Enabling business transactions in computer networks

• US 6,490,358 B1
• Filed: 08/16/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Soverain IP, LLC
• Original Assignee: Open Market, Inc. (Divine Technology Ventures)
• Inventors: Geer, Jr., Daniel E., Tumblin, Henry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Application Number:
  US09/638,546
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 380/286, 380/277-281, 380/30, 713/155, 713/156, 713/159, 713/172
• US Class Current: 380/286
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

A system for creating a log of a conversation includes a convener computer and a plurality of conversation computers interconnected by a computer network. The system includes an arbiter computer and a plurality of conversation computers interconnected by a computer network. The arbiter computer creates a public key pair comprising a new public key and a new private key, and causes the new public key to be transmitted to the conversation computers. The conversation computers receive the public key and transmit messages during the conversation. The arbiter computer uses the new private key to encrypt messages transmitted by at least some of the conversation computers during a conversation among the conversation computers, and to store the encrypted messages in a message log. The conversation computers cause messages in the message log to be decrypted using the new public key.

Claims

1. A system for escrowing private keys, comprising:

a computer; and

a smart token interconnected with the computer, the smart token comprising a private key of a public key pair associated with the smart token;

the computer being programmed to encrypt the private key of the public key pair associated with the smart token with a public key of a public key pair associated with a user of the smart token, to encrypt a private key of the public key pair of the user of the smart token with a public key of the public key pair associated with the smart token, and to transmit to an escrow agent the encrypted private key of the public key pair associated with the smart token and the encrypted private key of the public key pair associated with the user of the smart token.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the smart token is a smart card.

3. A method of escrowing private keys in a system comprising a computer and a smart token interconnected with the computer, the smart token comprising a private key of a public key pair associated with the smart token, the method comprising the steps of:

encrypting the private key of the public key pair associated with the smart token with a public key of a public key pair associated with a user of the smart token;

encrypting a private key of the public key pair of the user of the smart token with a public key of the public key pair associated with the smart token; and

transmitting to an escrow agent the encrypted private key of the public key pair associated with the smart token and the encrypted private key of the public key pair associated with the user of the smart token.