Claims
- 1. A system for distributing cryptographic key information, comprising:
a first computer system; a second computer system; and a communications link linking said first computer system and said second computer system; wherein said first computer system is structured (a) to determine a first generalized error syndrome of a quantum transmission between said first computer system and said second computer system, (b) to encrypt said first generalized error syndrome using a sequence of values to form a first encrypted generalized error syndrome, and (c) to communicate said first encrypted generalized error syndrome to said second computer system.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said second computer system is structured
(a) to determine a second generalized error syndrome of said quantum transmission between said first Computer system and said second computer system, (b) to encrypt said second generalized error syndrome using said sequence of values to form a second encrypted generalized error syndrome, and (c) to communicate said second encrypted generalized error syndrome to said first computer system.
- 3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first computer system is further to receive from said second computer system said second encrypted generalized error syndrome of said quantum transmission.
- 4. The system of claim 3, wherein said second computer system is further structured to receive from said first computer system said first encrypted generalized error syndrome of said quantum transmission.
- 5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first computer system is structured to encrypt using one time pad encryption.
- 6. The system of claim 2, wherein said second computer system is structured to encrypt using one time pad encryption.
- 7. The system of claim 2, wherein said first computer system is structured to compute a relative value from said first encrypted generalized error syndrome and said second encrypted generalized error syndrome and second computer system is structured to compute said relative value.
- 8. The system of claim 4, wherein said first computer system and said second computer system are structured to compute respectively said first generalized error syndrome and said second generalized error syndrome using at least one parity function.
- 9. The system of claim 1, wherein said sequence of values is stored in said first computer system and said second computer system.
- 10. The system of claim 1, wherein said first computer system and said second computer system are structured to transmit a quantum key and receive a quantum key.
- 11. The system of claim 1, wherein said second computer system is structured
(a) to determine a second generalized error syndrome of said quantum transmission between said first computer system and said second computer system, (b) to encrypt said second generalized error syndrome using said sequence of values to form a second encrypted generalized error syndrome, and (c) to compute a prescribed joint function of said first encrypted generalized error syndrome and said second encrypted generalized error syndrome.
- 12. The system of claim 2, wherein said first computer system is structured to compute a function of said first encrypted generalized error syndrome and said second encrypted generalized error syndrome and wherein said second computer system is structured to compute said function.
- 13. A computer implemented method for distributing cryptographic key information, comprising:
(a) determining by a first computer system a first generalized error syndrome of a quantum transmission between said first computer system and a second computer system; (b) encrypting by said first computer system said first generalized error syndrome using a sequence of values to form a first encrypted generalized error syndrome; and (c) communicating from said first computer system said first encrypted generalized error syndrome to said second computer system.
- 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
(a) determining by said second computer system said second generalized error syndrome of a quantum transmission between said first computer system and said second computer system; (b) encrypting by said second computer system said second generalized error syndrome using a sequence of values to form a second encrypted generalized error syndrome; and (c) communicating from said second computer system said second encrypted generalized error syndrome to said first computer system.
- 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
(d) receiving from said second computer system by said first computer system a second encrypted generalized error syndrome of said quantum transmission.
- 16. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of encrypting comprises using one time pad encryption.
- 17. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of encrypting comprises bitwise exclusive oring said first generalized error syndrome with said sequence of values.
- 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
computing by said first computer system a relative value from said first encrypted generalized error syndrome and said second encrypted generalized error syndrome.
- 19. The method of claim 14, wherein said step (a) comprises using at least one parity function.
- 20. The method of claim 13, wherein at least two of said steps (a)-(c) execute substantially in parallel.
- 21. The method of claim 15, wherein at least two of said steps (a)-(d) execute substantially in parallel.
- 22. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of encrypting comprises using one time pad encryption.
- 23. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of encrypting comprises bitwise exclusive oring said second generalized error syndrome with said sequence of values.
- 24. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of computing said relative value comprises bit-wise modulo 2 subtraction of said first encrypted generalized error syndrome from said second encrypted generalized error syndrome.
- 25. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of encrypting comprises using one time pad encryption.
- 26. The method of claim 13, comprising storing said sequence of values in said first computer system and said second computer system.
- 27. A method for secure communications comprising:
(a) transmitting a quantum transmission from a first transmitter to a second receiver, said quantum transmission encoded with quantum key information at said first transmitter defining a first sequence of values; (b) receiving at said second receiver said quantum transmission and determining a second sequence of values from said quantum transmission; (c) determining a first generalized error syndrome associated with said first sequence of values; (d) encrypting said first generalized error syndrome using one time pad encryption to define an encrypted first generalized error syndrome; (e) determining a second generalized error syndrome associated with said second sequence of values; and (f) encrypting said second generalized error syndrome using one time pad encryption to define an encrypted second generalized error syndrome.
- 28. The method of claim 27 wherein said encrypting said first generalized error syndrome is based upon an encryption key and said encrypting said second generalized error syndrome are based upon said encryption key.
- 29. The method of claim 27 further comprising transmitting said encrypted first generalized error syndrome to said second receiver.
- 30. The method of claim 27 further comprising transmitting from a second transmitter associated with said second receiver said encrypted second generalized error syndrome to a first receiver associated with said first transmitter.
- 31. The method of claim 27 further comprising:
decrypting said first generalized error syndrome; and decrypting said second generalized error syndrome.
- 32. The method of claim 27 further comprising:
determining the key by decrypting said encrypted first generalized error syndrome; and determining said key by decrypting said encrypted second generalized error syndrome.
- 33. A system for distributing cryptographic key information, comprising:
a first computer system; a second computer system; and a communications link linking said first computer system and said second computer system; wherein a string of numbers is stored in both the first computer system and the second computer system, and wherein said first computer system is structured (a) to determine a first generalized error syndrome of a quantum transmission between said first computer system and said second computer system, (b) to encrypt said first generalized error syndrome using part of said string of numbers to form a first encrypted generalized error syndrome, (c) to communicate said first encrypted generalized error syndrome to said second computer system, (d) to receive a second generalized error syndrome from said second computer system, and (e) to decrypt said second generalized error syndrome using the same part of said string of numbers to form a second unencrypted generalized error syndrome.
- 34. A system for securely distributing cryptographic key information wherein a string of numbers are re-used as an encryption key.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) to U.S. provisional application 60/341,807, filed Dec. 21, 2001, entitled “Method for Decoupling Error Correction from Privacy Amplification.” The teachings of that application are incorporated herein by reference.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US02/37619 |
12/20/2002 |
WO |
|
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60341807 |
Dec 2001 |
US |