US 12,294,571 B2
Apparatus for managing quantum key and method of operating same
Chan Kyun Lee, Daejeon (KR); Yong Hwan Kim, Daejeon (KR); Kyu Seok Shim, Daejeon (KR); and Won Hyuk Lee, Sejong-si (KR)
Assigned to KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION, Daejeon (KR)
Appl. No. 17/911,299
Filed by KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION, Daejeon (KR)
PCT Filed Feb. 4, 2022, PCT No. PCT/KR2022/001770
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 13, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/080344, PCT Pub. Date May 11, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0152378 (KR), filed on Nov. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0297869 A1, Sep. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. H04L 9/40 (2022.01); H04L 9/08 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 63/0428 (2013.01) [H04L 9/0852 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for managing quantum keys, the apparatus comprising:
an identification unit configured to, when quantum key management system nodes located in a quantum key management network layer of a quantum-secured network are indexed, identify information on a number of quantum keys between the indexed quantum key management system nodes;
a search unit configured to search for node paths corresponding to sequence of quantum key management system nodes for reproducing adjacent quantum keys in order to generate a non-adjacent quantum key between quantum key management system nodes designated as a start node and a destination node in the quantum-secured network, based on the information on the number of quantum keys, wherein the search unit is configured to, when the start node and the destination node are designated according to a service request in the quantum-secured network, search for as many node paths between the start node and the destination node as a first threshold number; and
a controller configured to perform control to generate a non-adjacent quantum key through a specific node path in which a number of adjacent quantum keys identified as a minimum value is largest and the number of adjacent quantum keys identified as the minimum value is larger than a second threshold number among the searched node paths corresponding to the first threshold number.