Formation of rekey messages in a communication system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of rekeying at least one communication unit in a communication system, comprising the steps of:
- generating an acknowledgment field;
loading a message number field;
setting a destination/source field;
setting an operation-code field;
determining an address field;
forming a rekeying message comprising said acknowledgment field, said message number field, said destination/source field, said operation-code field, and said address field; and
transmitting said rekeying message to the at least one communication unit.
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Abstract
Formation and sending of rekeying messages (305, 415, 515, and 605) in an encrypted communication system with over-the-channel rekeying of communication units is performed by a KMC, key management controller (101). The KMC (101) forms messages to provide new keys (1541), zeroization information (1549), and key indexing information (1543) to communication units (107), and to provide keyloader upload data (1563). Acknowledgments and rekey requests are also handled between the KMC (101) and communication units (107).
46 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of rekeying at least one communication unit in a communication system, comprising the steps of:
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generating an acknowledgment field; loading a message number field; setting a destination/source field; setting an operation-code field; determining an address field; forming a rekeying message comprising said acknowledgment field, said message number field, said destination/source field, said operation-code field, and said address field; and transmitting said rekeying message to the at least one communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A key management controller for use in a communication system with rekeying at least one communication unit, comprising:
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means for generating an acknowledgment field; means for loading a message number field; means for setting a destination/source field; means for setting an operation-code field; means for determining an address field; means for forming a rekeying message comprised of said acknowledgment field, said message number field, said destination/source field, said operation-code field, and said address field; and means, coupled to said means for forming, for sending said rekeying message to the at least one communication unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A communication unit for use in a communication system with rekeying of at least one communication unit by a key management controller, comprising:
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means for generating an acknowledgment field; means for loading a message number field; means for setting a destination/source field; means for setting an operation-code field; means for determining an address field; means for generating a rekey request packet; means for forming a rekey request message comprised of said acknowledgment field, said message number field, said destination/source field, said operation-code field, said address field, and said rekey request packet; and means, coupled to said means for forming, for sending said rekey request message to the key management controller.
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30. A communication unit for use in a communication system with rekeying of at least one communication unit by a key management controller, comprising:
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means for generating an acknowledgment field; means for loading a message number field; means for setting a destination/source field; means for setting an operation-code field; means for determining an address field; means for generating an acknowledgment packet; means for forming an acknowledgment message comprised of said acknowledgment field, said message number field, said destination/source field, said operation-code field, said address field, and said acknowledgment packet; and means, coupled to said means for forming, for sending said acknowledgment message to the key management controller.
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Specification