Health care system, key management server and method for managing key, and encrypting device and method for encrypting vital sign data

• US 7,774,852 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Futa, Yuichi, Yokota, Kaoru, Matsuzaki, Natsume, Harada, Shunji, Nonaka, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Lanier; Benjamin E
• Application Number:
  US12/249,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 713/189, 713/193, 705 2- 3, 726 27- 29
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/88 Medical equipments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics

Abstract

Provided is a health care system including a key management server that receives from a server a request for a decryption key, with first identification information identifying a measuring apparatus, second identification information identifying vital sign data, and third identification information identifying the server. The key management server generates the decryption key using the first identification information, and stores fourth identification information identifying a server predetermined as a destination of the decryption key, and fifth identification information indicating the category of the vital sign data in correspondence with the fourth identification information. The key management server transmits the decryption key to the server, when the received third identification information matches the fourth identification information, and the received second identification information matches the fifth identification information.

Claims

1. A health care system, comprising:

a measuring apparatus that obtains vital sign data through measurement and encrypts the obtained vital sign data;

a server that obtains the encrypted vital sign data from said measuring apparatus and provides a service related to health; and

a key management server that provides a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted vital sign data to said server,

wherein said measuring apparatus includes;

a measuring unit configured to obtain the vital sign data of a user of said measuring apparatus through measurement of the user of said measuring apparatus;

a first storing unit configured to store first identification information identifying said measuring apparatus;

a first key generating unit configured to generate an encryption key using the first identification information;

an encrypting unit configured to encrypt the obtained vital sign data using the encryption key to generate the encrypted vital sign data; and

a first communicating unit configured to transmit, to said server, the first identification information, second identification information, and the encrypted vital sign data, the second identification information identifying a category of the vital sign data,

said server includes;

a second storing unit configured to store the first identification information, the second identification information, and the encrypted vital sign data transmitted by said first communicating unit;

a third storing unit configured to store third identification information identifying said server; and

a second communicating unit configured to transmit, to said key management server, a request for transmitting to said server a decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, together with the first identification information, the second identification information, and the third identification information, and

said key management server includes;

a second key generating unit configured to generate the decryption key corresponding to the encryption key using the first identification information;

a fourth storing unit configured to store fourth identification information identifying a server predetermined as a destination of the decryption key, and fifth identification information indicating the category of the vital sign data in correspondence with the fourth identification information; and

a control unit configured to transmit the decryption key to said server, upon receipt of the request for transmitting the decryption key from said server, together with the first identification information, the second identification information, and the third identification information, when the received third identification information matches the stored fourth identification information and the received second identification information matches the fifth identification information stored in said fourth storing unit in correspondence with the matched fourth identification information,

wherein said server decrypts the encrypted vital sign data using the decryption key.

3. The health care system according to claim 1,

wherein said measuring apparatus includes an encrypting device, and

said encrypting device includes said first key generating unit, said encrypting unit, and said first communicating unit.

4. The health care system according to claim 3,

wherein said encrypting device is a memory card attached to said measuring apparatus.

5. The health care system according to claim 1,

wherein said measuring apparatus further includes

a first master key holding unit configured to hold a first master key,

said first key generating unit is configured to generate the encryption key using the first identification information and the first master key,

said key management server includes

a second master key holding unit configured to hold a second master key identical to the first master key, and

said second key generating unit is configured to generate the decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, using the first identification information and the second master key.

6. The health care system according to claim 5,

wherein said measuring apparatus includes an encrypting device,

said encrypting device includes said first key generating unit, said encrypting unit, said first master key holding unit, and said first communicating unit, and

said first key generating unit is configured to generate the encryption key using the first identification information and the master key.

7. The health care system according to claim 6,

wherein said encrypting device is a memory card attached to said measuring apparatus.

8. The health care system according to claim 1,

wherein said first key generating unit is configured to generate the encryption key using the first identification information as a public key,

said key management server includes

a master information holding unit configured to hold master information for generating the decryption key, and

said second key generating unit is configured to generate the decryption key as a secret key corresponding to the public key, using the received first identification information and the held master information.

2. A health care system, comprising:

a measuring apparatus that obtains vital sign data through measurement and encrypts the obtained vital sign data;

a server that obtains the encrypted vital sign data from said measuring apparatus and provides a service related to health; and

a key management server that provides a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted vital sign data to said server,

wherein said measuring apparatus includes;

a measuring unit configured to obtain the vital sign data of a user of said measuring apparatus through measurement of the user of said measuring apparatus;

a first storing unit configured to store first identification information identifying said measuring apparatus;

a first key generating unit configured to generate an encryption key using the first identification information;

an encrypting unit configured to encrypt the obtained vital sign data using the encryption key to generate the encrypted vital sign data; and

a first communicating unit configured to transmit, to said server, the first identification information and the encrypted vital sign data,

said server includes;

a second storing unit configured to store the first identification information and the encrypted vital sign data transmitted by said first communicating unit;

a third storing unit configured to store second identification information identifying said server; and

