Relativistic Zero-Knowledge Authentication With Separated Provers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing authentication systems face challenges in verifying the authenticity of a third party due to the difficulty in determining whether the party is genuine and ensuring that responses to challenges are not communicated between multiple communication networks.

Innovation Solution

The use of relativistic zero knowledge proofs, where provers are spatially separated to enforce time-space constraints, allowing them to generate consistent responses within a predetermined time frame based on the distance between them, ensuring non-communication and authenticating the client through synchronized challenges and responses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional authentication systems are used, then communication between multiple networks is enabled, but it becomes difficult to verify the authenticity of third parties and ensure that responses are not communicated between networks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication system is segmented into spatially separated prover instances, where each prover operates independently in a different location. This segmentation prevents communication between provers while maintaining authentication reliability through distributed verification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A trusted timing server acts as an intermediary to coordinate challenges and verify response timing. The timing server enables authentication reliability by ensuring that responses are generated independently within predetermined time constraints without requiring direct communication between networked systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If provers are spatially separated to enforce non-communication, then authentication security is improved, but the system requires precise time synchronization based on distance divided by speed of light

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidtime measurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing predetermined time windows based on the distance between provers divided by the speed of light. These pre-calculated time constraints enable security verification without requiring real-time high-precision measurements during authentication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter from requiring continuous high-precision time measurement to using discrete time windows based on light-speed propagation delays. This parameter transformation maintains security while reducing the stringent precision requirements during actual authentication operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If zero knowledge proofs are used to protect user privacy, then information security is improved, but the system complexity increases due to correlated challenges and responses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser privacy protectionVSAvoidprotocol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple zero knowledge proof protocols into a unified relativistic authentication framework. By combining identity verification, privacy protection, and timing constraints into a single integrated protocol, the overall system complexity is reduced while maintaining comprehensive security and privacy guarantees

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This method provides a quantum-safe authentication system that protects user privacy and ensures the integrity of transactions by verifying the consistency of responses without allowing communication between provers, thus enhancing security and reliability.

Implementation Method 1

the predetermined amount of time may be based on a distance between the first prover electronic device and the second prover electronic device divided by the speed of light

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpeed of light:

Data Source

PatentUS12556414B2Systems and methods for authentication using relativistic zero knowledge proofs

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 JPMORGAN CHASE BANK NA

AI summary

A method may include a first verifier computer program receiving an interaction with a first prover computer program for a client that requires verification comprising an identifier for the client; generating a challenge using a public identification key; issuing the challenge to the first prover computer program and to a second prover computer program; receiving a first response from the first prover computer program and a second response from the second prover computer program; determining that the first response and the second response were received within a predetermined amount of time; determining the first response and the second response are consistent; and informing the first prover computer program that the verification was successful.