[patent] Secure electronic message transfer and voting scheme

[Robert Hettinga]

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Date: Fri, 7 Nov 1997 10:14:46 -0600 (CST)
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Subject: [patent] Secure electronic message transfer and voting scheme
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Secure anonymous message transfer
and voting scheme (Assignee -- NEC
Research Institute, Inc.)

November 7, 1997


Assignee: NEC Research Institute, Inc.

Patent Number: 5682430

Issue Date: 1997 10 28

Inventor(s): Kilian, Joseph John{#buSako, Kazue#}


Abstract: A number-theoretic based algorithm provides for secure
anonymous message transfer and electronic voting. A voter or sender may
cast an encrypted vote or message that is processed through n centers
in a manner which prevents fraud and authenticates the votes. Any
interested party can verify that each vote has been properly counted.
The invention can be realized by current-generation personal computers
with access to an electronic bulletin board.

Ex Claim Text: A method of secure anonymous message transfer from a
plurality of senders by use of a plurality of mixing centers comprising
the steps of: (a) choosing constants which are posted for senders
S.sub.1, S.sub.2, . . . S.sub.l and mixing centers, C.sub.1, C.sub.2,
. . . C.sub.n ; (b) each sender S.sub.k constructing an encrypted
message which is posted; (c) a first mixing center C.sub.1 processing
the posted messages from each sender S.sub.k which processed messages
are then posted for use by the next center; (d) each mixing center
C.sub.2 through C.sub.n-1 sequentially processing the processed messages
from the previous center, which sequentially processed messages are then
posted for use by the next center; (e) the last mixing center C.sub.n
processing messages from the previous center C.sub.n-1 and posting the
result; (f) each mixing center proving the validity of its processing,
which proof is posted; and (g) channel checker verifying correctness of
the execution from posted messages when necessary. from posted messages
when necessary.

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