METHOD FOR MANAGING ENCRYPTION KEYS IN A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20100322427A1
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch Gmch
• Inventors: Smaak, Marc
• Application Number:
  US12/867,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20100322427A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying

Abstract

The invention provides for a method for managing encryption keys in a communication network (10) comprising at least one transmitter (14) and at least one receiver (16, 18, 20, 22), wherein the receiver (16, 18, 20, 22) has access to at least one encryption key, wherein the validity of the key is determined within the receiver. Furthermore, the invention provides for a receiver (16, 18, 20, 22), a communication network (10), and a computer program for performing the described method.

Claims

1. Method for managing encryption keys in a communication network (10) comprising at least one transmitter (14) and at least one receiver (16, 18, 20, 22, 30), wherein the receiver (16, 18, 20, 22, 30) has access to at least one encryption key and the validity of the key is determined within the receiver (16, 18, 20, 22, 30).

2. Method for managing encryption keys in a communication network (10) according to claim 1, wherein a time when the encryption key is valid is sent to the receiver (16, 18, 20, 22, 30) and the validity of the key is determined based on this time.

3. Method for managing encryption keys in a communication network (10) according to claim 2, wherein the key and the corresponding time is sent by the transmitter (14).

4. Method for managing encryption keys in a communication network (10) according to claim 1, wherein the receiver (16, 18, 20, 22, 30) has access to at least a first encryption key and a second encryption key, comprising following steps:

decrypting received data using the first encryption key,

decrypting received data using the second encryption key,

evaluating which decryption was successful.

5. Method for managing encryption keys in a communication network (10) according to claim 4, wherein the evaluation of the decryption is performed by validating the decrypted data.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the validating is performed based on a valid data header.

7. Method according to claim 4, wherein the first encryption key and the second encryption key are stored in the receiver (16, 18, 20, 22, 30).

8. Method according to claim 4, wherein at least the second encryption key is sent by the transmitter (14) transmitting the corresponding data.

9. Receiver employed in a communication network adapted to perform a method according to claim 1.

10. Communication network comprising at least one transmitter (14) and at least one receiver (16, 18, 20, 22, 30) according to claim 9.

11. Computer program with program coding means, for carrying out all the steps of a process according to claim 1, when the computer program is run on a computer or a corresponding computing unit (36).

12. Computer program with program coding means which are stored on a computer-readable data carrier, for carrying out all the steps of a process according to claim 1, when the computer program is run on a computer or a corresponding computing unit (36).