a second communicating unit configured to transmit, to said key management server, a request for transmitting to said server the decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, together with the first identification information and the second identification information, and

said key management server includes;

a fourth storing unit in which a category of the vital sign data obtained by said measuring apparatus is stored in correspondence with the first identification information;

a fifth storing unit configured to store a category of the vital sign data managed by said server in correspondence with the second identification information;

a second key generating unit configured to generate the decryption key corresponding to the encryption key using the first identification information; and

a control unit configured to transmit the decryption key to said server, upon receipt of, from said server, the request for transmitting the decryption key to said server, together with the first identification information and the second identification information, when the category of vital sign data that is stored in said fourth storing unit and corresponds to the received first identification information matches the category of vital sign data that is stored in said fifth storing unit and corresponds to the received second identification information,

wherein said server decrypts the encrypted vital sign data using the decryption key.

9. The health care system according to claim 2,

wherein said measuring apparatus includes an encrypting device, and

said encrypting device includes said first key generating unit, said encrypting unit, and said first communicating unit.

10. The health care system according to claim 9,

wherein said encrypting device is a memory card attached to said measuring apparatus.

11. The health care system according to claim 2,

wherein said measuring apparatus further includes

a first master key holding unit configured to hold a first master key,

said first key generating unit is configured to generate the encryption key using the first identification information and the first master key,

said key management server includes

a second master key holding unit configured to hold a second master key identical to the first master key, and

said second key generating unit is configured to generate the decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, using the first identification information and the second master key.

12. The health care system according to claim 11,

wherein said measuring apparatus includes an encrypting device,

said encrypting device includes said first key generating unit, said encrypting unit, said first master key holding unit, and said first communicating unit, and

said first key generating unit is configured to generate the encryption key using the first identification information and the master key.

13. The health care system according to claim 12,

wherein said encrypting device is a memory card attached to said measuring apparatus.

14. The health care system according to claim 2,

wherein said first key generating unit is configured to generate the encryption key using the first identification information as a public key,

said key management server includes

a master information holding unit configured to hold master information for generating the decryption key, and

said second key generating unit is configured to generate the decryption key as a secret key corresponding to the public key, using the received first identification information and the held master information.

15. A method for managing a key in a health care system, the health care system including a measuring apparatus, a server, and a key management server, the measuring apparatus obtaining vital sign data through measurement and encrypting the obtained vital sign data, the server obtaining the encrypted vital sign data from the measuring apparatus and provides a service related to health, the key management server transmitting to the server a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted vital sign data, the method comprising:

obtaining at the measuring apparatus the vital sign data of a user of the measuring apparatus through measurement of the user of the measuring apparatus;

generating at the measuring apparatus an encryption key using first identification information identifying the measuring apparatus;

encrypting at the measuring apparatus the obtained vital sign data using the encryption key to generate the encrypted vital sign data; and

transmitting, from the measuring apparatus to the server, the first identification information, second identification information, and the encrypted vital sign data, the second identification information identifying a category of the vital sign data;

storing at the server the first identification information, the second identification information, and the encrypted vital sign data transmitted from the measuring apparatus; and

transmitting, from the server to the key management server, a request for transmitting to the server the decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, together with the first identification information, the second identification information, and third identification information identifying the server; and

transmitting, from the key management server to the server, the decryption key to the server, upon receipt of the request for transmitting the decryption key from the server, together with the first identification information, the second identification information, and the third identification information, when the received third identification information matches fourth identification information and the received second identification information matches fifth identification information, the fourth identification information identifying a server predetermined as a destination of the decryption key, and the fifth identification information indicating the category of the vital sign data managed by the server and being stored in correspondence with the matched fourth identification information,

wherein the server decrypts the encrypted vital sign data using the decryption key.

16. A method for managing information in a health care system, the health care system including a measuring apparatus, a server, and a key management server, the measuring apparatus obtaining vital sign data of a user of the measuring apparatus through measurement of the user of the measuring apparatus and encrypting the obtained vital sign data, the server obtaining the encrypted vital sign data from the measuring apparatus and providing a service related to health, the key management server transmitting to the server a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted vital sign data, the method comprising:

obtaining at the measuring apparatus the vital sign data through measurement;

generating at the measuring apparatus an encryption key using first identification information identifying the measuring apparatus; and

encrypting at the measuring apparatus the obtained vital sign data using the encryption key to generate the encrypted vital sign data;

receiving, at the server from the measuring apparatus, the first identification information and the encrypted vital sign data; and

transmitting, from the server to the key management server, a request for transmitting to the server the decryption key corresponding to the encryption key, together with the first identification information and second identification information identifying the server; and

transmitting, from the key management server to the server, the decryption key, upon receipt of, from the server, the request for transmitting the decryption key to the server together with the first identification information and the second identification information, when a category of the vital sign data stored in correspondence with the received first identification information matches a category of the service stored in correspondence with the received second identification information,

wherein the server decrypts the encrypted vital sign data using the decryption key.