Patents by Inventor Brian Sinclair Lowans
Brian Sinclair Lowans has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9692595Abstract: Methods and apparatus for quantum key distribution are described, in particular including methods and networks 300 arranged to improve and/or ensure the security of data transmitted thereby by (i) ensuring a certain level of loss within at least part of the network, (ii) placing a penultimate and an endpoint nodes in situated in a secure second enclave, (iii) analyzing a transmitted bit stream to ensure that it does not provide an unacceptable amount of information about the key that may be generated therefrom, and/or (iv) varying the order in which bits are used to generate a key.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2011Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Brian Sinclair Lowans, Richard Middleton Hicks
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Patent number: 9148225Abstract: An optical receiver for a quantum key distribution system comprises a plurality of optical components mounted or formed in a substrate and optically coupled by one or more hollow core waveguides formed in the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2009Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Brian Sinclair Lowans, Richard Michael Jenkins, Ewan David Finlayson
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Patent number: 8885828Abstract: This invention relates to an optical star network in which different communities of users, such as different businesses, are provided through use of quantum key distribution (QKD). At least one QKD device is located at the central hub of the star network and communicates with QKD devices at the endpoints to establish a separate quantum key, i.e. a cryptographic key established by QKD, with each endpoint. A separate key manager is provided for each different community and each key manager is arranged to use the appropriate quantum keys for endpoints within that community to deliver the same community key to each endpoint. This community key can be used by for encrypting network traffic between members of the same community with security. Traffic passing through the network switch is encrypted, but the community keys are not delivered via the switch and hence the switch an error in the switch does not compromise security.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2009Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Richard Andrew Oak
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Patent number: 8855316Abstract: The method involves exchange of a quantum signal between a first quantum node and a second quantum node as is usual in known quantum key distribution (QKD) scheme. The first quantum node communicates details of the quantum signal it sent or received with a first remote node. The first remote node thus has all the information to required to take the place of the first quantum node in the key agreement step with the second quantum node. The first quantum node may be arranged to transmit the quantum signal to the second quantum node, in which case the invention provides a distributed quantum transmitter with the control logic in the first remote node being distributed remotely from the actual quantum transmitter in the first quantum node. Communications between the first remote node and first quantum node may comprise or be protected by a quantum key derived by conventional QKD.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2009Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Richard Middleton Hicks
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Patent number: 8792791Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved quantum signal transmitter, which has a plurality of quantum output channels having at least one optical source and at least one optical splitter acting on the output of said at least one source. Such a transmitter can easily be used with existing passive optical network (PON) systems and can be a compact piece of equipment.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2009Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Stephen Gerard Ayling, Ewan David Finlayson
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Patent number: 8681982Abstract: A method of establishing a quantum key for use between a first network node (QNode1) and a second network node (QNode3) in a network for carrying out quantum cryptography includes a key agreement step carried out by a third node (QNode2) and the second node (QNode3) and a subsequent authentication step carried out by the first and second nodes directly. As the key agreement step does not involve QNode1, another key agreement step may be simultaneously performed by another pair of network nodes QNode4, QNode5 to agree a quantum key for use by network nodes QNode1 and QNode5. The invention allows respective quantum keys to be established between a network node and each of a set of other nodes more rapidly than is the case if each quantum key is established serially by key agreement and authentication steps.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2009Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Richard Middleton Hicks, Brian Sinclair Lowans
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Patent number: 8683192Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in quantum key distribution (QKD) are described. A quantum QKD signal is generated at a source and transmitted through a fiber optic network to an endpoint, a key being agreed with communication over a classical QKD channel. The classical QKD channel contains additional information relevant to a network over which keys are distributed, and may be processed at nodes intermediate between the source and the endpoint.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: QinetiqInventors: Stephen Gerard Ayling, Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans
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Patent number: 8650401Abstract: A method of performing quantum key distribution across a network. The method involves a first node first agreeing a quantum key with a first intermediate node in the path. Next the intermediate node exchanges a quantum signal with the next node in the path—which is a targeted node. The intermediate node communicates with the first node using the previous established quantum key details of the quantum signal sent or received by the intermediate node. The first node then performs a key agreement step to agree a quantum key directly with the targeted node. Having established a quantum key with the current targeted node the method can be repeated but with the next node in the network path as the targeted node until a destination node is reached. The final quantum key agreed with the destination node can then be used for encrypting communication between those nodes across the network.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2009Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans
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Patent number: 8639932Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for Quantum key distribution. Such methods including authenticating a first node in a communications network with a remote node in the communications network. The authentication may include connecting an authentication device to the first node, agreeing a quantum key between the first node and the remote node based on a quantum signal transmitted or received by the first node and performing an authentication step between the authentication device and the remote node on an encrypted channel. Authentication between the authentication device and remote node may be taken as authentication of the first node.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2009Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Stephen Gerard Ayling
