Genuit Share Discussion Threads

[maxwellsdemon] 19/1/2004 18:58

I would guess that they have other patent applications in the pipeline. But, here is one which is just under four years old relating to MIXED REACTANT FUEL CELLS:

PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION
(11) WO 01/73880 (13) A1
(21) PCT/GB01/01322
(22) 26 March 2001 (26.03.2001)
(25) ENG (26) ENG
(31) 0007306.4 (32) 24 March 2000 (24.03.2000) GB
(31) 0019622.0 (32) 09 August 2000 (09.08.2000) GB
(31) 0019623.8 (32) 09 August 2000 (09.08.2000) GB
(31) 0025030.8 (32) 12 October 2000 (12.10.2000) GB
(31) 0026935.7 (32) 03 November 2000 (03.11.2000) GB
(31) 0027587.5 (32) 10 November 2000 (10.11.2000) GB
(43) 04 October 2001 (04.10.2001)
(51)7 H01M 8/10, 8/08, 8/22
(54) MIXED REACTANT FUEL CELLS

(71) SCIENTIFIC GENERICS LIMITED Harston Mill, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB2 5NH; (GB). [GB/GB].(for all designated States except US)
(72)(75) PRIESTNALL, Michael, Alexander Scientific Generics Limited, Harston Mill, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB2 5NH; (GB) [GB/GB].EVANS, Michael, Joseph Scientific Generics Limited, Harston Mill, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB2 5NH; (GB) [GB/GB].SHAFFER, Milo, Sebastian, Peter 55 Bateman Street, Cambridge CB2 1LR; (GB) [GB/GB].
(74) BERESFORD, Keith, Denis, Lewis Beresford & Co., 2-5 Warwick Court, High Holborn, London WC1R 5DH; (GB).
(81)
AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW

(84)
ARIPO patent (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG)

For information on time limits for entry into the national phase please click here
Published with international search report
before the expiration of the time limit for amending the claims and to be republished in the event of receipt of amendments




Abstract
A fuel cell or battery for providing useful electrical power by electrochemical means, comprises: at least one cell; at least one anode and at least one cathode within said cell, and ion-conducting electrolyte means for transporting ions between the electrodes; characterised in that: fuel, oxidant and said electrolyte means are present as a mixture.

[games] 19/1/2004 18:33

I bit more from last July on cmr, note the hurdle at the last paragraph appears to have been overcome today.



Michael Priestnall, Head of Fuel Cells, Generics Group

The Generics Group is a technology consulting, development and investment organization focusing on commercializing emerging technologies in a range of areas, including engineering, materials, telecommunications, life sciences, business innovation and electronics. The company's head office is in Cambridge, UK, where it also has 4,000m2 of laboratory space.

Michael Priestnall heads up the fuel cell division of Generics, which is working on a range of projects - mainly in the US and Europe - and is developing a new type of fuel cell technology.

Priestnall spoke to NE Asia about the state of the fuel cell market, and about the new compact-mixed reactant (CMR) fuel cells, which he believes can dramatically reduce the cost of fuel cells while improving their performance.

NEA: What are the main applications for fuel cell technology?

Priestnall: Applications for fuel cells have crystallized into three basic classes: automotive systems, which have been driving the market for years; stationary fuel cell applications, which have been around since the early 60s; and portable fuel cell technology, which has emerged most recently.

In the long term, portable fuel cells will drive the market forward. Applications for automotive systems seem to be slipping a little, especially as we already have hybrid electric vehicles on the road, which compete with fuel cells against the internal combustion engine. In the portable market, fuel cells are emerging as serious contenders to batteries.

Battery technology is already operating at close to its capabilities. Li-polymer in particular is state-of-the-art as far as battery technology goes, and is topping out in terms of performance for some applications.

NEA: Are fuel cells likely to present a serious challenge to existing battery markets?

Priestnall: It's all about scale. It's not difficult to build a portable fuel cell system that outperforms a Li-ion battery in terms of energy density, for example. The limiting factor for a fuel cell is the size of the fuel tank. The real challenge is whether you can build a fuel cell package that matches Li-ion batteries for small consumer electronics devices.

My personal view is that we won't see fuel cells in mobile phones - not just because the fuel cell requires the storage of the fuel as well as the electrochemical conversion, but you also need all of the systems that sit around the fuel cell pack, such as the recycling, cooling, pumping, etc. Getting all that into a small enough package is very challenging.

The other challenge for mobile phones is that there is an existing infrastructure and manufacturing base, both of which are barriers to entry. Fuel cells can provide a role in recharging - you can plug your mobile phone into a methanol fuel recharging unit. But again you need to look at what you are competing with in terms of existing infrastructure.

There are a number of suggested fuel cell applications where the existing incumbent solution has not been properly assessed. I think we are still looking at niche applications for fuel cells.

