Methods and modular cryptographic device with enhanced communication control

• Main Authors: YANCY, BRUCE WAYNE, WALDO, LAWRENCE RICHARD
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 08.11.2006
• Subjects: CALCULATING; CHECKING-DEVICES; COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A cryptographic device (30) may include a cryptographic module (31) and a communications module (32) coupled thereto. The cryptographic module (31) may include a user network interface (35), a host network processor (54) coupled to the user network interface, and a cryptographic processor (36) coupled to the host network processor. Additionally, the communications module (32) may include a network communications interface (47) coupled to the cryptographic processor. The host processor (54) may generate cryptographic processor command packets for the cryptographic processor (36) each having an address portion and a data portion, and it may also encapsulate command packets for the communications module (32) in the data portions of the cryptographic processor command packets. The cryptographic processor (36) may pass the communications module command packets to the communications module without performing cryptographic processing thereon.