System for transmitting encrypted data

• US 7,526,643 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2004
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Active Cypher, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Encryption Solutions, Inc. (Worldwide Diversified Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stedron, Robert Allen, Chmielewski, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peeso; Thomas R
• Application Number:
  US10/753,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20050152550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 726/9, 709201-203, 709/246, 709/247, 709/236, 709/205, 709/239, 713/157
• US Class Current: 713/157
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/08 Randomization, e.g. dummy operations or using noise
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/30 Compression, e.g. Merkle-Damgard construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0836 using tree structure or hierarchical structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

A system for transmitting encrypted data. A plurality of nested communication links are communicably connected to a network. Each communication link includes an originating node and a terminating node which are adapted to route a transmission therebetween. Transmissions between the originating node and the corresponding terminating node of the outermost communication link is routed through at least one inner communication link. The originating node of the outermost communication link generates a transmission having a data part and a first header part, both in an encrypted format, and routes the transmission to the corresponding terminating node. The originating node of an inner communication link modifies the transmission by removing unencrypted references to other communication links; adding a second header part in an encrypted format, and routing the transmission to the corresponding terminating node, where the second header part is decrypted and the transmission is rerouted to an outer communication link.

Claims

1. A data transmission system comprising:

a plurality of nested communication links communicably connected to a network, each communication link including an originating node and a corresponding terminating node which are adapted to route a transmission therebetween, wherein

the transmission between the originating node and the corresponding terminating node of an outermost communication link is routed through at least one inner communication link;

the outermost communication link is adapted to generate the transmission at the corresponding originating node, the transmission including a data part and a first header part, both in an encrypted format, route the transmission to the corresponding terminating node, and decrypt the data part and the first header part at the corresponding terminating node; and

the at least one inner communication link is adapted to modify the transmission at the corresponding originating node by removing unencrypted references to other communication links and adding a second header part in an encrypted format, route the transmission to the corresponding terminating node, and decrypt the second header part at the corresponding terminating node.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the outermost communication link is adapted to encrypt the data part separately from the first header part.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data part is encrypted with at least two levels of encryption.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first header part is encrypted with at least two levels of encryption.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second header part is encrypted with at least two levels of encryption.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second header part includes two sub-parts, each sub-part being separately encrypted.

7. A data transmission system comprising:

a first communication link communicably connected to a network and including a first originating node and a first terminating node, wherein the first originating node is adapted to generate a data transmission, the data transmission including a data part, a first header part, and a routing envelope, the data part and the first header part being in an encrypted format, and route the data transmission to the first terminating node, and the first terminating node is adapted to decrypt the data part and the first header part; and

a second communication link communicably connected to the network and embedded within the first communication link such that the data transmission routed from the first originating node to the first terminating node is routed through the second communication link, the second communication link including a second originating node and a second terminating node, wherein the second originating node is adapted to receive the data transmission, remove from the routing envelope references to the first communication link, add a second header part in an encrypted format, and reroute the data transmission to the second terminating node, and the second terminating node is adapted to decrypt the second header part and reroute the data transmission to a next node.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second header part includes at least some of the references removed from the routing envelope.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the second header part includes two subparts, each sub-part being separately encrypted.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the next node is the first terminating node or a third originating node.

11. The system of claim 7 further comprising a third communication link communicably connected to the network and embedded within the first communication link such that the data transmission routed from the first originating node to the first terminating node is routed through the third communication link, the third communication link including a third originating node and a third terminating node, wherein the third originating node is adapted to receive the data transmission, remove from the routing envelope references to other communication links, add a third header part in an encrypted format, and reroute the data transmission to the third terminating node, and the third terminating node is adapted to decrypt the third header part and reroute the data transmission to the next node.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the third encrypted header includes at least some of the references removed from the routing envelope.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the third header part includes two sub-parts, each sub-part being separately encrypted.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the third communication link is additionally embedded within the second communication link.

15. A data transmission comprising:

a data part in an encrypted format; and

a first header part in an encrypted format, the first header part including information utilized to decrypt the data part, wherein the data part and the first header part each includes at least two levels of encryption; and

a second header part in an encrypted format, the second header part including information utilized to decrypt the first header part. and wherein the second header part includes at least two levels of encryption, wherein

the data part, first header part, and second header part are configured to be transmitted via a plurality of nested communication links communicably connected to a network, each communication link including an originating node and a corresponding terminating node which are adapted to route a transmission therebetween, wherein

the transmission between the originating node and the corresponding terminating node of an outermost communication link is routed through at least one inner communication link,

the outermost communication link is adapted to generate the transmission at the corresponding originating node, the transmission including the data part and the first header part, route the transmission to the corresponding terminating node, and decrypt the data part and the first header part at the corresponding terminating node, and

the at least one inner communication link is adapted to modify the transmission at the corresponding originating node by removing unencrypted references to other communication links and adding the second header part in an encrypted format, route the transmission to the corresponding terminating node. and decrypt the second header part at the corresponding terminating node.

16. The data transmission of claim 15, wherein the second header part includes two sub-parts, each sub-part being separately encrypted.

17. The data transmission of claim 15, wherein each header part includes routing information for separate stages of the data transmission.

18. The data transmission of claim 15, wherein at least some of the information included in the first header part serves to authenticate the data transmission.

19. The data transmission of claim 15, wherein the data part is compressed with at least one level of compression.

20. The data transmission of claim 15, wherein the first header part is compressed with at least one level of compression.