Patent EA-004077-B1 (EA)
Title: Centralised cryptographic system and method with high cryptographic rate
Inventor: GROSCLAUDE NICOLAS
IPC: H04N21/418
Filed: 2000-11-02
Abstract: 1. A centralised high cryptographic rate system localised in an operating centre comprising a control module (CM) and at least one cryptographic module (EM), characterised in that each cryptographic module comprises one or several interface modules (IM) on which are connected one or several monolithic security units (PIM). 2. A system according to Claim 1 characterised in that the security unit (PIM) comprises at least one calculation unit for the cryptographic functions, a memory containing the cryptographic keys, and communication means to the interface module. 3. A system according to Claims 1 or 2 characterised in that the security unit is set in an removable way on the interface module. 4. A system according to Claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the security unit is in the form of a smart card. 5. A system according to Claim 4 characterised in that said smart card follows the norms ISO 7816. 6. A system according to any of the preceding Claims characterised in that the monolithic security units (PIM) have cryptographic calculation units of a different type, such as RSA, DES, T-DES, or IDEA. 7. A system according to any of the preceding Claims characterised in that the control module (CM) has a resource list of the monolithic units comprising the available number, their state, their version, and their cryptographic capability. 8. A centralised encryption/decryption method of data transmitted between an operating centre and a plurality of user units, consisting in transmitting, by the operating centre, data to be encrypted or decrypted to a control module (CM), said module comprising one or several interface modules (IM) and transmitting by means of said interface modules (IM) the data to be coded or decoded to one or several monolithic security units (PIM) in charge of cryptographic operations depending on the flux of the data. 9. A cryptographic processing method according to Claim 8 characterised in that it consists in transmitting to several security units (PIM) the same data to be processed, comparing the data when returning from the security units (PIM), and informing an external entity if their values differ. 10. A cryptographic processing method according to Claim 9 characterised in that it consists in transmitting the data to be processed to security units (PIM) situated on different interface modules. 11. A cryptographic processing method according to Claim 8 characterised in that it consists in carrying out test operations on one or several security units (PIM) that are not currently in use and comparing the result with a reference result. 12. A cryptographic processing method according to Claim 8 characterised in that it consists in carrying out test operations on at least three security units (PIM) that are not currently in use and comparing the results in order to determine if these units are operative. 13. A cryptographic processing method according to Claims 8 to 12 characterised in that it consists in administrating the security units (PIM) by means of a resource list situated in the control module (CM), this list comprising the number of available units, their state, their version, and their cryptographic capacity.