Dynamic Key Translation for Secure Data Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional data scrambling methods, such as XOR operations, provide weak security and are not suitable for standalone use due to reliance on a single key, making them less secure than encryption systems, especially in scenarios like content protection for consumer electronic devices.

Innovation Solution

A dynamic data protection method using a family of expansion functions and deterministic permutation operations to generate and translate Boolean keys, ensuring efficient and secure masking of data both at compilation and runtime, enhancing security by varying mask values and allowing flexible updates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional XOR scrambling with a single key is used, then computational efficiency is improved, but data security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational efficiencyVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from a static single-key XOR system to a dynamic multi-key system where keys are generated through expansion functions and translated using deterministic permutations. The key translation mechanism allows the system to adaptively change keys during operation, making the scrambling process dynamic rather than static, thereby improving security while maintaining computational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes parameters by introducing key expansion functions that transform a single key into multiple derived keys, and deterministic permutation functions that translate between different key representations. This parameter transformation approach allows the system to use multiple keys with different properties, enhancing security without significantly increasing computational burden compared to simple XOR operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Speed

If lookup tables are used for key translation, then key translation speed is improved, but memory requirements and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvekey translation speedVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical lookup table approach with a computational deterministic permutation function. Instead of storing pre-computed translation values in memory-intensive lookup tables, the system uses an algorithmic function that deterministically translates keys through mathematical operations. This substitution reduces memory requirements and system complexity while maintaining translation speed through efficient computational operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8862896B2Data protection using key translation
Publication Date: 2014.10.14 APPLE INC
  • US8862896B2 patent drawing
  • US8862896B2 patent drawing
  • US8862896B2 patent drawing

AI summary

In the data security field, a data protection process embodied in a computer system or computing device or equivalent and which securely descrambles protected (scrambled) data. The process descrambles the data using a dynamic process employing a set of multi-level trees of deterministic functions to generate a descrambling mask value and recover the descrambled message.