COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

Abstract: The IC card (10) is provided with one encipher device (12) and the card terminal (20) is provided with second encipher device (22). The communication signals are enciphered in both directions, and the algorithm of random numbers or function computations is never decoded.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a communication apparatus which performs, between two communication devices, the confirmation of legitimacy of the communication partner and the implementation of confidentiality and recognition of transmitted messages. BACKGROUND ART Fig. 5 shows an IC card apparatus which is an example of the conventional communication apparatus, and shown in the case in which the first communication device is a card terminal and the second communication device is an IC card. In Fig. 5, a card terminal 400 comprises a random number generation means 401 which generates a random number R, a first computation means 402 which performs a functional computation F 1 for first confidential data K 1 and the random number R provided by said random number generation means 401, comparison means 403 which compares data provided by said first computation means 402 and data entered from an IC card 450, first processing means 406 which performs such data processings as data input/output, storing and operation, first encryption means 404 which encrypts the data sent out from said first processing means by using a first encryption key KE 1 , second decryption means 405 which decrypts encrypted data entered from the IC card 450 by using a second decryption key KD 2 . The IC card 450 which exchanges information with the card terminal 400 comprises second computation means 452 which performs a functional computation F 2 for second confidential data K 2 and the random number R entered from the card terminal 400, second processing means 456 which performs such data processings as data input/output, storing and operation, first decryption means 454 which decrypts encrypted data entered from the card terminal 400 by using a first decryption key KD 1 , and second encryption means 455 which encrypts the data sent out from said second processing means 456 by using a second encryption key KE 2 . The following explains the operation of the conventional IC card apparatus arranged as described above. When the IC card 450 has been inserted in the card terminal 400, the card terminal 400 operates on the random number generation means 401 to generate a random number R and sends it to the IC card 450 in order to confirm the legitimacy of the IC card 450 (confirm that it is not a fake) before exchanging information. The random number R received by the IC card 450 is entered to the second computation means 452, and, after being performed the predetermined functional operation F 2 with the second confidential data K 2 which is stored in the IC card 450, sent to the card terminal 400 and entered to the comparison means 403 in the card terminal 400. In the card terminal 400, similarly to the IC card 450, the random number R provided by the random number generation means 401 is entered to the first computation means 402, and, after being performed the predetermined functional operation F 1 with the first confidential data K 1 which is stored in the card terminal 400, entered to the comparison means 403. The first and second computation means 402 and 452 perform the same functional operation, and if the first and second confidential data are identical data, the two pieces of data entered to the comparison means 403 have the same value. The comparison means 403 compares the entered two pieces of data, and so far as both data match, the card terminal 400 judges that the IC card 450 is a legitimate IC card, and allows the first processing means 406 to exchange data with the IC card 450. The first processing means 406, which has been granted the information exchange, sends the transmission data to the first encryption means 404, and the first encryption means 404 uses the first encryption key KE 1 stored in the card terminal 400 to encrypt the entered transmission data and sends it to the IC card 450. The encrypted data received by the IC card 450 is entered to the first decryption means 454 and decrypted by use of the first decryption key KD 1 which is stored in the IC card 450, and is entered to the second processing means 456. The second processing means 456 sends the transmission data to the second encryption means 455, and the second encryption means 455 uses the second encryption key KE 2 which is stored in the IC card 450 to encrypt it and sends it to the card terminal 400. The encrypted data received by the card terminal 400 is entered to the second decryption means 405 and decrypted by use of the second decryption key KD 2 which is stored in the card terminal 400, and is entered to the first processing means 406. In this manner, by repeating the encryption process and decryption process, information exchange takes place between the card terminal 400 and IC card 450. In the foregoing conventional IC card apparatus, a first problem is that the IC card 450 cannot confirm the legitimacy of the card terminal 400. As regard to this problem, by the provision of the IC card 450 with a random number generation means and comparison means similar to those of the card terminal 400, it is possible for the IC card 450 to confirm the legitimacy of the card terminal 400 in the same manner as legitimacy confirmation for the IC card 450 by the card terminal 400, and the problem can readily be solved. However, in the foregoing conventional IC card apparatus, the random number R generated for the confirmation of legitimacy of the IC card 450 by the card terminal 400 and the result F 2 (R, K 2 ) of computation for the random number R by the computation