Set of equipment for secure direct information transfer over the internet

A set of equipment for secure direct information transfer over the Internet contains information transmitting terminal devices for collaborating with an information forwarding network, taking part in the information traffic. The individual information transmitting terminal devices are equipped with a sender partial unit, a receiver partial unit and a storage partial unit comprising an ID-register containing a device identification signal, a C-register for storing a coding key and a D-register for storing a decoding key. The C-register containing the coding key is connected to the sender partial unit, and a coding key and a collaborating decoding key are allocated to each individual information transmitting terminal device.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject of the invention is a set of equipment for secure direct information transfer over the Internet, which contains information transmitting terminal devices suitable for collaborating with an information forwarding network, taking part in the information traffic, the individual information transmitting terminal devices are equipped with a sender partial unit, a receiver partial unit and a storage partial unit comprising an ID-register containing a device identification signal, a C-register suitable for storing a coding key and a D-register suitable for storing a decoding key, where the C-register containing the coding key is in connection with the sender partial unit, and a coding key and a collaborating decoding key are allocated or assigned to the individual information transmitting terminal devices, the storage partial unit of each information transmitting terminal device is completed with one or more temporary storage registers for the temporary storage of the coding keys of other information transmitting terminal devices, while the information forwarding network is completed with at least one central traffic co-ordinating unit, the central traffic co-ordinating unit has an MD-register storing a master decoding key and a memory unit containing base cells for storing the coding keys belonging to the individual information transmitting terminal devices and a master coding key collaborating with the master decoding key is allocated or assigned to the central traffic co-ordinating unit, and the C-registers of the information transmitting terminal devices are provided with a master coding key collaborating with the master decoding key stored in the MD-register of the central traffic co-ordinating unit.

RELATED ART

Due to technical development, especially the development of computer technology and telecommunication electronic equipment are becoming widely used, with the help of which sound and other signal transmission solutions can be realised. In some of these solutions not the ordinary public telecommunication networks are used, and in certain cases, e.g.: for transmitting bank information and making transactions, the transmitted data is coded or encrypted.

International patent No. WO 00/41383 describes a solution with the help of which, in the case that there is appropriate private branch exchange between two telephone sets, the communication chain can be established in a way that after initiating a call first the control unit of the branch exchange finds a remote access database indexing telephone numbers and Internet addresses, there it tries to find the called number, and if it can identify it, then reading the Internet address belonging to the telephone number it established the telephone call over the Internet rather than over the public telephone network, and if it does not find such a telephone number—Internet identifying connection, then it establishes the telephone call over the ordinary public telephone network.

However, the disadvantage of the solution is that if there is no Internet access to the dialed telephone number, then the connection is established in the ordinary way, over the public telephone network, which always results in extra costs for the calling party.

A further disadvantage is that for a cost friendly solution, beside the Internet accessibility of the calling and the called party, traditional telephone connection is also needed, and even individual special private branch exchanges need to be established, which results in a significant increase of the investment costs and also requires further operation and maintenance expenses.

Another significant disadvantage of the solution is that the encryption of the data traffic connection is not solved, and so the traffic can be tapped, it is easily accessible for unauthorised third parties, and by this the established signal forwarding line cannot be used for transmitting optional data.

Another solution is described in international patent application No. WO99/62222 relates to the encryption of telephone traffic. Its main point is that the individual users are given their own password, which they must enter for the central unit in every case after they log in, for the purpose of identifying themselves. The identified users are provided with limited access time from the central unit, during which time their data traffic is encrypted.

However, the greatest disadvantage of this solution is that the period of encrypted data traffic is restricted in time, which in the case when longer connection is needed excludes the possibility of confidential information transfer.

A further disadvantage is that in this case the users must log in the system themselves, and then they must send the central unit a password, which was given to them, so other parties may also know it, and because of the possibility of using a password accessible to other parties confidential data traffic becomes uncertain, and it becomes questionable whether this channel can be used exclusively by a given device or user.

Patent document EP 1.328.101 is also known, this presents a set of equipment that realises coded information transfer with the combination of centralised communication networks similar to the traditional telephone system and the TAN number system known in the financial sphere.

The disadvantage of this solution is that it uses a single key algorithm for the coding of the communication, and it stores all the keys for this in a single place, in the call complex. In this way the system is vulnerable via the call complex, all the communication taking place in the network can be decoded from inside the call complex or while in the possession of the call complex or its data.

Another significant disadvantage of this solution is that the symmetrical keys needed for the decoding of the encrypted communication are required to travel continuously between the elements of the network, and so they can be obtained resulting in the encrypted messages becoming decidable for unauthorised persons, which is inadmissible from the point of view of the system.

