Importance

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Abstract

In a data transmission system comprising a plurality N of transmission sites and at least one reception site, a set of data at each transmission site is uniquely encrypted by (a) providing each transmission site with a broadcast key unique to that transmission site and a system key that is the same for all transmission sites, the system key comprising a plurality S of bits and each of the broadcast keys comprising a unique plurality B of bits, wherein B is less than S; (b) convolving in a predetermined manner at each transmission site the system key and the broadcast key unique to that transmission site to generate a unique data encryption key for that transmission site; (c) encrypting the set of data at each transmission site with the unique data encryption key generated at that site. The sets of data uniquely encrypted at each transmission site are then transmitted to the reception site. There is stored, in a memory at the reception site, the system key and the of said broadcast keys to enable a selected one of the encrypted sets of data to be decrypted at the reception site. The memory capacity necessary to store the system key and the broadcast keys at the reception site is no greater than ((N.times.B)+S) bits. Alternatively, a plurality N of data sets at a single transmission site are encrypted in this manner.

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First Claim