means 452 appears each time in the interface section between the card terminal 400 and IC card 450, allowing the third person to readily know the random number R and the computation result F 2 (R, K 2 ), and in the event of a leakage of the algorism of functional operation, the confidential data can be analyzed and the IC card 450 can be faked. For the information exchange, communication takes place between the card terminal 400 and IC card 450 while performing the encryption process and decryption process for the information to be exchanged by use of the encryption key and decryption key which have been stored in advance in the card terminal 400 and IC card 450, and therefore if the same encryption algorism and same keys are used in the encryption process and decryption process for a long period of time, the cryptograph can be analyzed and communication information can be leaked. In order to solve these problems, the confidential data and the encryption key and decryption key stored in both of the card terminal 400 and IC card 450 need to be changed frequently, however, since IC card 450 is possessed by many unspecified users in many cases, it is virtually difficult to change the confidential data and the encryption key and decryption key in practice. According to EP-A-0 063 794, a communication apparatus is proposed wherein data including a random number, a temporary key generated on the basis of the random number and personal data are encrypted in the first communication device by using a public key. The likewise encrypted data is transmitted to the second communication device where it is decrypted by using a secret decryption key. Thereafter, the decrypted data is processed in the second communication device. The processed data is encrypted by the temporary key and sent back to the first communication device where it is decrypted by using the temporary key and further processed. In a communication apparatus disclosed in EP-A-0 225 010, personal data to be transferred from a first communication device to a second communication device is encypted by using a selected key in the first communication device and transmitted to the second communication device. Additionally, the selected key is encrypted by a conventional key in the first communication device and also transmitted to the second communication device. In the second communication device, the selected key is obtained by decrypting the data encrypted by using the conventional key and thereafter used to decrypt the decrypted personal data. A communication apparatus according to the precharacterizing portions of claims 1 and 3 is proposed in EP-A- 0166 541. The operation of a communication apparatus disclosed in said document is as follows: when it is intended to perform a communication between a first communication device and second communication device, a random number R is generated in the first communication device and transmitted to the second communication device. In the second communication device, an enciphering algorithm is generated on the basis of the result of an exclusive-OR operation connecting the random number R, a personal key word I and system key word S. A message M to be transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device is enciphered by using the likewise generated enciphering algorithm and the enciphered message M' is sent to the first communication device together with the personal key word I. In the first communication device, a deciphering algorithm is generated on the basis of the results of an exclusive-OR operation connecting a random number R stored in the first communication device, the system key word S which is also stored in the first communication device and the personal key word I, which is transmitted from the second communication device to the first communication device. While the above described data transmission techniques ensure safe transmission of confidential data, the increasing constructional effort involved therewith often gives rise to transmission errors which might lead to misleading results when further processing likewise faked data. In view of the above, it is the object of the present invention to provide a communication apparatus enabling safe transmission of confidential data while simultaneously providing the possibility to verify the transmitted data. This is achieved by the apparatus featured in claims 1 and 3. The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figs. 1 and 3 are block diagrams, each showing the arrangement of the communication means according to an embodiment of this invention; Figs. 2 and 4 are explanatory diagrams, each showing the procedure of generating the identifier according to corresponding embodiments of this invention; and Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a conventional IC card device. The following explains embodiments of this invention using the drawings. (Embodiment 1) Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the first and second communication means according to an embodiment of this invention. In Fig. 1, 201 is a first device which performs data transmission, and 202 is a second device which performs data reception, and in an IC card apparatus the first device 201 is a terminal and the second device 202 is an IC card, although they will be termed first and second devices in the following explanation. 