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Publication number: 20130251145Abstract: Methods and apparatus for quantum key distribution are described, in particular including methods and networks 300 arranged to improve and/or ensure the security of data transmitted thereby by (i) ensuring a certain level of loss within at least part of the network, (ii) placing a penultimate and an endpoint nodes in situated in a secure second enclave, (iii) analysing a transmitted bit stream to ensure that it does not provide an unacceptable amount of information about the key that may be generated therefrom, and/or (iv) varying the order in which bits are used to generate a key.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2011Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Brian Sinclair Lowans, Richard Middleton Hicks
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Publication number: 20120177201Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in quantum key distribution (QKD) are described. A quantum QKD signal is generated at a source and transmitted through a fibre optic network to an endpoint, a key being agreed with communication over a classical QKD channel. The classical QKD channel contains additional information relevant to a network over which keys are distributed, and may be processed at nodes intermediate between the source and the endpoint.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2010Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Stephen Gerard Ayling, Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans
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Publication number: 20110228937Abstract: A method of establishing a quantum key for use between a first network node (QNode1) and a second network node (QNode3) in a network for carrying out quantum cryptography includes a key agreement step carried out by a third node (QNode2) and the second node (QNode3) and a subsequent authentication step carried out by the first and second nodes directly. As the key agreement step does not involve QNode1, another key agreement step may be simultaneously performed by another pair of network nodes QNode4, QNode5 to agree a quantum key for use by network nodes QNode1 and QNode5. The invention allows respective quantum keys to be established between a network node and each of a set of other nodes more rapidly than is the case if each quantum key is established serially by key agreement and authentication steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2009Publication date: September 22, 2011Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Richard Middleton Hicks, Brian Sinclair Lowans
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Publication number: 20110213979Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatus for Quantum key distribution. Such methods including authenticating a first node in a communications network with a remote node in the communications network. The authentication may include connecting an authentication device to the first node, agreeing a quantum key between the first node and the remote node based on a quantum signal transmitted or received by the first node and performing an authentication step between the authentication device and the remote node on an encrypted channel. Authentication between the authentication device and remote node may be taken as authentication of the first node.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2009Publication date: September 1, 2011Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Stephen Gerard Ayling
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Publication number: 20110069972Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved quantum signal transmitter, which has a plurality of quantum output channels having at least one optical source and at least one optical splitter acting on the output of said at least one source.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2009Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Stephen Gerard Ayling, Ewan David Finlayson
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Publication number: 20100329459Abstract: This invention relates to an optical star network in which different communities of users, such as different businesses, are provided through use of quantum key distribution (QKD). At least one QKD device is located at the central hub of the star network and communicates with QKD devices at the endpoints to establish a separate quantum key, i.e. a cryptographic key established by QKD, with each endpoint. A separate key manager is provided for each different community and each key manager is arranged to use the appropriate quantum keys for endpoints within that community to deliver the same community key to each endpoint. This community key can be used by for encrypting network traffic between members of the same community with security. Traffic passing through the network switch is encrypted, but the community keys are not delivered via the switch and hence the switch an error in the switch does not compromise security.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Richard Andrew Oak
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Publication number: 20100299526Abstract: A method of performing quantum key distribution across a network. The method involves a first node first agreeing a quantum key with a first intermediate node in the path. Next the intermediate node exchanges a quantum signal with the next node in the path—which is a targeted node. The intermediate node communicates with the first node using the previous established quantum key details of the quantum signal sent or received by the intermediate node. The first node then performs a key agreement step to agree a quantum key directly with the targeted node. Having established a quantum key with the current targeted node the method can be repeated but with the next node in the network path as the targeted node until a destination node is reached. The final quantum key agreed with the destination node can then be used for encrypting communication between those nodes across the network.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans
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Publication number: 20100293380Abstract: The method involves exchange of a quantum signal between a first quantum node and a second quantum node as is usual in known quantum key distribution (QKD) scheme. The first quantum node communicates details of the quantum signal it sent or received with a first remote node. The first remote node thus has all the information to required to take the place of the first quantum node in the key agreement step with the second quantum node. The first quantum node may be arranged to transmit the quantum signal to the second quantum node, in which ease the invention provides a distributed quantum transmitter with the control logic in the first remote node being distributed remotely from the actual quantum transmitter in the first quantum node. Communications between the first remote node and first quantum node may comprise or be protected by a quantum key derived by conventional QKD.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Simon Robert Wiseman, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Richard Middleton Hicks
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Publication number: 20100290626Abstract: An optical receiver for a quantum key distribution system comprises a plurality of optical components mounted or formed in a substrate and optically coupled by one or more hollow core waveguides formed in the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: Qinetiq LimitedInventors: Richard Michael Jenkins, Brian Sinclair Lowans, Ewan David Finlayson