NEA: In which particular niche areas do you expect fuel cells to play a major role?

Priestnall: We are looking at niche applications in the 10W scale and above. This is where we can start thinking about replacing batteries. Interesting applications would be laptops, portable computers, and up from there. There is still a lot of technical development required to get a fuel cell small enough to fit into the battery compartment of a laptop, but it is a much more feasible proposition.

A number of companies have already demonstrated laptops operating on fuel cells, but these have been prototype devices and are generally larger than the existing battery pack. They are not production ready and their cost is still too high, but it is definitely a very interesting area.

The other big niche area is in military applications, where fuel cells can provide power as an alternative to the rechargeable batteries usually used in the field by the military.

NEA: What is the idea behind compact-mixed reactant (CMR) fuel cell technology?

Priestnall: We asked ourselves whether it was possible to operate a fuel cell on a mixture of fuel and air, much as you would operate an engine with a carburettor. A traditional fuel cell uses a platinum catalyst on both the cathode and anode, as it is good for oxygen reduction and fuel oxidation - the two basic reactions in a fuel cell. However, if you made one catalyst highly selective to oxygen reduction and the other highly selective to fuel oxidation you could mix the fuel.

NEA: Why does this approach have an advantage over the existing technology?

Priestnall: As it is not necessary to keep the fuel and oxidant separate, conventional impermeable membranes, separators and seals are no longer required. High-tolerance, individual membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) can be replaced by very thin porous MEAs. The bipolar field-flow plates, which take up some 90% of the space in the fuel cell stack, can also be replaced because the electrical interconnect function is fulfilled by a single gas diffusion layer. It works simply by having a mixture of liquid or gaseous fuel flowing through the solid CMR stack.

NEA: On what types of fuel cells did you test CMR technology?

Priestnall: As we were interested in portable applications, we looked into using this technique in direct methanol fuel cells. One problem with direct methanol is fuel crossover, where methanol leaks through the electrolyte membrane, which degrades the performance and reduces the cell voltage.

There are two ways to solve this: one is to make the membrane less permeable; the other is to change the platinum catalyst on the cathode for a catalyst that is tolerant of methanol and selective to oxygen reduction. The latter is the CMR approach. We developed a new membrane and showed that we could get identical performance whether we operated with mixed reactants or with a conventional separated feed.

NEA: Does CMR technology improve the system performance?

Priestnall: We have already achieved similar performance at the single cell level as the traditional direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Because of space savings this translates to a volumetric power density of up to ten times higher than conventional DMFC. That is a huge step forward in terms of performance, and enables direct methanol technology to be considered for stationary and automotive engine applications, as well as for portable applications.

Even more interesting is what it means in terms of cost. First, this design eliminates most of the platinum in the cell. Secondly, there are savings from the membrane. Conventional DMFCs have to use thick membranes because of the cross-over problem, which is not an issue in the CMR fuel cell. Our analysis of the high-volume factory cost of DMFC suggests that the CMR approach could deliver total stack cost savings of around 80%.

NEA: What are the next steps towards bringing this product to market?

Priestnall: We have an 18-month program to develop a prototype 50W demonstrator, depending on whether we can get the funding to build it. We are looking for collaboration and investment sources. There is considerable interest - usually following an initial reaction of disbelief. A realistic timeframe for making the prototype into a commercial product is around two years. But if we happen to work in partnership with a company developing similar stacks, then maybe shortcuts can be taken.

by Anthony Plewes, London

(July 2003 Issue, Nikkei Electronics Asia)

[games] 19/1/2004 18:18

Conduit Ventures invests in CMR Fuel Cells Limited – a Generics Group spin-off company



I know their is another thread on advfn, alternative energy (or something) if anyone knows it maybe they could paste the above link so that the folk there can run some brain matter over it.

Also generics have quite an interest in a company that may have cracked the 'holy grail' of batteries, they are supposed to be working on the next gen auto (42v) biopular batteries.

[rambutan2] 14/1/2004 10:19

or good news re their biometric tech or the like?

[maxwellsdemon] 14/1/2004 08:38

Williemanjaro,

You are right. It was mentioned some time ago. I see the price has ticked up again. I wonder if the takeover/offer is back on the agenda?

[williemanjaro] 14/1/2004 07:19

We knew Generics were working with Hornby as long ago as last September.
The expectations were of some form of Digital collaboration.

Hornby`s Digital announcement broke on the 5th January so I wonder why GEN took another eight days to release the news?
Better late than never but keep up please- Gen`s PR department!

Incidentally I feel sure the Hornby-Generics partnership will bear many more surprises as "Digital" is a very hot area for Slot-Car game companies. Scalextric release MotoGP 500 motorcycles in May. What further surprise will Gen add to the race experience?

[games] 13/1/2004 22:34

thanks max,

hrn thread also worth a nosey on the above.