203 is a plain text block storage means, 204 is a first encryption means which enters n-bit data and delivers n-bit data, 205 is a first register, 206 is a first exclusive-OR operation means, 207 is a decryption means which corresponds to the first encryption means 204, 208 is a second register, 209 is a second exclusive-OR operation means, 210 is a restoration block storage means, 211 is a second encryption means which performs the same operation as of the first encryption means 204, 212 is a third register, 213 is a third exclusive-OR operation means, 214 is a comparison means, and 215 and 216 are an n-bit fixed pattern (P) possessed commonly by the first device 201 and second device 202. The following explains this embodiment with reference to Fig. 1. As the initial state, a same value I is stored in the first, second and third registers 205, 208 and 212. For the I, a random number shared confidentially by the first and second communication devices can be used, for example. The first device 201 divides the plain text block stored in the plain text block storage means 203 into strings of n-bit that is the unit of encryption. The resulting n-bit data strings will be termed M 1 , M 2 and M 3 (the fixed pattern (P) 215 will be described later). The leading n-bit data M 1 is delivered to the first exclusive-OR operation means 206. The first exclusive-OR operation means 206 computes the exclusive-OR between the n-bit data M 1 and the data (initial value I) in the first register, and delivers it to the encryption means 204. The encryption means 204 implements the encryption process for the input from the first exclusive-OR operation means 206, and sends it to the second device 202. For the encryption key in this operation, a random number shared confidentially by the first and second communication devices can be used, for example. Provided that the disorderliness of the encryption means 204 is sufficient, it is very difficult for a third person who does not have the decryption means 207 to obtain the plain text M 1 from the communication data (cipher text). In this manner, the implementation of message confidentiality is made possible. The second device 202 restores the plain text M 1 from the reception data (cipher text) in the following manner. The second device 202 uses the decryption means 207 to perform the decryption process for the received data, and delivers the result to the second exclusive-OR operation means 209. The second exclusive-OR operation means 209 computes the exclusive-OR between the input from the decryption means 207 and the data (initial value I) in the second register, and stores the result M 1 ′ in the restoration block storage means 210. After that, the first device 201 stores the output (i.e., transmission data) of the first encryption means 204 in the first register 205 in place of the initial value I. Similarly, the second device 202 stores the reception data from the first device 201 in the second register 208. Accordingly, unless the transmission data is altered accidentally or intentionally, the first register 205 and second register 208 always stores the same value. By repeating the process of the leading n-bit data M 1 for the M 2 and M 3 identically, the restored original data are stored sequentially in the restoration block storage means 210. This cryptograph-based mode is known generally as CBC mode, and since the content of preceding data affects the encryption output of successive data, it provides such effectiveness as a different output of the first encryption means 204 even for the same transmission data M 1 , M 2 and M 3 by changing the initial value I of the first register 205. Next, a method of creating the identifier will be explained with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure of creating the identifier, in which 221 is a plain text block (M 1 , M 2 , M 3 ), 215 is a fixed pattern (P) shown in Fig. 5, 222 is an initial value I of the first register 205, 223-226 are encryption processes executed by the first encryption means 204, 227-230 are exclusive-OR operations executed by the first exclusive-OR operation means 206, and 231 is an identifier created finally. The plain text block (M 1 , M 2 , M 3 ) 221 and the fixed pattern (P) are linked. First, the exclusive-OR 227 between the leading n-bit data (M 1 ) of the plain text block 221 and the initial value (I) 222 is computed, and the result is entered to the encryption process 223. Next, the exclusive-OR 228 between that result and the second n-bit data (M 2 ) is computed, and the result is entered to the encryption process 224. The operation is repeated for the third n-bit data (M 3 ) and the fixed pattern (P), thereby obtaining finally the identifier 231. This is a means of creating the identifier by utilization of the CBC mode, and it meets the following conditions of identifier creation means. (1) The identifier is dependent on all bits of data of the plain text block. (2) For a plain text m, identifier creation means f, and identifier a = f(m), it is very difficult to obtain x which meets the following. f(m) = f(x) The procedure of creating the identifier described above in connection with Fig. 2 is completely identical to the procedure of data encryption shown in Fig. 1, and it is possible to have the identifier creation process and data encryption process concurrently. Namely, the output of the encryption processes 223-226 in Fig. 2 is sent to the second device 202 as an output (encrypted output of transmission data) of the encryption means 204. Specifically, the output of the encryption process 226, i.e., the identifier 231, in Fig. 2 is the output of the encryption means 204 for the fixed pattern (P) 215 in Fig. 1, and it is stored in the second register 208. Next, the procedure of verifying the identifier will be described with reference to Fig. 1. First, a processing means (not shown) of the second device 202 replaces the last n-bit data out of the data stored in the restoration block storage means 210 with the fixed pattern 216. In case communication has taken place normally, the original data to be replaced is equal to the fixed pattern 216. Next, the second device 202 uses the second encryption means 211 which performs the same operation as of the first encryption means 204, third register 212 and third exclusive-OR