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Method and apparatus providing secure multicast group communication

  • US 7,434,046 B1
  • Filed: 11/30/2000
  • Issued: 10/07/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of establishing a secure communication session among a plurality of member nodes that participate in a multicast group across a wide area network, comprising the steps of:

  • receiving information defining a plurality of multicast proxy service nodes, wherein;

    the plurality of multicast service nodes are distributed across the wide area network;

    the plurality of multicast service nodes control when any of the plurality of member nodes join or leave the multicast group; and

    the plurality of multicast proxy service nodes are logically represented by a first binary tree, wherein;

    each node of the first binary tree is associated with a domain of a plurality of domains of a directory service that is distributed across the wide area network; and

    each node of the first binary tree is associated with one or more multicast proxy service nodes of the plurality of multicast proxy service nodes;

    creating and storing a second binary tree that represents the plurality of member nodes, wherein;

    each of the member nodes of the plurality of member nodes is represented by a leaf node of the second binary tree;

    the second binary tree is stored in a particular domain of the plurality of domains of the directory service that is distributed across the wide area network;

    a root node of the second binary tree represents one or more of the multicast proxy service nodes of the plurality of multicast proxy service nodes; and

    each of the member nodes of the plurality of member nodes is capable of establishing multicast communication and serving as a key distribution center;

    creating and storing a group session key associated with the multicast group and a private key associated with each member node of the multicast group using secure key exchange;

    when an additional member node joins the multicast group, determining a new group session key by replicating a branch of the second binary tree.

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