[maxwellsdemon] 13/1/2004 15:51

Net gain for model race fans


FANS of the Scalextric model racing car system will soon be able to compete against each other by connecting their lay-outs to the internet.

[maxwellsdemon] 13/1/2004 15:49

New gadget means Scalextric fans can race online

[maxwellsdemon] 13/1/2004 15:48

You would think this would warrant a RNS announcement?.

Press ReleasesGenerics works with Hornby on major Scalextric product launch
13 January 2004
The Generics Group (Generics), the international business and technology consulting organisation, today announced the result of its eighteen month collaboration with Hornby Plc (Hornby), the models and collectables group, on two major Scalextric product launches. The new products will be unveiled at the London Toy Fair later this month.

The Generics agreement with Hornby covered the research and development of new and innovative products - resulting in the unique Scalextric Sport Digital and Sport World Systems, which will significantly upgrade the Scalextric slot car racing system.

The Generics team, together with Hornby, developed the Scalextric Sport Digital System, which has a revolutionary control system that allows racers to perform real overtaking manoeuvres. The system combines sensitive, digitally-controlled power with optical sensors and cars controlled by microchips. It enables up to six cars to race on a single Scalextric lane with each car having real overtaking ability on specialised bend sections of the track.

The system is fully compatible with existing Scalextric track and can also be connected to a PC to give enhanced race management systems that bring added authenticity to the racing experience.

Generics identified the appropriate technology for the Scalextric Sport World System: a combination of hardware and software that will allow racers from all over the world to compete against each other by connecting their layouts to the Internet via a PC. Generics has worked, with Hornby and UK software company, Spike to develop the product.

The revolutionary system consists of a control unit fitted with a LCD screen that allows racers to choose from one of nine race modes. It will also offer an unrivalled level of race management variables, including the ability to tune cars, 3-D circuit design and variable race conditions such as pit-stop strategy and weather conditions.

The special Scalextric Internet server gives access to a world of on-line racing to suit all levels of ability. The website will integrate the position of all on-line racers on a single, virtual race track and allow spectators from around the world to follow the progress of any race with virtual coverage on screen.

Prior to the launch, Generics has been key to identifying the appropriate technologies and undertaking research and development of the new concepts to identifying production facilities in China. The launch represents a major landmark in an ongoing technology development programme undertaken by Generics and Hornby.

Frank Martin, Chief Executive of Hornby commented:

'The development of Scalextric Sport Digital and Sport World confirms our commitment to enhancing the Scalextric racing experience. Our relationship with Generics has been instrumental in the development of these innovative and exciting new products.

'Generics has demonstrated a real commitment to delivering real value to our business. We are now confident that by combining interactive technology and actual track layouts, that we will start to develop an active community of keen Scalextric racers and enthusiasts, who are able to race against each other all over the world in virtual reality. We are confident that many existing Scalextric racers will upgrade to the new systems.'


------------------------------ends---------------------------------
Notes for Editors:

THE GENERICS GROUP
The Generics Group (Generics) is a leading integrated technology consulting, development and investment organisation, with an international reputation for successfully commercialising emerging science and technology.

Generics invests in and develops technologies that underpin the future of the widest range of industries. Its key areas of expertise include: engineering, materials, telecommunications, life sciences, business innovation and electronics.

Generics' facilities include state-of-the-art laboratories and are located in Europe in Cambridge, Frankfurt, Zürich, Switzerland and Stockholm; and in Boston and Baltimore in the USA. Generics has over 200 employees, of which more that half are high-calibre technology professionals.

Contacts:
Dawn Giesler
PR Manager
The Generics Group
Email: [e-mail]
Tel: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
Web: www.genericsgroup.com

[rambutan2] 13/1/2004 11:42

but big buys yesterday. mms just out of stock?

[shirtless dan] 13/1/2004 11:35

and that was a sale.

[rambutan2] 13/1/2004 11:12

mms know something cos only one small trade showing on my screen.

[shirtless dan] 13/1/2004 09:25

OK what's the rumour leading ot the rise?...

[maxwellsdemon] 20/11/2003 15:49

NewsGenerics' Torque boot featured on Eureka TV
18 November 2003
The BBC children's science programme Eureka TV has featured the Torque boot as part of their regular 'High Tech Eureka' slot.

High Tech Eureka investigates the latest technology from around the world putting it under the microscope and to the test in the studio. Shoe pressure measurements were carried out on the Torque boots during studio testing with a professional football player. They illustrated the significant drop in peak pressure that can be achieved with Torque.

Developed in a collaboration between Generics and Northumbria University, Torque delivers comfort and safety, especially on harder surfaces, without loss of performance.

For further information on Torque technology, contact [e-mail]

[maxwellsdemon] 18/10/2003 11:49

Here is an interesting article explaining the flying null process. Published in IEE Review Jan 2001.