A further disadvantage of the solution is that all communication takes place through the call complex, so the data transfer capacity of the call complex is continually burdened in proportion with the number of communications taking place at any specific point in time.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

On the basis of the above our aim with the invention was to overcome the deficiencies of the known solutions and to create a set of equipment with the help of which a connection realising sound, signal or other data traffic can be established in a way identical to ordinary telephoning, so that encrypted information traffic becomes possible independently from the time needed for the connection, during its complete period, and such use always takes place over the Internet, avoiding the public telephone network, which always involves using costs.

The idea behind the invention is based on the recognition that if a suitably constructed central computer unit and terminal devices suitable for establishing Internet-based connection are provided with coding and decoding keys in a way different from the known solutions, then a situation can be achieved where Internet-based communication can be realised in the course of which the sound, still picture, moving picture, signal or other data traffic between the calling party and the called party in connection with each other takes place in an encrypted way impossible to disassemble from the time when the connection is established until it is ended, so that the users of the system do not have any encryption keys or passwords that could be appropriated and by this could endanger the integrity of the network, furthermore the central computer unit in itself is suitable for controlling and managing communication between the terminal devices, and so the task can be solved.

In accordance with the set aim the set of equipment according to the invention for secure direct information transfer over the Internet, B which contains information transmitting terminal devices suitable for collaborating with an information forwarding network, taking part in the information traffic, the individual information transmitting terminal devices are equipped with a sender partial unit, a receiver partial unit and a storage partial unit comprising an ID-register containing a device identification signal, a C-register suitable for storing a coding key and a D-register suitable for storing a decoding key, where the C-register containing the coding key is in connection with the sender partial unit, and a coding key and a collaborating decoding key are allocated or assigned to the individual information transmitting terminal devices, the storage partial unit of each information transmitting terminal device is completed with one or more temporary storage registers for the temporary storage of the coding keys of other information transmitting terminal devices, while the information forwarding network is completed with at least one central traffic co-ordinating unit, the central traffic co-ordinating unit has an MD-register storing a master decoding key and a memory unit containing base cells for storing the coding keys belonging to the individual information transmitting terminal devices and a master coding key collaborating with the master decoding key is allocated or assigned to the central traffic co-ordinating unit, and the C-registers of the information transmitting terminal devices are provided with a master coding key collaborating with the master decoding key stored in the MD-register of the central traffic co-ordinating unit B is constructed in a way that in the storage partial unit of the individual information transmitting terminal devices there is only information free from the given information transmitting terminal devices own coding key, while only the coding key of the other information transmitting terminal device participating in the information exchange is temporarily stored in the temporary storage register of the first information transmitting terminal device, and only the coding key of the first information transmitting terminal device participating in the information exchange is temporarily stored in the temporary storage register of the other information transmitting terminal device, and so for the duration of the actual information exchange the first information transmitting terminal device and the other information transmitting terminal device are directly linked to one another permitting data flow without the mediation of the central traffic co-ordinating unit.

A further criterion of the set of equipment according to the invention may be that the temporary storage registers of the information transmitting terminal devices are connected to the sender partial unit.

In the case of a possible construction of the set of equipment the central traffic co-ordinating unit is provided with an MC-register storing a master coding key.

In another different realisation of the invention in the storage partial unit of the individual information transmitting terminal devices there is only information free from the given information transmitting terminal device's own coding key.

The greatest advantage of the set of equipment according to the invention is that with its use connection between the calling party and the called party can be established with simple means, as in the case of ordinary telephone use, but the costs of information flow are significantly lower, while it is guaranteed that the flow of data remains encrypted during the complete period of the connection.

It must also be regarded as an advantage that due to the information transmitting terminal device belonging to the set of equipment no further expensive additional elements need to be acquired, operated or maintained, which has a favourable influence on the expenses in connection with the use of the equipment.

It must also be regarded as an advantage that the specially constructed information transmitting terminal device itself, together with the central traffic co-ordinating unit, realises the encrypting of the data traffic, and so there is no need for a code, identifier or other additional key given to the users, also accessible to unauthorised parties. Another advantage deriving from this is that it cannot happen that the users cannot enter the system, because they forgot their own code.

A further favourable characteristic of the invention is that the data traffic between the two end points does not take place through a central exchange, which accelerates the flow of information and improves the security of the system, makes the data impossible to disassemble and makes the system impossible to tap.

It is also a disadvantage that as a result of the special nature of the set of equipment according to the invention the terminal devices are impossible to use, if the central computer unit is avoided, which results in that the users of the terminal devices can enter the system only with the approval of the operator of the central computer unit.

