Quantum-based data encryption

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10554397-B2
Application number	US-201715717857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2017
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	Feb 4, 2020
Grant date	Feb 4, 2020

Abstract

A system that comprises a quantum key device configured to generate quantum information and transmit the quantum information over a first and second quantum communication channel. The system also comprises a first device, communicatively coupled to the quantum key device over the first quantum communication channel, and a second device, communicatively coupled to the quantum key device over the second quantum communication channel. The system further comprises an encryption module configured to encrypt data to create encrypted data, at the first device, using a first quantum encryption key. The system also comprises a decryption module configured to decrypt the encrypted data to create decrypted data, at the second device, using a second quantum encryption key. The first quantum encryption key is the same as the second quantum encryption key. The system further comprises a termination module configured to prevent access to the decrypted data after a predetermined period of time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a quantum key device configured to generate quantum information and transmit the quantum information over a first quantum communication channel and a second quantum communication channel;
a first device communicatively coupled to the quantum key device over the first quantum communication channel;
a second device communicatively coupled to the quantum key device over the second quantum communication channel;
an encryption module configured to encrypt data to create encrypted data, at the first device, using a first quantum encryption key, the first quantum encryption key derived at the first device from quantum information received over the first quantum communication channel;
a decryption module configured to decrypt the encrypted data to create decrypted data, at the second device, using a second quantum encryption key, the second quantum encryption key derived at the second device from quantum information received over the second quantum communication channel, the first quantum encryption key is the same as the second quantum encryption key; and
a termination module configured to:
prevent access to the decrypted data after a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time determined according to a type of the decrypted data; and
prevent derivation of encryption keys by ceasing transmission of the quantum information over the first and second quantum communication channels after the predetermined period of time,
wherein at least a portion of the modules comprise one or more of hardware circuits, programmable hardware devices, and executable code, the executable code stored on one or more computer readable storage media.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a third device communicatively coupled to the second device, wherein:
the decrypted data is transmittable to the third device from the second device; and
the decrypted data is accessible on the third device for the predetermined period of time.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the encrypted data is transmitted over a standard communication channel that is separate from the first and second quantum communication channels.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the termination module prevents access to the decrypted data after the predetermined period of time by deleting the decrypted data.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the termination module prevents access to the decrypted data after the predetermined period of time by overwriting the decrypted data with different data.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the quantum information comprises a stream of entangled quantum particles such that when a state of a quantum particle of an entangled set of quantum particles is read, corresponding states of other quantum particles in the entangled set of quantum particles are determinable.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the termination module is further configured to prevent access to the first and second quantum encryption keys after the first and second quantum encryption keys are used to create the encrypted data and decrypt the encrypted data on the first and second devices, the termination module overwriting at least a portion of the first and second quantum encryption keys.

8. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising an error module configured to detect an error in the quantum information transmitted over one of the first and second quantum communication channels, the error indicating that the quantum information transmitted over one of the first and second quantum communication channels has been misappropriated.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the error module detects an error in the quantum information received at one of the first and second devices over the first and second quantum communication channels by comparing at least a portion of the first and second quantum encryption keys.

10. An apparatus, comprising:
an encryption module configured to encrypt data to create encrypted data, at a first device, using a first quantum encryption key, the first quantum encryption key derived at the first device from quantum information received over a first quantum communication channel from a quantum key device, the first device communicatively coupled to the quantum key device over the first quantum communication channel;
a decryption module configured to decrypt the encrypted data to create decrypted data, at a second device, using a second quantum encryption key, the second quantum encryption key derived at the second device from quantum information received over a second quantum communication channel, the second device communicatively coupled to the quantum key device over the second quantum communication channel, the first quantum encryption key is the same as the second quantum encryption key; and
a termination module configured to:
prevent access to the decrypted data after a predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time determined according to a type of the decrypted data; and
prevent derivation of encryption keys by ceasing transmission of the quantum information over the first and second quantum communication channels after the predetermined period of time.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein:
the decrypted data is transmittable to a third device that is communicatively coupled to the second device; and
the decrypted data is accessible on the third device for the predetermined period of time.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the encrypted data is transmitted over a standard communication channel that is separate from the first and second quantum communication channels.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the termination module prevents access to the decrypted data after the predetermined period of time by one of:
deleting the decrypted data; and
overwriting the decrypted data with different data.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the decrypted data is stored in volatile memory while the decrypted data is used without storing the decrypted data in non-volatile memory.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the termination module is further configured to prevent access to the first and second quantum encryption keys after the first and second quantum encryption keys are used to create the encrypted data and decrypt the encrypted data on the first and second devices, the termination module overwriting at least a portion of the first and second quantum encryption keys.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising an error module configured to detect an error in the quantum information transmitted over one of the first and second quantum communication channels, the error indicating that the quantum information transmitted over one of the first and second quantum communication channels has been misappropriated.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the error module detects an error in the quantum information received at one of the first and second devices over the first and second quantum communication channels by comparing at least a portion of the first and second quantum encryption keys.

18. A method, comprising:
encrypting data to create encrypted data, at a first device, using a first quantum encryption key, the first quantum encryption key derived at the first device from quantum information received over a first quantum communication channel from a quantum key device, the first device communicatively coupled to the qu

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Howe Wayne R
• Hunt Jeffrey H

Classifications

• H04L1/00

  Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received {(correcting synchronisation H04L7/00)} · CPC title

• H04L9/0858

  Details about key distillation or coding, e.g. reconciliation, error correction, privacy amplification, polarisation coding or phase coding · CPC title

• H04L9/0852 Primary

  Quantum cryptography (transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. light, infrared H04B10/00; wavelength-division multiplex systems H04J14/02; WDM arrangements H04J14/03) · CPC title

• H04L63/0428

  wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload · CPC title

• H04L1/0041

  Arrangements at the transmitter end · CPC title