operation means 213 to create comparison data in the same procedure as that of the first device 201 for creating the identifier 231. The comparison data is stored in the third register 212. Finally, the second device 202 uses the comparison means 214 to compare the identifier 231 stored in the second register 208 with the comparison data stored in the third register 212 thereby to verify whether or not the communication data has been tampered. As described above, the first device 201 on the part of the transmitter uses the same mechanism for the encryption process and identifier creation process, and performs these processes at once, whereby the number of component parts (or the size of program) can be reduced and the processing speed can be enhanced significantly. As regard to the second device 202 on the part of the receiver, although the processing speed cannot be improved, there are many parts shared by the second encryption means 211 and decryption means 207, and therefore the reduction in the number of component parts is possible. Particularly, in case the second device 202 also has transmission, it is inherently equipped with the second encryption means 211, third register 212 and third exclusive-OR operation means 213, and therefore the further reduction in the number of component parts is possible. (Embodiment 2) Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the first and second communication means according to another embodiment of this invention. In Fig. 3, 301 is a first device which performs data transmission, and 302 is a second device which performs data reception, and the first device 301 is a terminal and the second device 302 is an IC card in an IC card apparatus, although they will be termed the first and second devices in the following explanation. 303 is a plain text block storage means, 304 is a confidential encryption means which enters n-bit data and delivers n-bit data, 305 is a first register, 306 is a second register, 307 is a first exclusive-OR operation means, 308 is a second exclusive-OR operation means, 309 is a confidential decryption means which corresponds to the first encryption means 304, 310 is a third register, 311 is a fourth register, 312 is a third exclusive-OR operation means, 313 is a fourth exclusive-OR operation means, 314 is a restoration block storage means, 315 is a comparison means, 316 and 317 are an n-bit fixed pattern (P) possessed commonly by the first device 301 and second device 302, and 318 is a comparison data to be compared with the fixed pattern (P) 317. The following Table 1 shows values of data in case communication has taken place normally. In Table 1, symbol "+" denotes the exclusive-OR operation. The following explains this embodiment in connection with Fig. 3 and Table 1. In the following explanation, symbol "+" denotes the exclusive-OR operation. As the initial state, a same value J 0 is stored in the first and fourth registers 305 and 311, and a same value I is stored in the second and third registers 306 and 310. For the J 0 and I, random numbers shared confidentially by the first and second communication devices can be used, for example. The first device 301 divides the plain text block stored in the plain text block storage means 303 into strings of n-bit that is the unit of encryption. The resulting n-bit data strings will be termed M 1 , M 2 and M 3 (the fixed pattern (P) 316 will be described later). The leading n-bit data M 1 is delivered to the first exclusive-OR operation means 307. The first exclusive-OR operation means 307 computes the exclusive-OR between the n-bit data M 1 and the data (initial value J 0 ) in the first register 305, and delivers the result M 1 +J 0 to the encryption means 304. The encryption means 304 implements the encryption process for the input M 1 +J 0 from the first exclusive-OR operation means 307, and sends the result J 1 = E(M 1 +J 0 ) to the second exclusive-OR operation means 308. For the encryption key in this operation, a random number shared confidentially by the first and second communication devices can be used, for example. The second exclusive-OR operation means 308 computes the exclusive-OR between the input J 1 from the encryption means 304 and the data (initial value I) in the second register 306, and sends the result J 1 +I to the second device 302. Provided that the disorderliness of the encryption means 304 is sufficient, it is very difficult for a third person who does not have the decryption means 307 to obtain the plain text M 1 from the communication data (cipher text) J 1 +I = E(M 1 +J 0 )+I. In this manner, the implementation of message confidentiality is made possible. The second device 302 restores the plain text M 1 from the reception data (cipher text) in the following manner. The second device 302 uses the third exclusive-OR operation means 312 to compute the exclusive-OR between the received data J 1 +I and the data (initial value I) in the third register 310, and delivers the result (J 1 +I)+I = J 1 to the decryption means 309. The decryption means 309 implements the decryption process for the data J 1 = E(M 1 +J 0 ), and delivers the result M 1 +J 0 to the fourth exclusive-OR operation means 313. The fourth exclusive-OR operation means 313 computes the exclusive-OR between the input M 1 +J 0 from the decryption means 309 and the data (initial value J 0 ) in the fourth register 311 thereby to restore (M 1 +J 0 )+J 0 = M 0 (original plain text), and stores it in the restoration block storage means 314. After that, the first device 301 stores the output J 1 of the encryption means 304 in the first register 305 in place of the initial value J 0 , and stores the plain text M 1 in the second register 306 in place of the initial value I. Similarly, the second device 302 stores the output J 1 of the third exclusive-OR operation means 