Out-of-band quantum key distribution using cellular SMS

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12556381-B2
Application number	US-202418770060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2024
Priority date	Jul 11, 2024
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

Out-of-band quantum key distribution using cellular SMS can include receiving, from a user device, a client identifier that identifies the user device and a first key identifier that identifies a first key having a first key value that is a first quantumly generated random bit string. A second key that includes a second key value can be requested and received from the key service, the second key value including a second quantumly generated random bit string. The second key value can be provided to a short message service center for delivery to the user device. An operation can be performed on the first key value and the second key value to obtain a copy of a pre-shared key, which can be used when exchanging encrypted communications with the user device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a processor; and a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving, from a user device, a client identifier and a first key identifier, wherein the client identifier identifies the user device, and wherein the first key identifier identifies a first key comprising a first key value comprising a first quantumly generated random bit string,
requesting, from a key service, the first key value via a first key request comprising the first key identifier and the client identifier,
in response to receiving, from the key service, the first key value, requesting, from the key service, a second key comprising a second key value,
receiving, from the key service, the second key value and a second key identifier that identifies the second key, wherein the second key value comprises a second quantumly generated random bit string,
providing, to a short message service center, the second key value with instructions to deliver the second key value to the user device,
performing an operation on the first key value and the second key value to obtain a copy of a pre-shared key, and
providing, to a device, the copy of the pre-shared key to use in exchanging encrypted communications with the user device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein performing the operation on the first key value and the second key value comprises performing an XOR operation on the first key value and the second key value.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the key service provides, to the user device, the first key value, and wherein the user device receives the second key value via a control channel of a mobility network, wherein the user device generates a further copy of the pre-shared key by performing a further operation on the first key value and the second key value, and wherein the user device exchanges the encrypted communications with the device using the further copy of the pre-shared key.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the user device and the device exchange the encrypted communications without sharing the pre-shared key with one another.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein providing the second key value with the instructions to the short message service center comprises providing the second key value with a phone number associated with the user device.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein providing the second key value with the instructions to the short message service center comprises providing the second key value with an international mobile equipment identity associated with the user device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a virtual private network gateway that communicates with a virtual private network client of the user device via a secure communications channel.

8 . A method comprising:
receiving, at a server computer comprising a processor and from a user device, a client identifier and a first key identifier, wherein the client identifier identifies the user device, and wherein the first key identifier identifies a first key comprising a first key value comprising a first quantumly generated random bit string; requesting, by the processor and from a key service, the first key value via a first key request comprising the first key identifier and the client identifier; in response to receiving, from the key service, the first key value, requesting, by the processor and from the key service, a second key comprising a second key value; receiving, by the server computer and from the key service, the second key value and a second key identifier that identifies the second key, wherein the second key value comprises a second quantumly generated random bit string; providing, by the processor and to a short message service center, the second key value with instructions to deliver the second key value to the user device; performing, by the processor, an operation on the first key value and the second key value to obtain a copy of a pre-shared key; and providing, by the processor and to a device, the copy of the pre-shared key for use in exchanging encrypted communications with the user device.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the operation on the first key value and the second key value comprises performing an XOR operation on the first key value and the second key value.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the key service provides, to the user device, the first key value, wherein the user device receives the second key value via a control channel of a mobility network, wherein the user device generates a further copy of the pre-shared key by performing a further operation on the first key value and the second key value, and wherein the user device exchanges the encrypted communications with the device using the further copy of the pre-shared key.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the user device and the device exchange the encrypted communications without sharing the pre-shared key with one another.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein providing the second key value with the instructions to the short message service center comprises providing the second key value with a phone number associated with the user device.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the device comprises a virtual private network gateway that communicates with a virtual private network client of the user device via a secure communications channel.

14 . A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a user device, a client identifier and a first key identifier, wherein the client identifier identifies the user device, and wherein the first key identifier identifies a first key comprising a first key value comprising a first quantumly generated random bit string; requesting, from a key service, the first key value via a first key request comprising the first key identifier and the client identifier; in response to receiving, from the key service, the first key value, requesting, from the key service, a second key comprising a second key value; receiving, from the key service, the second key value and a second key identifier that identifies the second key, wherein the second key value comprises a second quantumly generated random bit string; providing, to a short message service center, the second key value with instructions to deliver the second key value to the user device; performing an operation on the first key value and the second key value to obtain a copy of a pre-shared key; and providing, to a device, the copy of the pre-shared key to use in exchanging encrypted communications with the user device.

15 . The computer storage medium of claim 14 , wherein performing the operation on the first key value and the second key value comprises performing an XOR operation on the first key value and the second key value.

16 . The computer storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the key service provides, to the user device, the first key value, wherein the user device receives the second key value via a control channel of a mobility network, wherein the user device generates a further copy of the pre-shared key by performing a further operation on the first key value and the second key value, and wherein the user device exchanges the encrypted communications with the device using the further copy of the pre-shared key.

17 . The computer storage medium of claim

Assignees

• Interwise Ltd
• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Levkovitch Tomer
• Shargil Ido
• Horn Lior
• Rasin Mark
• Bachar David
• Khanin David
• Trost William R

Classifications

• H04W12/0431

  Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement · CPC title

• H04W4/14

  Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD] · CPC title

• H04W12/041

  Key generation or derivation · CPC title

• H04L2209/80

  Wireless · CPC title

• H04L9/0838

  Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these (network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061) · CPC title