Method for data security in a digital telecommunication system

• US 5,592,554 A
• Filed: 05/02/1994
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Moehrmann, Karl-Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Application Number:
  US08/235,985
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 380/21, 380/48, 38/21, 38/30, 38/48
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1333 Random systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13339 Ciphering, encryption, security

Abstract

For data security in a digital telecommunication system having a plurality of subscriber equipment, a public key is respectively calculated from a secret key prescribed in a first subscriber equipment. This public key is communicated to a second subscriber equipment that it participates with in a connection with the subscriber equipment being used in this second subscriber equipment for encoding secondary key information for matching the first subscriber equipment to transmission modalities that are repeatedly modified and that are provided in the second subscriber equipment for the first subscriber equipment. The subscriber equipment can calculate new keys from time to time. The initial settings of scramblers can be modified as transmission modalities.

Claims

1. A method for data security of signal transmission in a digital communication system having a plurality of subscriber equipment, comprising:

calculating, during ongoing signal transmission, a public key from a secret key prescribed in a first subscriber equipment;

communicating, during ongoing signal transmission, said public key from the first subscriber equipment to a second subscriber equipment participating in a connection with the first subscriber equipment, at said second subscriber equipment using the public key for encoding information for matching said first subscriber equipment to transmission modalities that are, during ongoing signal transmission repeatedly modified and that are provided in said second subscriber equipment for said first subscriber equipment.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a scrambler is provided in the second subscriber equipment, wherein ongoing signal transmission is provided in pulse frames, and wherein an initial setting and/or structure of the scrambler in said second subscriber equipment is repeatedly modified during ongoing signal transmission at a frame beginning of a respective pulse frame;

wherein said second subscriber equipment calculates a random new initial setting and/or structure for the scrambler with a random number generator and informs the first subscriber equipment in a communication Of the appertaining initial setting and/or structure of an appertaining descrambler encoded with a public key communicated from said first subscriber equipment, said first subscriber equipment decoding this communication with the secret key, whereupon modification is implemented beginning with a specific pulse frame.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first subscriber equipment communicates a new public key calculated by the first subscriber equipment to the second subscriber equipment after a specific plurality of pulse frames, said second subscriber equipment in turn individually informing the first subscriber equipment of the modification of the initial setting and/or structure after the calculation of a new initial scrambler setting and/or structure and after a new encoding of the respectively appertaining initial setting and/or structure, said modification of the initial setting and/or structure being subsequently implemented proceeding from a further specific pulse frame.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital communication system is a B-ISDN telecommunication system in which signal transmission is carried out with asynchronous transmission mode (ATM) cells.

5. A method for data security of signal transmission in a digital communication system having a plurality of subscriber equipment, comprising:

calculating, during ongoing signal transmission, a public key from a secret key prescribed in a first subscriber equipment;

communicating, during ongoing signal transmission, said public key from the first subscriber equipment to a second subscriber equipment participating in a connection with the first subscriber equipment;

at said second subscriber equipment using the public key for encoding information for matching said first subscriber equipment to transmission modalities that are, during ongoing signal transmission, repeatedly modified and that are provided in said second subscriber equipment for said first subscriber equipment;

providing a scrambler in the second subscriber equipment, wherein signal transmission is provided in pulse frames, and wherein an initial setting and/or structure of the scrambler in said second subscriber equipment is repeatedly modified at a frame beginning of a respective pulse frame;

calculating in said second subscriber equipment a random new initial setting and/or structure for the scrambler with a random number generator and informing the first subscriber equipment in a communication of the appertaining initial setting and/or structure of an appertaining descrambler encoded with a public key communicated from said first subscriber equipment, said first subscriber equipment decoding this communication with the secret key, whereupon modification is implemented beginning with a specific pulse frame.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first subscriber equipment communicates a new public key calculated by the first subscriber equipment to the second subscriber equipment after a specific plurality of pulse frames, said second subscriber equipment in turn individually informing the first subscriber equipment of the modification of the initial setting and/or structure after the calculation of a new initial scrambler setting and/or structure and after a new encoding of the respectively appertaining initial descrambler setting and/or structure, said modification of the initial setting and/or structure being subsequently implemented proceeding from a further specific pulse frame.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the digital communication system is a B-ISDN telecommunication system in which signal transmission is carried out with asynchronous transmission mode (ATM) cells.

8. A method for data security of signal transmission in a digital B-ISDN communication system having a plurality of subscriber equipment, comprising:

calculating, during ongoing signal transmission, a public key from a secret key prescribed in a first subscriber equipment;

communicating, during ongoing signal transmission, said public key from the first subscriber equipment to a second subscriber equipment participating in a connection With the first subscriber equipment;

at said second subscriber equipment using the public key for encoding information for matching said first subscriber equipment to transmission modalities that are repeatedly modified, during ongoing signal transmission and that are provided in said second subscriber equipment for said first subscriber equipment;

providing a scrambler in the second subscriber equipment, wherein signal transmission is provided in pulse frames, and wherein an initial setting and/or structure of the scrambler in said second subscriber equipment is repeatedly modified at a frame beginning of a respective pulse frame;

calculating in said second subscriber equipment a random new initial setting and/or structure for the scrambler with a random number generator and informing the first subscriber equipment in a communication of the appertaining initial setting and/or structure of an appertaining descrambler encoded with a public key communicated from said first subscriber equipment, said first subscriber equipment decoding this communication with the secret key, whereupon modification is implemented beginning with a specific pulse frame;

communication between said first and second subscriber equipment being carried out with asynchronous transmission mode (ATM) cells.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first subscriber equipment communicates a new public key calculated by the first subscriber equipment to the second subscriber equipment after a specific plurality of pulse frames, said second subscriber equipment in turn individually informing the first subscriber equipment of the modification of the initial setting and/or structure after the calculation of a new initial scrambler setting and/or structure and after a new encoding of the respectively appertaining initial descrambler setting and/or structure, said modification of the initial setting and/or structure being subsequently implemented proceeding from a further specific pulse frame.