Identity-Based Encryption Using Recipient Criteria Encoding

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing encryption systems face challenges in efficiently managing and distributing encrypted data while maintaining user privacy, particularly in scenarios where recipient identities are unknown, leading to increased database sizes and resource requirements.

Innovation Solution

The system employs identity-based encryption (IBE) with recipient criteria acting as public keys, using reduced ordered binary decision diagrams (ROBDDs) and hash identifiers to encode and represent recipient criteria, reducing database size and communication traffic by encoding recipient criteria into compact formats like ROBDDs and hash IDs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional public key cryptography is used with digitally-signed certificates, then user privacy and confidentiality are protected, but certificate management becomes daunting and database size increases as the number of users and keys increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser privacy and confidentialityVSAvoidcertificate management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the identity information from the cryptographic key pair generation process. Instead of generating random key pairs and managing certificates, the system uses the recipient's identity (e.g., email address, phone number) directly as the public key. This eliminates the need for certificate authorities, certificate storage, and complex certificate management infrastructure while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The identity string serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the recipient's identifier, the public key for encryption, and the basis for key generation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate certificate structures and management systems, directly reducing database complexity while preserving privacy protections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If recipient identities are known for targeted encrypted information dissemination, then messages can be delivered to specific recipients, but user privacy is compromised and database resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetargeted information disseminationVSAvoiduser privacy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary encoding scheme where recipient identities are transformed into encoded identifiers through cryptographic hashing. The sender encrypts messages using these encoded identifiers as public keys without needing to know or store the actual recipient identities. This intermediary layer enables targeted delivery while preserving recipient anonymity and reducing database storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms the recipient identity parameter from a human-readable format (name, email) into a cryptographic format (hashed identifier) that serves as the public key. This parameter transformation enables the system to perform targeted encryption based on identity criteria without storing or processing sensitive identity information, thus maintaining privacy while achieving delivery accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If detailed recipient criteria are stored in the database for anonymous targeting, then anonymous yet targeted encrypted information dissemination is enabled, but network resources and database size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanonymous targeted disseminationVSAvoiddatabase size
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a cryptographic copy or representation of recipient criteria in the form of encoded identifiers and public keys derived from identity information. Instead of storing detailed recipient profiles and criteria, the system stores only the cryptographic representations (public keys, hashed identifiers) that enable targeted encryption. This copying approach enables anonymous targeting while minimizing database storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2537285B1Method and apparatus for applying recipient criteria in identity-based encryption
Publication Date: 2018.09.05 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP2537285B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2537285B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2537285B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An approach is provided for reducing communication traffic and cost by applying recipient criteria in identity-based encryption. A recipient criterion application selects one or more recipient criteria for data, and encrypts the data using the selected one or more recipient criteria as a public key of identity-based encryption.