Entanglement-Breaking Channel for Secure Quantum Bit Commitment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bit commitment (BC) protocols are vulnerable to manipulation using entangled states, particularly in quantum communication scenarios, where entanglement-based attacks can compromise the security of information exchange between a sender and a receiver.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an entanglement-breaking channel that disrupts the entanglement between photons carrying information, ensuring that the photons cannot be manipulated by entanglement techniques after passing through this channel, thereby enhancing the security of the bit commitment protocol.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If quantum entanglement is used for information exchange, then communication efficiency is improved, but security is worsened due to entanglement-based manipulation attacks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the entanglement property from the quantum system by introducing an entanglement-breaking channel. This channel processes the quantum states in a way that eliminates entanglement while preserving the ability to transmit classical information, thereby maintaining communication efficiency while eliminating security vulnerabilities associated with entanglement-based attacks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an entanglement-breaking channel as an intermediary component between the quantum key distribution system and the classical communication channel. This intermediary processes the quantum states to break entanglement before information exchange occurs, serving as a security gateway that maintains both efficiency and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If entanglement-based quantum protocols are implemented, then communication capability is enhanced, but vulnerability to attacks increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication capabilityVSAvoidvulnerability to attacks
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of entanglement (which enables manipulation attacks) into a beneficial feature by using the presence of entanglement as an indicator that the entanglement-breaking channel needs to be applied. The channel processes entangled states and transforms them into non-entangled states, turning the previously harmful quantum correlation into a security advantage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The use of an entanglement-breaking channel effectively prevents entanglement-based manipulation of information, thereby enhancing the security and reliability of bit commitment protocols in quantum communication systems.

Implementation Method 1

the collection of photons traverses at least along a section of their data path from the sender to the receiver through an entanglement-breaking channel in order to break the entanglement of the collection of photons

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEntanglement-breaking channel:

Data Source

PatentEP4572226A1Techniques for preventing manipulation of information between a sender and a receiver
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG
  • EP4572226A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4572226A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4572226A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Techniques for preventing manipulation of information between a sender and a receiver, comprising the following steps • Specifying a bit state b=0 or b=1 of a collection of photons, in particular N times, the bit state of the photons of the collection representing information, in particular a message, which is to be exchanged between the sender and a receiver in a tamper-proof manner; • transferring the collection of photons, in particular N times, into the specified bit state, wherein the collection of photons, in particular all N photons, traverses at least along a section of their data path from the sender to the receiver through an entanglement-breaking channel in order to break the entanglement of the photons within the collection, in particular the entanglement between the photons of the collection and a corresponding further photons that were originally in an entangled state.