Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for periodically removing invalid public keys from a public key server

US7054447B1 · kind B1 · utility

22Cited by
4References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 27, 2000
Grant dateMay 30, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 28, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L9/0894
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for managing public keys through a server that stores associations between public keys and email addresses. This system operates by receiving a client public key from a client, and then storing the client public key in a database at the server. The system then allows other clients to lookup the client public key in the database. The system also periodically sends a verification request from the server to the client asking if the client public key remains valid. If an affirmative response to the verification request is not received, the system removes the client public key from the database.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.