Apparatus and method for multi-user quantum key distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10567169-B2
Application number	US-201715434188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2017
Priority date	Sep 6, 2016
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus and method for multi-user quantum key distribution. The method for multi-user quantum key distribution is performed using a multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus and a quantum key client device, and includes generating, by the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus, transmission qubit pairs based on a key bit string of a shared key to be distributed to the quantum key client device, measuring, by the quantum key client device, the transmission qubit pairs, received from the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus through a quantum channel, based on a measurement basis, verifying security of the quantum channel using the transmission qubit pairs, and if the security has been verified, decoding qubit measurement values of the transmission qubit pairs into the shared key.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for multi-user quantum key distribution, the method being performed using a multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus and a plurality of quantum key client devices, the method comprising:
generating, by the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus, transmission qubit pairs based on a key bit string of a shared key which is to be distributed to each of the quantum key client devices;
measuring, by each of the quantum key client devices, the transmission qubit pairs, received from the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus through a quantum channel, based on a measurement basis;
verifying security of the quantum channel using verification qubit pairs of the transmission qubit pairs; and
if the security has been verified, decoding qubit measurement values of the transmission qubit pairs into the shared key,
wherein generating the transmission qubit pairs comprises:
generating key qubit pairs based on the key bit string of the shared key;
generating verification qubit pairs by selecting one or more of quantum states having non-orthogonality therebetween; and
generating the transmission qubit pairs based on the key qubit pairs and the verification qubit pairs.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the key qubit pairs is configured to generate key qubit pairs, each including two identical key qubits for each key bit in the key bit string.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the key qubit pairs is configured to determine the two identical key qubits included in each key qubit pair based on both key values of the key bits and a generation basis corresponding to any one of a rectilinear basis and a diagonal basis.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein generating the key qubit pairs is configured to determine an arrangement sequence of the generated key qubit pairs depending on an arrangement sequence of the key bits in the key bit string.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the verification qubit pairs is configured such that:
a number of transmission qubit pairs is greater than a number of key bits, and
a number of verification qubit pairs to be generated is determined using a difference between the number of transmission qubit pairs and the length of a shared key.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the transmission qubit pairs based on the key qubit pairs and the verification qubit pairs is configured to generate the transmission qubit pairs by arranging the verification qubit pairs at any one of arrangement locations respectively adjacent to the key qubit pairs and arrangement locations respectively adjacent to previously arranged verification qubit pairs.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein generating the transmission qubit pairs based on the key qubit pairs and the verification qubit pairs is configured such that the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus stores arrangement locations of the key qubit pairs and the verification qubit pairs arranged in each of the transmission qubit pairs.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein measuring the transmission qubit pairs comprises:
receiving the generated transmission qubit pairs through the quantum channel;
measuring two qubits forming each of the received transmission qubit pairs in different measurement bases; and
storing qubit measurement values of each of the transmission qubit pairs.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the generated transmission qubit pairs is configured such that the quantum key client device receives key qubit pairs and verification qubit pairs arranged in each of the transmission qubit pairs from the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus in a sequence of arrangement of the key qubit pairs and the verification qubit pairs.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein measuring the two qubits forming each of the received transmission qubit pairs in different measurement bases is configured such that the quantum key client device measures each of the qubits of the received transmission qubit pair by using the rectilinear basis and the diagonal basis for each of the qubits of the transmission qubit pair.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein measuring the two qubits forming each of the received transmission qubit pairs in different measurement bases is configured to respectively measure the qubits of the received transmission qubit pair in any one of a sequence of the rectilinear basis-diagonal basis and a sequence of the diagonal basis-rectilinear basis by using the rectilinear basis and the diagonal basis.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein storing the qubit measurement values is configured such that the quantum key client device stores the qubit measurement values that include both result values obtained by measuring each transmission qubit pair in the rectilinear basis and result values obtained by measuring each transmission qubit pair in the diagonal basis.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein verifying the security is configured such that the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus discloses at least one of arrangement locations of the verification qubits and a generation basis used to generate the verification qubits to the quantum key client device through a classical channel.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein verifying the security is configured such that the quantum key client device determines, based on a comparison, whether the measurement results, which are measured based on at least one of the disclosed the states of verification qubits, the arrangement locations of the disclosed verification qubits, and the generation basis of the disclosed verification qubits, are identical to values measured in a basis identical to a generation basis of the verification qubits, among qubit measurement values stored in the quantum key client device.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein verifying the security is configured to, if it is determined that the measurement results are identical to the measurement values, verify that the quantum channel is secure as a result of verification of security of the quantum channel.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein decoding the qubit measurement values is configured such that, if it is verified that the quantum channel is secure as a result of verification of security of the quantum channel, the multi-user quantum key distribution apparatus discloses at least one of arrangement locations of key qubit pairs included in the transmission qubit pair and a generation basis used to generate the key qubit pairs to the quantum key client device through the classical channel.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein decoding the qubit measurement values is configured such that, based on the disclosed arrangement locations of the key qubit pairs and the disclosed generation basis of the key qubit pairs, the quantum key client device decodes measurement result values in a measurement basis identical to the generation basis into the key bit string of the shared key.

18. An apparatus for multi-user quantum key distribution, comprising:
at least one processor;
a memory having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least on processor to function as:
a quantum random number generation unit configured to generate a key bit string of a shared key to be distributed to each of a plurality of quantum key client devices, based on quantum states;
a qubit generation unit configured to generate key qubit pairs based on the key bit string of the shared key, to generate verification qubit pairs by selecting one or more of qu

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst

Inventors

• Hong Changho
• Kim Nayoung
• Kwon Osung
• Jeong Younchang
• Ko Haeng-Seok
• Jang Jingak
• Kwon Daesung

Classifications

• H04L9/0869

  involving random numbers or seeds · CPC title

• H04L9/0819

  Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) (network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062) · 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

• H04L9/0858 Primary

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

• H04L9/083

  involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] · CPC title