Patent ID: 7372960
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of adding elements of a finite field comprising the steps of: a) storing a first element and a second element in respective ones of a pair of registers, each of said pair of registers comprising a first predetermined number of machine words; b) establishing an accumulator having a second predetermined number of machine words; c) performing a non-reducing computation of the corresponding machine words representing each of said first and second elements by taking the exclusive-or of said first and second elements to obtain, in said accumulator, a representation of a unreduced result of the addition of said elements, and, upon computing said unreduced result: d) performing a specific modular reduction of said unreduced result to reduce said unreduced result to that of a field element of said finite field to obtain a reduced result; and e) using said reduced result in a cryptographic operation.