Apparatus and method for demonstrating and confirming the status of digital certificates and other data

• US 20020188843A1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Axway Incorporated (Axway Software SA)
• Original Assignee: Tumbleweed Communications Corporation (Axway Software SA)
• Inventors: Kocher, Paul Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,073,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/30 Compression, e.g. Merkle-Damgard construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for providing cryptographic assurance based on ranges as to whether a particular data item is on a list.

Claims

1. A computer-based method of generating an interval hash tree, for use in an electronic communications protocol for generating a cryptographically assured confirmation that a candidate data item does not belong to a plurality of data items, without including all of said data items in said confirmation, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing in a memory device, a plurality of data items;

(b) deriving a plurality of leaf nodes from said data items;

(c) generating, from said leaf nodes, a plurality of intermediate nodes and at least one root node; and

(d) digitally signing said at least one root node.