312 in the fourth register 311 in place of the initial value J 0 and stores the restored data M 1 in the third register 310 in place of the initial value I. Accordingly, unless data in transmission is altered accidentally or intentionally, the first register 305 and fourth register 311 and the second register 306 and third register 310 always stores same values. By repeating the process of the leading n-bit data M 1 for the M 2 and M 3 identically, restored original data are stored sequentially in the restoration block storage means 314. This cryptograph-usage mode is a variant of the one known generally as CBC mode. Namely, the transmitter is provided with a feed-forward function in addition to the feedback function of the CBC mode, with the receiver being a symmetrical version thereof. Since the content of preceding data affects the encryption output of successive data due to the feedback function possessed by the transmitter, it provides such effectiveness as a different output of the encryption means 304 even for the same transmission data M 1 , M 2 and M 3 by changing the initial value J 0 of the first register 305. Although this is the inherent feature of the CBC mode, adding the feed-forward function to the transmitter (also adding a feedback function symmetrical to it to the receiver) yields the effectiveness of verifying the message concurrently to decryption, as will be described in detail later. Next, a method of creating the identifier will be explained with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure of creating the identifier, in which 321 is a plain text block (M 1 , M 2 , M 3 ), 316 is a fixed pattern (P) shown in Fig. 3, 322 is an initial value J 0 of the first register 305, 323-326 are encryption processes executed by the encryption means 304, 327-330 are the exclusive-OR operations executed by the first exclusive-OR operation means 307, 331 is the data M 3 stored in the second register 306, 332 is the exclusive-OR operation executed by the second exclusive-OR operation means 308, and 333 is the identifier created finally. The plain text block (M 1 , M 2 , M 3 ) 321 and the fixed pattern (P) 316 are linked. First, the exclusive-OR 327 between the leading n-bit data (M 1 ) of the plain text block 321 and the initial value (J 0 ) 322 is computed, and the result is rendered the encryption process 323. Next, the exclusive-OR 328 between that result and the second n-bit data (M 2 ) is computed, and the result is rendered the encryption process 324. The operation is repeated for the third n-bit data (M 3 ) and the fixed pattern (P) and, thereafter, the exclusive-OR 332 between that result and the value (M 3 ) 331 of the second register 306 at that time point is computed, thereby obtaining finally the identifier 333. This is a means of creating the identifier by utilization of the CBC mode, and it meets the following conditions of identifier creation means. (1) The identifier is dependent on all bits of data of the plain text block. (2) For a plain text m, identifier creation means f, and identifier a = f(m), it is very difficult to obtain x which meets the following. f(m) = f(x) The procedure of creating the identifier described above in connection with Fig. 4 is completely identical to part of the procedure of data encryption shown in Fig. 3, and it is possible to carry out the identifier creation process and data encryption process concurently. Namely, the output of the encryption processes 323-326 in Fig. 4 is comparable with the output of the encryption means 304 in Fig. 3, and it is sent to the second device 302 by way of the second exclusive-OR operation means 308. Specifically, the identifier 333 in Fig. 4 becomes the output of the second exclusive-OR operation means 308 for the fixed pattern (P) 316 in Fig. 3. Finally, a method of verifying the identifier will be explained. As shown in Table 1, in case the communication has taken place normally, the comparison data 318 becomes equal to the fixed pattern (P) 317. Values of data of the case in which data for the plain text M 2 on the communication line has been tampered are shown in Table 2. In this case, the restored sentence for the plain text M 2 does not match with M 2 , resulting in a different value of the third register 310 for the next plain text M 3 from M 2 (in the case of this embodiment, the fourth register 311 also takes a value different from J 2 ). Accordingly, the restored sentence for the plain text M 3 does not match with the M 3 either. This is the effect of the feedback function possessed by the second device 302 (receiver). Similarly, the restored sentence for the fixed pattern (P) 316 also has its value different from the fixed pattern (P) 316 (i.e., fixed pattern (P) 317). In conclusion, it will be appreciated that by comparing the comparison data 318 with the fixed pattern 317 by the comparison means 315, message verification is possible. Since the comparison data 318 is the final data in the restoration block storage means 314, message restoration and verification can be implemented concurrently. As described above, the transmitter implements the encryption process and identifier creation process at once with the same mechanism, and the receiver implements the decryption process and identifier verification process at once with the same mechanism, whereby the number of component parts (or the size of program) can be reduced and the processing speed can be enhanced significantly. By using the completely same constituent blocks as of this embodiment, with a modification being made for the input sections of the first through fourth registers 305, 306, 310 and 311, it is possible to offer the encryption process method having the same effectiveness as of this embodiment. Furthermore, the first communication device or the second communication device can be an IC card.

