DEVICE FOR TRANSFORMING A DATASET WITH A SECRET KEY

Abstract

A device for transforming a dataset with a secret key, wherein a query unit (1) is connected via a bidirectional communication interface (2) to a transformation unit (3), has a memory (4) for the secret key and a processor (5) for transforming the dataset. For reliable and secure execution of digital transactions, the query unit (1) has optical transmitters transmitting in parallel codewords of the dataset translated into two-dimensional codewords to optical receivers of the transformation unit (3), and the transformation unit (3) has optical transmitters transmitting in parallel codewords of the transformed dataset translated into two-dimensional codewords to a plurality of optical receivers of the query unit (1). The transmitters and receivers of a unit are arranged each in a two-dimensional grid and opposite and at a distance from the receivers and transmitters of the other unit.

Claims

1. A device for transforming a dataset with a secret key, said device comprising: a query unit connected via a bidirectional communication interface to a transformation unit, said transformation unit comprising a memory storing the secret key and a processor transforming the dataset; wherein the query unit comprises a plurality of optical transmitters providing parallel transmission of codewords of the dataset translated into two-dimensional codewords to a plurality of optical receivers of the transformation unit; and wherein the transformation unit comprises a plurality of optical transmitters providing parallel transmission of codewords of the transformed dataset translated into two-dimensional codewords to a plurality of optical receivers of the query unit; and wherein the transmitters and receivers of one of the units are each arranged in a respective two-dimensional grid and opposite and at a distance from the receivers and transmitters of the other of the units.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the optical transmitters are pixels of a display, and the optical receivers are pixels of an image sensor.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein a central projecting optical system is provided between the displays and the image sensors.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional codewords form quick response codes.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transformation unit and the query unit are supported in a common housing.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the optical transmitters and the opposing optical receivers define a space therebetween and an optically permeable potting compound is provided in said space.

7. A method for transforming a dataset with a secret key, said method comprising: transmitting the dataset from a query unit to a transformation unit; and transforming the dataset based on a key stored in the transformation unit; and returning the transformed dataset to the query unit; wherein the dataset is translated by the query unit into two-dimensional codewords having code elements that are transmitted optically and in parallel to the transformation unit; and wherein the transformed dataset is translated by the transformation unit into two-dimensional codewords having code elements that are transmitted optically and in parallel to the query unit.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein the two-dimensional codewords form quick response codes.

9. The device according to claim 3, wherein the two-dimensional codewords form quick response codes.

10. The device according to claim 2, wherein the transformation unit and the query unit are supported in a common housing.

11. The device according to claim 3, wherein the transformation unit and the query unit are supported in a common housing.

12. The device according to claim 4, wherein the transformation unit and the query unit are supported in a common housing.

13. The device according to claim 2, wherein the optical transmitters and the opposing optical receivers define a space therebetween and an optically permeable potting compound is provided in said space.

14. The device according to claim 3, wherein the optical transmitters and the opposing optical receivers define a space therebetween and an optically permeable potting compound is provided in said space.

15. The device according to claim 4, wherein the optical transmitters and the opposing optical receivers define a space therebetween and an optically permeable potting compound is provided in said space.

16. The device according to claim 5, wherein the optical transmitters and the opposing optical receivers define a space therebetween and an optically permeable potting compound is provided in said space.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] A device according to the invention for transforming a dataset with a secret key has a query unit 1, which is connected to a transformation unit 3 via a bidirectional communication interface 2. The transformation unit 3 comprises a memory 4 for the secret key, for example a private key generated for asymmetric encryption methods, and a processor 5 for transforming the dataset.

[0014] Both the query unit 1 and the transformation unit 3 each comprise several optical transmitters, which are, for example, several pixels of a display 6, and several optical receivers, which are, for example, several pixels of an image sensor 8 mounted, for example, on a circuit board 7. In this case, the display 6 and the image sensor 8 of the query unit 1 face the display 6 and the image sensor 8 of the transformation unit 3 at a distance. In addition, a central projecting optical system 9 is arranged on each of the image sensors 8. The beam paths of the image projection formed between the displays 6 and the image sensors 8 or optics 9 are indicated schematically by dashed lines in the drawing shown.

[0015] The query unit 1 and the transformation unit 3 may be housed in a common housing 10, and the intermediate space between the displays 6 and the opposing image sensors 7 may be provided with an optically permeable potting compound 11.

[0016] To transform a dataset with a secret key, a dataset is transmitted from the query unit 1 to the transformation unit 3 so that the dataset is transformed, i.e. signed, for example, using a key stored in the transformation unit 3, and the transformed dataset can be returned to the query unit 1. The query unit 1 can forward the transformed dataset via a network interface 12, for example to a blockchain.

[0017] When the untransformed dataset is transferred from the query unit 1, the dataset is translated by the query unit 1 into two-dimensional codewords and their code elements are transferred optically and in parallel to the transformation unit 3, where they are retranslated and transformed with the aid of the processor 5. The transformed dataset is in turn also translated by the transformation unit 3 into two-dimensional codewords and their code elements are transmitted optically and in parallel to the query unit 1. For example, it may be provided that the two-dimensional codewords form matrix codes, in particular quick response codes, which are imaged on the displays 6 and received by the respective opposing image sensors 8. In this case, the code elements can be the usually either black or white symbol cells of the code matrix, which symbol cells are square in the case of the quick response code.

[0018] To improve transmission reliability, each code element, such as each symbol cell, can be assigned several optical transmitters and/or several optical receivers for parallel transmission of the code element via several transmitters and/or receivers, so that transmission reliability is further increased.