HARQ Random Seed Synchronization for Keyless Secure Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing secure transmission methods, including key-based encryption, face vulnerabilities due to complex protocols that are exploited by adversaries, leading to communication overheads and delays, and physical layer security technologies provide limited security with non-target receivers still obtaining transmitted information.

Innovation Solution

A method for synchronizing random seeds between a receiver and transmitter using downlink control information to update security processing, enabling keyless transmission in cellular networks by associating each HARQ process with a security module for parallel security processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If key-based encryption (symmetric or asymmetric) is used for secure transmission, then security is provided, but complex protocols are required for key maintenance and management, leading to vulnerabilities, communication overheads, and delays

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidprotocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the key management functionality from the communication protocol stack and replaces it with a physical layer security mechanism. Instead of maintaining complex key protocols at higher layers, the invention uses channel characteristics and physical layer processing to provide security, thereby eliminating the need for complex key maintenance and management protocols while reducing vulnerabilities and overhead

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/key-based cryptographic system with a physical layer security system that uses channel characteristics, signal processing, and physical phenomena to provide security. This substitution eliminates the need for key management protocols and reduces complexity by moving security functionality from the protocol layer to the physical layer

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

2Reliability

If key-based encryption protocols are used, then security is provided, but communication overheads and delays increase, making them unable to cope with highly dynamic networks

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcommunication efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces key-based cryptographic mechanisms with physical layer security processing that operates in parallel with data transmission. This substitution eliminates sequential key management operations, reduces communication overhead, and improves efficiency by providing security at the physical layer without impacting higher layer protocols

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables continuous security processing by integrating security functions into the physical layer transmission and reception processes. Security operations occur continuously alongside data transmission without requiring separate key exchange phases or interrupting the communication flow, thereby maintaining high productivity in dynamic networks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If physical layer security transmission technology is used, then basic security is provided, but security is limited and non-target receivers still have a high probability of obtaining transmitted information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidsecurity strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite security mechanism that combines physical layer security techniques with additional security processing layers. This composite approach integrates multiple security functions including channel exploitation, signal processing, and cryptographic operations working together to achieve both high security strength and transmission efficiency, overcoming the limitations of standalone physical layer security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP4716146A1Secure communication method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4716146A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4716146A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4716146A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a secure communication method and an apparatus, to synchronize random seeds between a receiver end and a transmitter end, and relates to the field of wireless communication technologies. In the method, a terminal device receives downlink control information, where the downlink control information indicates whether the kth piece of data transmitted in the ith HARQ process is newly transmitted. If the kth piece of data is newly transmitted, a random seed is updated. An updated random seed is used for security processing on the kth piece of data. Based on this solution, a network device indicates, to the terminal device by using the downlink control information, whether the scheduled kth piece of data is newly transmitted. When the kth piece of data is newly transmitted, the terminal device may update the random seed, thereby synchronizing the random seed with the network device. This enhances data transmission security, and makes a keyless transmission method feasible in a cellular network protocol framework.