# How to Securely Pass Data Packets Within a Trusted Network

> A method for tagging data packets with verified properties so that internal network nodes can trust the data without re-verifying it themselves.

- **Patent:** US 9276922
- **Original title:** Border property validation for named data networks
- **Owner:** Palo Alto Research Center Inc
- **Granted:** 2016
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 3
- **Field:** telecommunications, software, ai_ml

## What it does

This patent describes a way to make networks faster and more secure by using a 'property vector.' When a message enters a trusted network, an ingress node verifies specific details about it, like its priority or authenticity. It creates a digital tag called a property vector and signs it with a shared secret key. Other nodes in the network can then check this signature to confirm the data is valid without having to perform the heavy lifting of re-verifying the original properties themselves.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover verification methods that rely on individual node-to-node public key infrastructure.
- Does not cover networks that do not use hierarchically structured names for data identification.
- Does not cover systems where intermediate nodes are required to perform full re-verification of the message properties.

## The clever bit

By bundling verified properties into a signed vector at the edge of the network, the system turns a complex, multi-step verification process into a single, lightweight signature check for all internal nodes.

## Real-world examples

1. Content-Centric Networking (CCN) routers
2. Named Data Networking (NDN) testbeds
3. Secure enterprise data distribution systems

## Why it matters

In content-centric networks, data is retrieved by name rather than by location. This patent helps solve a major bottleneck in these networks: the computational cost of constantly verifying security and policy metadata as packets hop across multiple routers. By creating a 'trust domain' where nodes share a secret, the system allows for high-speed, secure routing.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How to Securely Pass Data Packets Within a Trusted Network cover?

A method for tagging data packets with verified properties so that internal network nodes can trust the data without re-verifying it themselves.

### Who owns patent US 9276922?

Palo Alto Research Center Inc owns this patent, granted in 2016.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on March 1, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What is patent US 9276922 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 3 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

In content-centric networks, data is retrieved by name rather than by location. This patent helps solve a major bottleneck in these networks: the computational cost of constantly verifying security and policy metadata as packets hop across multiple routers. By creating a 'trust domain' where nodes share a secret, the system allows for high-speed, secure routing.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover verification methods that rely on individual node-to-node public key infrastructure.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9276922/facebook-safety-check

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US9276922

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._