Exclusive Self-Escrow Method and Apparatus
AssigneeOboren Systems, Inc.
InventorsJames C. COLLIER, Michael POMPA
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Abstract
A method and apparatus provides for securely unlocking a locked program domain by a third party wishing to gain extraordinary access to the program domain by a third party. The third party and the program domain are mutually authenticated using exclusive self-escrow of credentials that are generated, revealed, or stored within the program domain. Multiple third parties that are required for unlocking the program domain may also be authenticated prior to unlocking the program domain. The method and apparatus provides extraordinary access without the use of backdoors or having the program domain provide credentials to third parties.
Claims36
A method for a third party provider (TPP) having a TPP domain to gain access to a device owner's program domain (DO-PD), said method comprising:
- mutual authenticating the TPP domain and a locked DO-PD using two or more exclusive self-escrow credentials;
- and
- unlocking the locked DO-PD after said mutual authenticating the TPP domain and the locked DO-PD.
An apparatus for permitting a third party (TP) to gain access to a locked device, said apparatus comprising:
- a device owner's program domain (DO-PD), where the DO-PD has a DO-PD memory and a DO-PD processor, and a TPP domain having a TPP memory and a TPP processor, and where the DO-PD processor and the TPP processor are configured to:
- mutual authenticate the TPP domain and a locked DO-PD using two or more exclusive self-escrow credentials;
- and
- unlock the locked DO-PD using after mutual authenticating the TPP domain and the locked DO-PD.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.