Patent ID: 11895234
Assignee: JUNIPER NETWORKS, INC.
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a node and from a quantum key-distribution device of a pair of quantum key-distribution devices, a first message that includes an identifier associated with a key,
wherein the key is associated with a particular time window;

sending, by the node and to another node, a second message that includes at least one of the identifier associated with the key and a request to perform at least one task,
wherein sending the second message to the other node causes the other node to obtain the key from another quantum key-distribution device of the pair of quantum key-distribution devices;

receiving, by the node and from the other node, a third message that includes information associated with performance of the at least one task by the other node and information indicating a time of performance of the at least one task by the other node;
receiving, by the node and from the quantum key-distribution device, a fourth message that includes the key and information indicating the particular time window;
wherein the fourth message is received after expiration of the particular time window;

processing, by the node and based on the fourth message, the third message by identifying the time of performance of the at least one task by the other node to determine whether the third message is valid; and
causing, by the node and based on determining whether the third message is valid, one or more actions to be performed by the other node.