SIGNATURE GENERATING APPARATUS, SIGNATURE GENERATING METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND ELECTRICAL POWER CONSUMPTION CALCULATION SYSTEM

• US 20140365026A1
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Komano, Yuichi, Hanatani, Yoshikazu
• Application Number:
  US14/196,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a signature generating apparatus includes a generator and an updater. The generator is configured to generate a data sequence including a predetermined number of pieces of first tentative data, and a tentative signature corresponding to the data sequence. The updater is configured to update the tentative signature by replacing the piece of first tentative data with a piece of first actual data, and generate a signature corresponding to a data sequence including the pieces of first actual data by replacing all of the pieces of first tentative data with the respective pieces of first actual data.

Claims

1. A signature generating apparatus, comprising:

a generator configured to generate a data sequence including a predetermined number of pieces of first tentative data, and a tentative signature corresponding to the data sequence; and

an updater configured to update the tentative signature by replacing the piece of first tentative data with a piece of first actual data, and generate a signature corresponding to a data sequence including the pieces of first actual data by replacing all of the pieces of first tentative data with the respective pieces of first actual data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generator is configured to calculate the tentative signature before the piece of first actual data is received.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store therein the piece of first tentative data having a predetermined value, as an initial value of the piece of first actual data in the data sequence, and store therein a piece of second tentative data having a predetermined value as an initial value of a piece of second actual data, wherein

the generator is configured to calculate the tentative signature based on the piece of first tentative data and one or more pieces of second tentative data.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the updater is configured to read the piece of first tentative data and the piece of second tentative data from the storage unit, calculate the piece of second actual data to be used as a random number component by replacing the piece of first tentative data with the piece of first actual data, and update the piece of second tentative data with the piece of second actual data thus calculated.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a receiver configured to receive the piece of first actual data every time a predetermined time elapses.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the generator is configured to generate the tentative signature corresponding to the data sequence including the predetermined number of pieces of first tentative data and the data sequence including the pieces of first tentative data, and

the updater is configured to update the tentative signature by replacing the piece of first tentative data in the data sequence with a piece of measurement data representing a summarized amount of electrical power consumption as the piece of first actual data, and generate the signature corresponding to a data sequence including the pieces of measurement data for the amounts of electrical power consumption by replacing all of the pieces of first tentative data with the respective pieces of measurement data.

7. A signature generating method, comprising:

generating a data sequence including a predetermined number of pieces of first tentative data and a tentative signature corresponding to the data sequence;

updating the tentative signature by replacing the piece of first tentative data in a data sequence with a piece of first actual data; and

generating a signature corresponding to the data sequence including the pieces of first actual data by replacing all of the pieces of first tentative data with the respective pieces of first actual data.

8. The signature generating method according to claim 7, wherein the generating the data sequence includes calculating the tentative signature before the piece of first actual data is received.

9. The signature generating method according to claim 7, wherein

the piece of first tentative data having a predetermined value is stored in a storage unit as an initial value of the piece of first actual data in the data sequence,

a piece of second tentative data having a predetermined value is stored in the storage unit as an initial value of a piece of second actual data, and

the generating the data sequence includes calculating the tentative signature based on the piece of first tentative data and one or more pieces of second tentative data.

10. The signature generating method according to claim 9, wherein the updating includes

reading the piece of first tentative data and the piece of second tentative data from the storage unit,

calculating the piece of second actual data to be used as a random number component by replacing the piece of first tentative data with the piece of first actual data, and

updating the piece of second tentative data with the piece of second actual data thus calculated.

11. The signature generating method according to claim 7, further comprising receiving the piece of first actual data every time a predetermined time elapses.

12. The signature generating method according to claim 7, wherein

the generating the data sequence includes generating the tentative signature corresponding to the data sequence including the predetermined number of pieces of first tentative data and the data sequence including the pieces of first tentative data, and

the updating includes updating the tentative signature by replacing the piece of first tentative data in the data sequence with a piece of measurement data representing a summarized amount of electrical power consumption as the piece of first actual data, and generating the signature corresponding to a data sequence including the pieces of measurement data for the amounts of electrical power consumption by replacing all of the pieces of first tentative data with the respective pieces of measurement data.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing a program executed by a computer, the program causing the computer to execute:

generating a data sequence including a predetermined number of pieces of first tentative data and a tentative signature corresponding to the data sequence;

updating the tentative signature by replacing the piece of first tentative data in a data sequence with a piece of first actual data; and

generating a signature corresponding to the data sequence including the pieces of first actual data by replacing all of the pieces of first tentative data with the respective pieces of first actual data.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the generating the data sequence includes calculating the tentative signature before the piece of first actual data is received.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein

the piece of first tentative data having a predetermined value is stored in a storage unit as an initial value of the piece of first actual data in the data sequence,

a piece of second tentative data having a predetermined value is stored in the storage unit as an initial value of a piece of second actual data, and

the generating the data sequence includes calculating the tentative signature based on the piece of first tentative data and one or more pieces of second tentative data.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the updating includes

reading the piece of first tentative data and the piece of second tentative data from the storage unit,

calculating the piece of second actual data to be used as a random number component by replacing the piece of first tentative data with the piece of first actual data, and

updating the piece of second tentative data with the piece of second actual data thus calculated.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, the program causing the computer to further execute receiving the piece of first actual data every time a predetermined time elapses.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein

the generating the data sequence includes generating the tentative signature corresponding to the data sequence including the predetermined number of pieces of first tentative data and the data sequence including the pieces of first tentative data, and

the updating includes updating the tentative signature by replacing the piece of first tentative data in the data sequence with a piece of measurement data representing a summarized amount of electrical power consumption as the piece of first actual data, and generating the signature corresponding to a data sequence including the pieces of measurement data for the amounts of electrical power consumption by replacing all of the pieces of first tentative data with the respective pieces of measurement data.