IP Library Granted Patent US 9,596,079
Granted Patent B1
US 9,596,079 · App. 15/190,139 · Granted Mar 14, 2017

Secure telecommunications

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,596,079
App. No.
15/190,139
Granted
Mar 14, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure describes techniques for configuring and participating in encrypted audio calls, audio conferences, video calls, and video conferences. In particular, a call initiator generates a meeting identifier and a first meeting key, which are encrypted using a first encryption key and distributed to one or more participants of the call. The one or more participants decrypt the meeting identifier and the first meeting key, and use that information to participate in the encrypted call. Further, participants respond to the encrypted communication data by encrypting their reply data with the first meeting key. The call initiator decrypts the reply data using the first meeting key.

Claims (59)

1. A system, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a request to initialize a secure telecommunication via a control channel, wherein the request includes at least one of an encrypted first encryption key, an encrypted meeting identifier, and an encrypted first meeting key;

decrypt the encrypted first encryption key included in the request to initialize the secure telecommunication, wherein the first encryption key was previously generated by obtaining ephemeral environmental noise from a kernel operation executing on an initiating client's device;

decrypt the encrypted meeting identifier and the encrypted first meeting key using the first encryption key;

obtain encrypted communication data, via a communication channel, using the decrypted meeting identifier;

decrypt the encrypted communication data using the decrypted first meeting key; and

provide the decrypted communication data to a user; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:

transmit the decrypted meeting identifier to a communication server, via the communication channel, in order to obtain the encrypted communication data.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive encrypted communication data from the communication server over the communication channel.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the encrypted first encryption key is twice-encrypted.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

decrypt the twice-encrypted first encryption key using a device key unique to a receiver's device to produce a once-encrypted first encryption key; and

decrypt the once-encrypted first encryption key with a key-encrypting key unique to the receiver's device to obtain the decrypted first encryption key.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

encrypt a reply data response to the received encrypted communication data using the first meeting key received in the request to initialize the secure telecommunication; and

transmit the encrypted reply data to one or more participants of the secure telecommunication via the communication channel.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication data is selected from a group consisting of: a video call, an audio call, a video conference, and a conference call.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a request to initialize a secure telecommunication via a control channel, wherein the request includes at least one of an encrypted first encryption key, an encrypted meeting identifier, and an encrypted first meeting key;

decrypting the encrypted first encryption key included in the request to initialize the secure telecommunication, wherein the first encryption key was previously generated by obtaining ephemeral environmental noise from a kernel operation executing on an initiating client's device;

decrypting the encrypted meeting identifier and the encrypted first meeting key using the first encryption key;

obtaining encrypted communication data, via a communication channel, using the decrypted meeting identifier;

decrypting the encrypted communication data using the decrypted first meeting key; and

providing the decrypted communication data to a user.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein obtaining encrypted communication data further comprises:

transmitting the decrypted meeting identifier to a communication server.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving encrypted communication data from the communication server over the communication channel.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the encrypted first encryption key is twice-encrypted.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

decrypting the twice-encrypted first encryption key using a device key unique to a receiver's device to produce a once-encrypted first encryption key; and

decrypting the once-encrypted first encryption key with a key-encrypting key unique to the receiver's device to obtain the decrypted first encryption key.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

encrypting a reply data response to the received encrypted communication data using the first meeting key received in the request to initialize the secure telecommunication; and

transmitting the encrypted reply data to one or more participants of the secure telecommunication via the communication channel.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication data is selected from a group consisting of: a video call, an audio call, a video conference, and a conference call.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform the steps of:

receiving a request to initialize a secure telecommunication via a control channel, wherein the request includes at least one of an encrypted first encryption key, an encrypted meeting identifier, and an encrypted first meeting key;

decrypting the encrypted first encryption key included in the request to initialize the secure telecommunication, wherein the first encryption key was previously generated by obtaining ephemeral environmental noise from a kernel operation executing on an initiating client's device;

decrypting the encrypted meeting identifier and the encrypted first meeting key using the first encryption key;

obtaining encrypted communication data, via a communication channel, using the decrypted meeting identifier;

decrypting the encrypted communication data using the decrypted first meeting key; and

providing the decrypted communication data to a user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:

transmitting the decrypted meeting identifier to a communication server to obtain the encrypted communication data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions for:

receiving encrypted communication data from the communication server over the communication channel.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the encrypted first encryption key is twice-encrypted.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising instructions for:

decrypting the twice-encrypted first encryption key using a device key unique to a receiver's device to produce a once-encrypted first encryption key; and

decrypting the once-encrypted first encryption key with a key-encrypting key unique to the receiver's device to obtain the decrypted first encryption key.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:

encrypting a reply data response to the received encrypted communication data using the first meeting key received in the request to initialize the secure telecommunication; and

transmitting the encrypted reply data to one or more participants of the secure telecommunication via the communication channel.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the communication data is selected from a group consisting of: a video call, an audio call, a video conference, and a conference call.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2021
From: WICKR LLC
To: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 057366/0573 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 25, 2021
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: WICKR INC.
Reel/Frame 056684/0366 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 12, 2017
From: WICKR INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 044872/0729 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2016
From: KASABWALA, DIPAKKUMAR R.; LEAVY, THOMAS MICHAEL
To: WICKR INC.
Reel/Frame 039344/0011 →