Asynchronous Certificate Chain Verification Database

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for certificate chain checks and digital signature verification are inefficient, particularly on small devices, as they require frequent recalculations and rely on cache storage, which is not sustainable, and do not allow for independent verification of digital signatures from certificate chain checks.

Innovation Solution

A data processing system that stores certificate chain check results in a database, allowing asynchronous processing and independent verification of digital signatures, using a unique access key derived from the certificate's issuer and serial number, enabling parallel processing and reduced verification time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If certificate chain checks and digital signature verification are performed in the same process, then verification completeness is ensured, but processing time increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification completenessVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the verification process into two independent segments: certificate chain checks and digital signature verification. Certificate chain checks are performed separately to validate certificates and store results in a database, while digital signature verification separately queries the database for pre-validated certificates. This segmentation allows both operations to proceed independently without interfering with each other, maintaining verification completeness while reducing processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs certificate chain checks in advance before digital signature verification is needed. By pre-validating certificates and storing their validity status in a database, the system eliminates the need to repeat certificate chain checks during signature verification. This preliminary action significantly reduces processing time while ensuring that only valid certificates are used for signature verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If certificate validation is performed frequently to ensure security, then security reliability is improved, but system performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity reliabilityVSAvoidsystem performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a database copy of certificate validation results that can be queried without performing actual certificate chain checks. Instead of repeatedly executing computationally intensive certificate validation algorithms, the system queries pre-computed validation results from the database. This copying approach maintains security reliability by using validated certificate information while dramatically improving system performance by eliminating redundant calculations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Speed

If cache memory is used to store reusable verification information to speed up processing, then processing speed increases, but information availability decreases after short time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidinformation availability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a database-based storage solution that functions similarly to cache but with persistent storage characteristics. The database stores certificate validation results that remain available indefinitely rather than being temporarily cached and lost. This approach maintains the speed benefit of cached information while solving the availability problem by using a more durable storage medium that preserves information across system restarts and extended periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP2115934B1Data processing system for carrying out certificate string checking
Publication Date: 2015.06.24 BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH
  • EP2115934B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2115934B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2115934B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a data processing system comprising means (116) for carrying out certificate string checking, a databank (122) for storing check results determined by the means for carrying out certificate string checking and means (114) for checking digital signatures, wherein the check results for a certificate string checking are retrieved by access to the databank.