminal as claimed in claim 4.

### Claim 7

A communication system that executes transmission and reception of messages via a server device among a plurality of communication terminals forming a group to which a group identifier is assigned, while concealing the messages to the server device,
wherein each of the plurality of communication terminals belonging to the group includes
a memory, and
a processor configured to execute
generating a message key from a shared key shared among the plurality of communication terminals belonging to the group, and the group identifier,
generating an encrypted text of the message key by encrypting the message key to be re-encryptable, by using the shared key,
generating a message key identifier as an identifier of the message key,
generating an encrypted text of a message by encrypting the message with the message key, and
transmitting the encrypted text of the message key, the message key identifier, and the encrypted text of the message to the server device,
wherein the server device includes
a memory, and
a processor configured to execute
saving, in the memory, the encrypted text of the message by using the message key identifier as a key,
saving, in the memory, the encrypted text of the message key by using the message key identifier as a key, wherein the encrypted text of the message key is generated by a first communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals, and the first communication terminal encrypts the message kay to be re-encryptable by using the shared key,
transmitting the encrypted text of the message key and the encrypted text of the message to a communication terminal belonging to the group, and
receiving, after the shared key has been updated by a second communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals, a re-encryption key from a third communication terminal of the plurality of communication terminals, wherein the second communication terminal has generated the re-encryption key by using the shared key and the updated shared key,
generating a re-encrypted encrypted text of the message key using the re-encryption key to overwrite the encrypted text of the message key with the re-encrypted encrypted text of the message key and to store in the memory.