A further advantage is that the set of equipment can be installed independently from the manufacturer so that the terminal devices and the central computer unit is uploaded with key pairs by a given operator, and so a closed network can be created, which makes communication possible only for a certain group of users.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a version of the set of equipment according to the invention, in the case of which—for the sake of simplicity—only one call initiating information transmitting terminal device10and one call receiving information transmitting terminal device20is detailed. However, it is clear that the set of equipment can contain an optional number of information transmitting terminal devices10. The number of information transmitting terminal devices is only restricted by the capacity of the central traffic coordinating unit40.

Connection between the information transmitting terminal device10and the information transmitting terminal device20is established by the information forwarding network30, with the help of the central traffic co-ordinating unit40. The information forwarding network30can be an optional communication network, which in this case can mean a wired or wireless, private or public network. The only requirement with respect to the information forwarding network30is that it should be suitable for transmitting the signals to be forwarded at a high data rate used in telecommunication, possibly free from distortion.

It can be seen inFIG. 1that the central traffic coordinating unit40is a high-capacity computer device, which has an MC-register41and an MD-register42on the one part and contains a memory unit43on the other part. In the MC-register41there is a master coding key41a, while in the MD-register42there is a master decoding key42a. This unique key-pair enables the information transmitting terminal device10and the information transmitting terminal device20to realise encrypted data traffic with the central traffic co-ordinating unit40. In the memory unit43of the central traffic co-ordinating unit40there is a base cell43aand another base cell43b, in which the coding key16of the information transmitting terminal device10and the coding key26of the information transmitting terminal device20can be found in a resident way.

However, it must be pointed out here that the master coding key41aand the MC-register41containing it41does not necessarily have to be situated in the central traffic co-ordinating unit40. The MC-register and the master coding key41acan be situated remote from the central traffic co-ordinating unit so that the master coding key41aand the master decoding key42aare not accessible on the same place.

Similarly to traditional telephone sets the information transmitting terminal device10has a keyboard, microphone and sound emitter—not shown here—and apart from these it also has a storage partial unit11, a sender partial unit18and a receiver partial unit19. The storage partial unit11also has an ID-register12for recording the device identification signal12aand a D-register14containing the information transmitting terminal device's10own decoding key17. The C-register13suitable for the temporary or permanent storage of the master coding key41aof the central traffic co-ordinating unit40also belongs here, as well as the temporary storage register15, which is responsible for storing the coding key26of the other terminal device performing actual data traffic—in our case this is the information transmitting terminal device20—during the connection. Practically the temporary storage register15of the information transmitting terminal device10should be connected to the sender partial unit18.

Practically the structural construction of the information transmitting terminal device20is the same as that of the information transmitting terminal device10. Similarly to traditional telephone sets it also has a keyboard, microphone and sound emitter—not shown here either—and a storage partial unit21, a sender partial unit28and a receiver partial unit29. The ID-register22, the D-register24and the temporary storage register25belong to the storage partial unit21. The ID-register records the unique device identifying signal22aof the information transmitting terminal device20, while the D-register24carries the information transmitting terminal device's20own decoding key27. The coding key16of the currently connected information transmitting terminal device10—in our case—can be found in the temporary storage register25. And in this case too the C-register23is for the temporary or permanent storage of the master coding key41a. From the aspect of the information transmitting terminal device20it is favourable, if the temporary storage register25is in connection with the sender register28.

In the course of a possible realisation of the operation of the set of equipment the information transmitting terminal device10acts as the call initiating unit, and the information transmitting terminal device20acts as the called unit, but the set of equipment is also suitable for establishing several signal forwarding connections simultaneously, that is for establishing so-called conference connection.

Dialing the unique identifying number, e.g.: telephone number, of the information transmitting terminal device20or the device identifying signal22aof the information transmitting terminal device20on the information transmitting terminal device10, it sends its login through the information forwarding network to the central traffic co-ordinating unit40in a way that the information transmitting terminal device10codes the login message with the help of the master coding key41asituated in the C-register13of the information transmitting terminal device, and it furthers the coded signal through the sender partial unit18to the central traffic co-ordinating unit40.

With the help of the master decoding key42arecorded in its MD-register42the central traffic co-ordinating unit40disassembles the message coded with the master coding key41a. On the one part on the basis of the content of the message it identifies the information transmitting terminal device10on the basis of its own device identifying signal12a, and on the other part it checks whether an information transmitting terminal device20really belongs to the received device identifying signal22a, and if yes, according to the device identifying signal22ait finds the coding key26of the information transmitting terminal device20in the base cell43bof the memory unit43. The central traffic co-ordinating unit40encrypts the coding key26of the information transmitting terminal device20with the help of the coding key16of the information transmitting terminal device10and sends it to the receiver partial unit19of the information transmitting terminal device10. The receiver partial unit19of the information transmitting terminal device10disassembles the received information with the help of its decoding key17and by this it gains temporary access to the coding key26of the information transmitting terminal device, which it stores in the temporary storage register15of the information transmitting terminal device.

