Cryptographic device with a display means for identification of a defective function in the cryptographic device

• US 5,303,293 A
• Filed: 11/03/1992
• Issued: 04/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Bettenhausen, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Cain, David C.
• Application Number:
  US07/946,488
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 380/2, 380/49
• US Class Current: 380/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0485 Networking architectures for enhanced packet encryption processing, e.g. offloading of IPsec packet processing or efficient security association look-up

Abstract

A cryptographic device for use with a data terminal in a data network contains here a transmission channel (S) and a reception channel (E) with associated cryptogenerators and data input and output equipment, as well as a control device (C) for controlling the reception and transmission channels. Associated with the control device (C) is an internal monitoring device (UA) for independent monitoring of the cryptographic device functions, with a display means (A) being linked to the monitoring device UA), which display means is used to identify a defective function in the cryptographic device by alphanumeric representation of information about the defective function.

Claims

1. A unitary cryptographic device for use with a data terminal (DEE) in a data network, having

a transmission channel (S) with associated transmission cryptogrnerator (KG-S) for encoding transmitted data and corresponding data input and output equipment (DE,DA),

a reception channel (E) with associated reception cryptogenerator (KG-E) and corresponding data input and output equipment (DE, DA),

a control device (C) for controlling the reception and transmission channels (S, E),

an internal monitoring device (UA) assigned to the control device (C) for independent monitoring of the cryptographic device functions, and

a display means (A) linked to the monitoring device (UA) for identification of a defective function in the cryptographic device by alphanumeric representation of information about the defective function.

2. A cryptographic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the monitoring device (UA) is designed as a program-controlled computer arrangement, via which a multiplicity of monitoring functions hierarchically structured with respect to one another can be called up for monitoring the cryptographic device functions.

3. A cryptographic device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the monitoring device (UA) is assigned a status memory (ZS) for storing the current operating status of the cryptographic device, and in that a monitoring function is provided which records messages in the control device (C), a corresponding defined operating status being the prerequisite for each message and it being possible for each message to trigger a routine of control device, and which compares the operating status that is the prerequisite for the message with the actual current operating status of the cryptographic device, and if the statuses differ causes the cryptographic device to assume an error status, and displays the error via the display means (A).

4. A cryptographic device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that assigned to the message is a data word which represents the operating status of the cryptographic device that is the prerequisite for the message, and in that there is stored in the status memory (ZS) a further data word which represents the actual current operating status of the cryptographic device, and in that the monitoring device (UA) compares said data words in a monitoring function serving in particular for task tracing.

5. A cryptographic device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a monitoring function serving for the function checking of the memories (MA, ZS, MP) assigned to the control device (C) is provided, which monitoring function checks the memories (MA, ZS, MP) by reading out nd re-entering test data words after a "reset" routine has been called.

6. A cryptographic device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a monitoring function that checks the program structure of the control device (C) is provided, which monitoring function, when a subroutine is called, compares a code number assigned to the subroutine with a call-up code transferred when the subroutine was called up, and if the codes differ causes the control device to assume an error status, and displays said error on the display means (A).