Cryptographic Accelerator Dummy Data Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

In secure communication scenarios using authenticated encryption with associated data (AEAD), the presence of dummy data due to non-multiple size portions of messages leads to reduced throughput and increased latency, as existing methods either require word or byte access to exclude dummy data or increase latency by pre-configuring portion sizes.

Innovation Solution

A cryptographic accelerator with an input buffer and data component that determines and discards dummy data based on portion lengths and endpoints, allowing automatic removal without prior knowledge of portion sizes, enabling efficient transfer using the largest bus size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If dummy data is included in data portions to enable efficient bus transfer, then system bus throughput is improved, but cryptographic operation correctness deteriorates due to processing of invalid data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem bus throughputVSAvoidcryptographic operation correctness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The data portion is segmented into valid data and dummy data based on length indicators. The cryptographic accelerator divides the transferred data into processed portions (valid data) and unprocessed portions (dummy data), allowing selective cryptographic operation only on valid data while maintaining efficient bus transfer of the complete data portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The dummy data is extracted and excluded from cryptographic processing. By using length indicators to identify the boundary between valid data and dummy data, the system extracts only the necessary valid data for cryptographic operations, preventing incorrect processing of dummy data while maintaining efficient bus transfer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If word or byte access is used to exclude dummy data, then cryptographic operation correctness is improved, but system bus throughput deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecryptographic operation correctnessVSAvoidsystem bus throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the amount of data processed based on length indicators. Instead of fixed word or byte access patterns, the cryptographic accelerator dynamically determines the exact boundary between valid data and dummy data using length indicators, allowing optimal transfer size selection while maintaining processing correctness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If portion sizes are pre-configured to exclude dummy data, then cryptographic operation correctness is improved, but system flexibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecryptographic operation correctnessVSAvoidsystem flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses variable length indicators to dynamically specify the size of valid data portions. Instead of pre-configuring fixed portion sizes, the length indicators allow the system to adapt to different data sizes while maintaining cryptographic operation correctness and enabling flexible transfer size selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If transfer size is increased to improve bus efficiency, then system bus throughput is improved, but dummy data quantity increases leading to increased latency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem bus throughputVSAvoidprocessing latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The transferred data is segmented into valid data and dummy data portions. By using length indicators to identify the valid data boundary, the system can process only the necessary valid data portion while the dummy data is efficiently transferred but not processed, reducing unnecessary processing latency while maintaining high bus throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11360911B2Dummy data removal in an authenticated encryption with associated data cryptographic scheme

Publication Date: 2022.06.14 INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

A cryptographic accelerator may include an input buffer to store first data, including a first portion of a message, in a first address range and second data, including a second portion of the message, in a second address range. The cryptographic accelerator may include one or more components to determine lengths of the first and second portions, read the first portion from the first address range, discard any dummy data in the first address range based on an indication of an endpoint of the first data in the first address range, read the second portion from the second address range, and discard any dummy data in the second address range based on an indication of an endpoint of the second data in the second address range. The cryptographic accelerator may include a cryptographic engine to perform a cryptographic operation using the first portion and the second portion.