Encryption Key Generation via Environmental Entropy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional encryption key generation techniques face challenges in balancing randomness and computational intensity, particularly in resource-constrained devices like smartphones, where generating highly unpredictable keys is essential but computationally expensive, especially when relying on prime numbers or single key generation.
Innovation Solution
A method using user-defined variables and environmental variables from smartphones, such as light levels and movement, to create scrambling functions that produce a highly randomized encryption key with reduced processing resources, allowing for frequent key regeneration and secure transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional techniques use highly random number sequences for encryption key generation, then security and unpredictability are improved, but computational intensity and processing resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the encryption key generation process into two distinct parts: a seed generation phase using environmental variables, and a key derivation phase using a key derivation function. This segmentation allows the computationally intensive randomization to be replaced with simpler environmental sensing, reducing processing resource consumption while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the device's own environmental sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, etc.) to generate the seed variables for encryption key generation. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external random number generators or complex cryptographic random number generation algorithms, significantly reducing computational intensity while utilizing readily available hardware resources.
2Reliability
If prime numbers are used for generating encryption keys, then cryptographic strength is improved, but computation difficulty increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, computationally intensive prime number generation with a cheaper alternative: environmental variable collection and key derivation. The system uses readily available sensor data combined with a key derivation function to generate secure keys, avoiding the need for complex prime number algorithms while maintaining cryptographic strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical/mathematical process of prime number generation with a different approach based on environmental sensing and cryptographic key derivation. Instead of relying on number-theoretic complexity, the system uses entropy from environmental variables processed through a key derivation function, replacing complex computation with simpler sensing and derivation operations.
3Device complexity
If a single encryption key is generated and security measures are used to keep it secret, then key management is simplified, but the ability to regularly update keys is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic key generation by allowing the system to repeatedly collect environmental variables and generate new encryption keys as needed. Unlike static single-key approaches, this system can dynamically generate fresh keys for each encryption operation or time interval, enhancing security through regular key rotation while maintaining simple key management through the use of environmental entropy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of generating an encryption key. The method comprises collecting a plurality of user defined variables defined by input from a user and collecting a plurality of environmental variables associated with varying environmental conditions. The method further comprises defining parameters of a plurality of scrambling functions using the user defined variables and calculating a plurality of scramble values. Each scramble value comprises a combination of environmental variables combined in accordance with one of the plurality of scrambling functions. The method further comprises combining the scramble values to produce a scramble code and generating the encryption key from the scramble code.