Claims: A communication apparatus having a first communication device (201) and a second communication device (202), said first communication device comprising first encryption means (204) which encrypts an n-bit data unit and produces an encrypted n-bit data unit, a first register (205), and first exclusive-OR operation means (206), said second communication device (202) comprising decryption means (207) which pairs with said first encryption means (204), a second register (208), second exclusive-OR operation means (209), a third register (212), and third exclusive-OR operation means (213), characterized in that said second communication device (202) further comprises second encryption means (211), which implements the same operation as said first encryption means (204), said first exclusive-OR operation means (206) implements the exclusive-OR operation on one of a plurality of n-bit data units provided by dividing plain text into n-bit data units and the contents of said first register (205) and delivers the result to said first encryption means (204), said first encryption means (204) implements an encryption operation on the output from said first exclusive-OR operation means (206) and delivers the result to said decryption means (207), said decryption means (207) implements a decryption operation on the output from said first encryption means and delivers the result to said second exclusive-OR operation means (209), said second exclusive-OR operation means (209) implementing the exclusive-OR operation on the output from said decryption means (207) and the contents of said second register (208) thereby to produce n-bit restored data, after completion of each such processing for any n-bit data unit to be transmitted, the encrypted n-bit data unit delivered by said first encryption means (204) is stored in said first register (205) and said second register (208), said third exclusive-OR operation means (213) implements the exclusive-OR operation on said n-bit restored data and the contents of said third register (212) and delivers the result to said second encryption means (211), said second encryption means implements an encryption operation on the output from said third exclusive-OR operation means (213) and the result of said encryption operation implemented by said second encryption means (211) is stored in said third register (212), and in that said second communication device further comprises comparison means (214) operable to compare data stored in said third register (212) with data stored in said second register (208) thereby verifying whether or not the data sent from the first communication device have been tampered with. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first communication device (201) or said second communication device (202) is an IC card. A communication apparatus having a first communication device (301) and a second communication device (302), said first communication device (301) comprising encryption means (304) which encrypts an n-bit data unit and produces an encrypted n-bit data unit, a first register (305), a second register (306), a first exclusive-OR operation means (307), and a second exclusive-OR operation means (308), said second communication device (302) comprising decryption means (309) which pairs with said encryption means (304), a third register (310), a fourth register (311), third exclusive-OR operation means (312) and fourth exclusive-OR operation means (313), characterized in that said first exclusive-OR operation means (307) implements the exclusive-OR operation on one of a plurality of n-bit data units provided by dividing plain text into n-bit data units and the contents of said first register (305) and delivers the result to said encryption means (304), said encryption means (304) implements an encryption operation on the output from said first exclusive-OR operation means (307) and delivers the result to said second exclusive-OR operation means (308), said second exclusive-OR means (308) implements the exclusive-OR operation on the output from said encryption means (304) and the contents of said second register (306) and delivers the result to said third exclusive-OR operation means (312), said third exclusive-OR operation means (312) implements the exclusive-OR operation on the output from said second exclusive-OR operation means (308) and the contents of said third register (310) and delivers the result to said decryption means (309), said decryption means (309) implements a decryption operation on the output from said third exclusive-OR operation means (312) and delivers the result to said fourth exclusive-OR operation means (313), said fourth exclusive-OR operation means (313) implements the exclusive-OR operation on the output from said decryption means (309) and the contents of said fourth register (311), and in that after transmission of said plain text, an n-bit fixed pattern (316) is transmitted by making use of the data stored in said registers (305, 306, 310 and 311) after transmission of said plain text is completed, the data obtained after transmission of said n-bit fixed pattern as an output of said fourth exclusive-OR operation means (313) are stored in a restoration block storage means (314) as comparison data (318) and in that said second communication device (302) further comprises comparison means (315) operable to compare said comparison data (318) stored in said restoration block storage means (314) with comparison data (317) having been previously stored in said second communication device (302) thereby verifying whether or not the data sent from the first communication device have been tampered with. A communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first communication device (301) or second communication device (302) is an IC card.

Inventors: ITO MAMORU, TAKAGI NOBUYA, ITO, MAMORU, TAKAGI, NOBUYA
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G06K17
IPC codes: G06K19, G07F7