# US 7,822,208 B2 · Process for creating and managing at least one cryptographic key, and system for its implementation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,822,208 B2 - Document ID: US7822208B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/723,372 - Filed: 2007-03-19 - Published: 2009-12-31 - Granted: 2010-10-26 - Earliest claimed: 1998-12-15 - Assignees: Evidian - Inventors: Pierre Calvez; Brigitte Courtaux; Jacques Lebastard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7822208B2 ## CPC - H04L 9/0836: {using tree structure or hierarchical structure} - H04L 9/3268: {using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A process for creating and managing pairs of asymmetrical cryptographic keys and/or certificates associated with the pairs of keys, each pair of keys and associated certificates being intended for an object managed by a computer system. The process includes creating an individual request for creating and/or certifying at least one pair of keys for an object of the system that lacks a pair of keys or a certificate for its pair of keys. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for creating and managing symmetrical cryptographic keys, wherein a symmetrical cryptographic key can be used to both encode and decode data, and wherein each key is intended for a user managed by a computer system comprising: searching in storage means for at least one user for which a symmetric key must be created, each user associated with one or more attributes comprising a status attribute and a scheduling attribute, wherein said status attribute is capable of having any one of the following values: pending, in progress, process ended with an error message, process done, sending a creation request and done; creating, based on said one or more attributes, at least one individual creation request for creating a symmetric key for said user, said creating further comprising periodically executing said individual creation request based on said scheduling attribute; transmitting a key generating request corresponding to said individual creation request to a key generating center; issuing, by said key generating center, a symmetric key in accordance with said transmitted key generating request; and creating each of said individual creation requests from a corresponding multiple creation request recorded in the storage means relative to a set of users belonging to a preset list, or to a set of users defined by predetermined criteria, as well as relative to model pairs of keys for either of said sets of users. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said multiple creation request is associated with a plurality of levels having relationships according to a tree structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said predefined criteria are associated with at least one of a geographic and an organizational criteria. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising tracing the status of each said individual creation request. ### Claim 5 A computer processing system including a storage means for creating symmetrical cryptographic keys, wherein a symmetrical cryptographic key can be used to both encode and decode data, and wherein said computer processing system manages users, said computer processing system comprising: a key generating center for creating at least one key at the request of a local registration authority with which the key generating center communicates; a wake up mechanism; and a key server configured to create at least one key for each user based on one or more attributes associated with said user, wherein said one or more attributes comprises a status attribute capable of having any one of the following values: pending, in progress, process ended with an error message, process done, sending a creation request and done; wherein said one or more attributes further comprises a scheduling attribute for indicating that said symmetric key is periodically generated responsive to said wake up mechanism; and wherein said computer processing system is configured to form said created request of a local registration authority by creating each individual creation request from a corresponding multiple creation request recorded in the storage means relative to a set of users belonging to a preset list, or to a set of users defined by predetermined criteria, as well as relative to model pairs of keys for either of said sets of users. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer processing system according to claim 5, wherein said multiple creation request is associated with a plurality of levels having relationships according to a tree structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The computer processing system according to claim 5, wherein said predefined criteria are associated with at least one of a geographic and an organizational criteria. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The computer processing system according to claim 5, further comprising a central management service configured to trace the status of each said individual creation request. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer readable medium upon which is embodied a set of programmable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for creating and managing symmetrical cryptographic keys, wherein a symmetrical cryptographic key can be used to both encode and decode data, and wherein each key is intended for a user managed by a computer system, comprising: searching in storage means for at least one user for which a symmetric key must be created, each user associated with one or more attributes comprising a status attribute and a scheduling attribute, wherein said status attribute is capable of having any one of the following values: pending, in progress, process ended with an error message, process done, sending a creation request and done; creating, based on said one or more attributes, at least one individual creation request for creating a symmetric key for said user, said creating further comprising periodically executing said individual creation request based on said scheduling attribute; transmitting a key generating request corresponding to said individual creation request to a key generating center; issuing, by said key generating center, a symmetric key in accordance with said transmitted key generating request; and creating each of said individual creation requests from a corresponding multiple creation request recorded in the storage means relative to a set of users belonging to a preset list, or to a set of users defined by predetermined criteria, as well as relative to model pairs of keys for either of said sets of users. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said multiple creation request is associated with a plurality of levels having relationships according to a tree structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said predefined criteria are associated with at least one of a geographic and an organizational criteria. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising tracing the status of each said individual creation request.