Message Integrity Processing for Non-Sequential Packet Arrival

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing message authentication algorithms, such as HMAC-SHA and AES-CBC, are serial operations that require data to be processed in order, leading to increased traffic and latency due to the need for reordering and reassembling packets, and cannot operate on message segments that do not align with block boundaries, necessitating full packet reassembly before authentication.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with a cryptosync value to perform encryption and integrity checks on Radio Link Protocol (RLP) segments, allowing for partial tag calculation and accumulation, enabling authentication and encryption of variable-length application packets without requiring sequential processing or full packet reassembly, and supporting out-of-order packet processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional message authentication algorithms (HMAC-SHA, AES-CBC) are used, then message authentication is achieved, but processing latency and bus traffic increase due to required sequential processing and packet reassembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage authenticationVSAvoidprocessing latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the message authentication process into independent per-packet operations. Each packet is authenticated individually using a stateful algorithm that maintains authentication state across packets, eliminating the need to reassemble entire application packets before authentication. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple packets, reducing latency and bus traffic while maintaining authentication reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If conventional message authentication algorithms are used, then message authentication is achieved, but device complexity increases due to required packet reordering and reassembly operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage authenticationVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the authentication state maintenance functionality from the packet reassembly process. By implementing a stateful authentication algorithm that independently tracks authentication state per packet sequence, the system eliminates the need for complex packet reordering and reassembly operations. The authentication function is decoupled from the reassembly function, simplifying the overall processing architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If block-level authentication algorithms are used, then authentication of complete packets is achieved, but processing flexibility decreases because segments ending at non-block boundaries cannot be authenticated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication accuracyVSAvoidprocessing flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic authentication approach where the authentication boundary is not fixed at block levels but adapts to packet boundaries. The stateful algorithm allows authentication to proceed at the packet level regardless of block alignment, dynamically adjusting the processing granularity to match the data structure being authenticated. This enables flexible handling of variable-length packets and non-aligned segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2087643B1Processing method for message integrity with tolerance for non-sequential arrival of message data
Publication Date: 2020.02.12 NOKIA OF AMERICA CORP
  • EP2087643B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2087643B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2087643B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

One example embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for processing an application packet for transmission, includes breaking the application packet into a plurality of segments, creating first pseudorandom bits, and generating partial tags based on each of the plurality of segments and portions of the first pseudorandom bits associated with each of the plurality of segments. The method further including combining the partial tags including a last partial tag associated with a last segment of the application packet to create an accumulated tag, generating an authentication tag based on the accumulated tag and second pseudorandom bits, storing the authentication tag, and transmitting the plurality of segments including the authentication tag.