IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,627,478
Granted Patent B2
US 12,627,478 · App. 18/358,378 · Granted May 12, 2026

Quantum resistant ledger for secure communications

Inventors: Ambrose Kam (Westampton, NJ); Alexander Richard Vesey (Newburg, PA)
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
H04L9/0852H04L9/088H04L9/30H04L9/3247
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,627,478
App. No.
18/358,378
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment, a method includes identifying, by a first network component, data and determining a security level from a plurality of security levels associated with the data. The method also includes determining an encryption scheme from a plurality of encryption schemes to apply to the data and applying, using a Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL), the encryption scheme to the data to generate encrypted data. The method further includes communicating the encrypted data to a second network component.

Claims (78)

1 . A first network component, comprising one or more processors and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to the one or more processors and including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first network component to perform operations comprising:

generating a lattice transmission using at least one post-quantum encryption scheme;

signing the lattice transmission with a post-quantum, hash-based digital signature scheme;

communicating the lattice transmission to a Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) blockchain;

obtaining a public key of a second network component from the QRL blockchain, wherein the QRL blockchain is secured with lattice-based cryptography;

identifying data;

determining a security level from a plurality of security levels associated with the data;

determining an encryption scheme from a plurality of encryption schemes to apply to the data;

applying, using a Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) and the public key of the second network component, the encryption scheme to the data to generate encrypted data; and

communicating the encrypted data to the second network component.

2 . The first network component of claim 1 , wherein:

The QRL blockchain comprises a plurality of blocks; and

each of the plurality of blocks comprises a hash-based signature.

3 . The first network component of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

generating, using the QRL, a single public key; and

leveraging the single public key to generate public/private key pairs.

4 . The first network component of claim 1 , the operations further comprising securing, using the QRL, signatures used for transactions.

5 . The first network component of claim 1 , the operations further comprising categorizing the first network component and the second network component in accordance with a role-based validation rule.

6 . The first network component of claim 1 , wherein the encryption scheme is associated with one of the following:

classical encryption;

post-quantum encryption; or

distributed ledger technology (DLT).

7 . The first network component of claim 1 , wherein the security level is associated with one of the following:

an 80-bit security level;

a 112-bit security level;

a 128-bit security level;

a 192-bit security level; or

a 256-bit security level.

8 . A method, comprising:

generating a lattice transmission using at least one post-quantum encryption scheme;

signing the lattice transmission with a post-quantum, hash-based digital signature scheme;

communicating, by a first network component, the lattice transmission to a Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) blockchain;

obtaining a public key of a second network component from the QRL blockchain, wherein the QRL blockchain is secured with lattice-based cryptography;

identifying, by the first network component, data;

determining a security level from a plurality of security levels associated with the data;

determining an encryption scheme from a plurality of encryption schemes to apply to the data;

applying, using a Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) and the public key of the second network component, the encryption scheme to the data to generate encrypted data; and

communicating the encrypted data to the second network component.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the QRL blockchain comprises a plurality of blocks; and

each of the plurality of blocks comprises a hash-based signature.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

generating, using the QRL, a single public key; and

leveraging the single public key to generate public/private key pairs.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising securing, using the QRL, signatures used for transactions.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising categorizing the first network component and the second network component in accordance with a role-based validation rule.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the encryption scheme is associated with one of the following:

classical encryption;

post-quantum encryption; or

distributed ledger technology (DLT).

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the security level is associated with one of the following:

an 80-bit security level;

a 112-bit security level;

a 128-bit security level;

a 192-bit security level; or

a 256-bit security level.

15 . One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a lattice transmission using at least one post-quantum encryption scheme;

signing the lattice transmission with a post-quantum, hash-based digital signature scheme;

communicating, by a first network component, the lattice transmission to a Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) blockchain;

obtaining a public key of a second network component from the QRL blockchain, wherein the QRL blockchain is secured with lattice-based cryptography;

identifying, by the first network component, data;

determining a security level from a plurality of security levels associated with the data;

determining an encryption scheme from a plurality of encryption schemes to apply to the data;

applying, using a Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) and the public key of the second network component, the encryption scheme to the data to generate encrypted data; and

communicating the encrypted data to the second network component.

16 . The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , wherein:

The QRL blockchain comprises a plurality of blocks; and

each of the plurality of blocks comprises a hash-based signature.

17 . The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

generating, using the QRL, a single public key; and

leveraging the single public key to generate public/private key pairs.

18 . The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , the operations further comprising securing, using the QRL, signatures used for transactions.

19 . The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , the operations further comprising categorizing the first network component and the second network component in accordance with a role-based validation rule.

20 . The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15 , wherein the encryption scheme is associated with one of the following:

classical encryption;

post-quantum encryption; or

distributed ledger technology (DLT).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2023
From: KAM, AMBROSE; VESEY, ALEXANDER RICHARD
To: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064509/0111 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63369406 · Jul 26, 2022
Related Publication 20240048369A1 · Feb 8, 2024
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