COMMUNICATION DEVICE, COMMUNICATION METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20140365786A1
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanizawa, Yoshimichi, Sato, Hideaki, Takahashi, Ririka, Kawamura, Shinichi, Murai, Shinya
• Granted Patent: US 9,928,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0855 involving additional nodes, e.g. quantum relays, repeaters, intermediate nodes or remote nodes

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a communication device includes an acquirer and a determiner. The acquirer is configured to acquire a first history value for each of one or more applications that use an encryption key. The first history value indicates a history value of a volume of the encryption key used by the each of one or more applications. The determiner is configured to determine a volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the corresponding application, according to the first history value.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

an acquirer configured to acquire a first history value for each of one or more applications that use an encryption key, the first history value indicating a history value of a volume of the encryption key used by the each of one or more applications; and

a determiner configured to determine a volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the corresponding application, according to the first history value.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the acquirer is configured to

acquire a second history value and information indicating an encryption method from the application, the second history value indicating a history value of an amount of communication for information that has been transmitted and received, and

calculate the first history value by using the second history value and a ratio of an amount of communication and a volume of the encryption key used for transmitting and receiving information of the amount of communication, the ratio being determined according to the encryption method.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the acquirer is configured to acquire the information indicating the encryption method transmitted from the application at a time of communication start request.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the acquirer is configured to acquire update information indicating that the encryption key has been updated from the application, and calculate the first history value indicating a volume of the updated encryption key based on the update information.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the determiner is configured to determine the volume of the encryption key in such a manner that a rate of the volume of the encryption key to be assigned to each application is proportional to a rate of the first history value of the each application.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the determiner is configured to determine the volume of the encryption key to be assigned to each application in such a manner that a greater volume of the encryption key is preferentially assigned to the application whose first history value is greater.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the determiner is configured to

further acquire a requested volume indicating a volume of the encryption key requested by each application,

determine the volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the each application according to the requested volume, and

determine the volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the each application according to the first history value when the first history value is acquired.

8. The according to claim 7, wherein the determiner is configured to determine the volume of the encryption key in such a manner that a rate of the volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the each application is proportional to a rate of the requested volume of the each application.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the determiner is configured to determine the volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the application, according to a difference between the first history value and the volume of the encryption key assigned according to the requested volume.

10. A communication method, comprising:

acquiring a first history value for each of one or more applications that use an encryption key, the first history value indicating a history value of a volume of the encryption key used by the each of one or more applications; and

determining a volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the corresponding application, according to the first history value.

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

acquiring a first history value for each of one or more applications that use an encryption key, the first history value indicating a history value of a volume of the encryption key used by the each of one or more applications; and

determining a volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the corresponding application, according to the first history value.

12. A communication system, comprising:

one or more applications configured to use an encryption key; and

a communication device configured to provide the encryption key to the application, wherein

the communication device includes

an acquirer configured to acquire a first history value for each of the one or more applications, the first history value indicating a history value of a volume of the encryption key used by the each of one or more applications; and

a determiner configured to determine a volume of the encryption key to be assigned to the corresponding application, according to the first history value.