The call initiating information transmitting terminal device10tries to get in contact with the information transmitting terminal device20through the information forwarding network30. If the information transmitting terminal device10cannot get in contact with the information transmitting terminal device20belonging to the device identifying signal22a, then the connection cannot be established.

In the case that the information transmitting terminal device10has managed to get in contact with the information transmitting terminal device20, then it sends its own device identifying signal12aencrypted with the coding key26of the information transmitting terminal device10to the information transmitting terminal device20. The information transmitting terminal device20disassembles it with its own decoding key27and then coding it with the help of the master coding key belonging to the central traffic co-ordinating unit40it sends it through the information forwarding network30to the central traffic co-ordinating unit40, and requests the coding key16of the information transmitting terminal device10from it.

In accordance with the device identifying signal12areceived from the information transmitting terminal device20the central traffic co-ordinating unit40selects the coding key16of the information transmitting terminal device from the base cell43aof the memory unit43. Then the central traffic coordinating unit40encrypts the coding key16of the information transmitting terminal device10with the help of the coding key26of the information transmitting terminal device20, and sends it to the information transmitting terminal device20. The information transmitting terminal device20receives the encrypted message sent by the central traffic coordinating unit40in its receiver partial unit29, disassembles it with its own decoding key27as a result of which it gets to know the coding key16of the call initiating information transmitting terminal device10, which it stores temporarily in the temporary storage register25of the information transmitting terminal device20in a way impossible to read.

After the coding key16has been sent to the information transmitting terminal device20and the coding key26has been sent to the information transmitting terminal device10the information transmitting terminal device10can encrypt its information to be sent to the information transmitting terminal device20with the help of the coding key26, so that now the information can be sent through the sender partial unit18straight to the information transmitting terminal device20, which in its receiver partial unit29receives the data sent from the sender partial unit18of the information transmitting terminal device10through the information forwarding network30—and coded with the coding key26of the information transmitting terminal device20—it can disassemble it and so it becomes easily interpretable for the person or equipment using the information transmitting terminal device20.

The information transmitting terminal device20can answer the information received from the information transmitting terminal device10so that it encrypts the data it intends to send with the help of the coding key16situated in the temporary storage register25, sends it to the sender partial unit28, from there to the information forwarding network30, and then it is directly furthered to the receiver partial unit19of the information transmitting terminal device10. It tries to disassemble the data arriving at the receiver partial unit19with the decoding key17of the information transmitting terminal device10, and it succeeds, then the data can be easily interpreted by the person or equipment using the information transmitting terminal device10.

This direct signal traffic between the information transmitting terminal device10and the information transmitting terminal device20through the information forwarding network is realised in a way that the central traffic co-ordinating unit40does not take part in it. The information transmitting terminal device10and the information transmitting terminal device20temporarily get to know each other's coding key16and coding key26, and they are able to realise direct information exchange. After the termination of the traffic between information transmitting terminal device10and the information transmitting terminal device20the coding key26situated in the temporary storage register15of the information transmitting terminal device10is deleted, and the same happens with the coding key16situated in the temporary storage register25of the information transmitting terminal device20.

After finishing the call of the information transmitting terminal device10, in the information transmitting terminal device20only its own decoding key27situated in the D-register24and the master coding key41asituated in the C-register23remain. At the same time the information transmitting terminal device10only keeps its own decoding key17situated in the D-register14and the master coding key41asituated in the C-register13.

On the basis of describing the process it can be seen that in the course of establishing data forwarding the information transmitting terminal device10, the information transmitting terminal device20and the central traffic coordinating unit40do not get in a position even for a moment when they have a coding-decoding key pair belonging together at the same time. So it is not possible for anyone of the users of the set of equipment to have access to the coding key16and the decoding key17, or the coding key26and the decoding key27at the same time.

It is obvious that the central traffic coordinating unit40is able to store and administrate network addresses needed for network access, determined by the characteristics of the information forwarding network40, and forward the addresses needed for establishing connection towards the information transmitting terminal devices10and20.

In the interest of increasing security even more, it can also be solved that the central traffic co-ordinating unit40does not contain the master coding key41aand the master decoding key42aat the same time. Knowing only one member of the coding-decoding key pairs makes it impossible to decrypt encrypted messages.