[rambutan2] 16/10/2003 14:11

fraid it could enderwiggan. but better up than down.

[enderwiggan] 16/10/2003 13:21

No way this has risen 11 percent on 3 buys totalling 75k.

[enderwiggan] 16/10/2003 13:19

Hey, at least the share's woken up. 11 percent on the morning. ANYONE OUT THERE????? 11 percent in one morning and no postings. What's happening. There hasn't even been an RNS.

[rambutan2] 09/10/2003 20:51

hopefully not a terminal one but a recharging one.

[enderwiggan] 09/10/2003 20:39

Think this ones gone to sleep.

[rambutan2] 01/10/2003 14:58

if only they could turn all those clever ideas into money. perhaps the biometrics idea will be the ONE.

[maxwellsdemon] 01/10/2003 14:36

Press Releases
Four Generics' companies in Sunday Times ARM Tech Track 100
01 October 2003

The Generics Group (Generics), the integrated technology consulting, development and investment organisation, today announced that four of its portfolio companies were selected in the Sunday Times index of the top 100 fastest growing technology companies: with two of the companies, Voxar Ltd and Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd, in the top 20.

The companies, advised and managed by Generics Asset Management Ltd (GAML), are:

- Voxar Ltd, an industry leader in the development of software products for visualizing medical scanner data.

- Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd, which supplies high accuracy location technology for network equipment and handset vendors and chipmakers.

- Westica Ltd, a leading supplier of digital radios to mobile operators, emergency services, utilities, broadcasters, and private network operators.

- Imerge Ltd, a Generics' spin-out, is a recognised leader in Internet-connected hard disk-based audio products and Media Appliances.

Martin Frost, Managing Director of Generics said: "Generics is proud of its reputation as one of the earliest stage technology investors in Europe. In each of the companies selected for the index, Generics played important roles in either the company's creation or development as well as financing growth. These are key elements of Generics' business model, which has served Generics and its investee companies well since 1986."


--------------------------------ends-------------------------------
Notes for Editors:

The Generics Group
The Generics Group (Generics) is a leading integrated technology consulting, development and investment organisation, with an international reputation for successfully commercialising emerging science and technology.

Generics invests in and develops technologies that underpin the future of the widest range of industries. Its key areas of expertise include: engineering, materials, telecommunications, life sciences, business innovation and electronics.

Generics' facilities include state-of-the-art laboratories and are located in Europe in Cambridge, Frankfurt, Zürich, Switzerland and Stockholm; and in Boston and Baltimore in the USA. Generics has over 200 employees, of which more that half are high-calibre technology professionals.

THE SUNDAY TIMES ARM TECH TRACK 100
For more information about The Sunday Times ARM Tech Track 100, go to the press release section

[maxwellsdemon] 21/9/2003 20:23

From Cambridge news:

Link:



Generics aims for huge market
DNA data-logging at birth is in the news in the ever more pressing fight against crime and misdemeanour, although by its nature it will be a decade or two before this can be of much use.

Meanwhile, Generics at Harston is a lot closer to seeing its solution to security and identity adopted on a wide scale.

Generics has come up with a biometric solution that overcomes the weak point of having to store security codes which could be accessed by criminals or misused in other ways.

It is all about using eyes and hands, face-shape and fingerprints, as identity. These features, unique in each one of us, are transposed into digital format, but instead of having to be matched against stored data, the Generics' solution involves no storing, only clever mathematics that unlocks access.

The company expects its technology to be adopted by major operators in security systems used in airports, at any point of entry, and, in time, by shops and as part of everyday life.

Gavan Duffy, who heads the three-man team at Generics working on the project, says the big stumbling block has tended to be the infrastructure involved in setting up such a security network, bo th the cost and getting people to sign up to it.

"How do you get an entire country to enrol? Well, our technology does not store data, so that removes a major problem," Duffy says.

"And incentives could be offered, for instance, fast-tracking through airports."

Generics' hope is that their non-storing solution will be adopted as the industry standard, and they should stand a good chance, given that they are ahead of the game, even though lots of competitors are trying to get there.

"It's a timely issue," says Jamie Hamilton, who is also involved in the project at Harston. "In the US, largely due to September 11, there must be a biometric security system in place by 2004."

This is where iris-recognition, hand-shape, the distance between eyes, fingerprints, all come into play.

Biometric recognition is not new. There are already cars that no longer need a key, the ignition responding to a fingerprint, and cash machines that give you money if your iris matches up. But making it easy to enrol and really secure is the key.

Generics says it can start by offering retrospectively fitted digital signatures in passports, the signature created biometrically from the contours of the face in the picture and turned into a bar code. This should be a good start in the fight against terrorism and forged passports.

"The market will be driven by travel security," Dr Hamilton says. "Longer term it will be used in shops and over the internet."

The potential market is likely to be huge, but is already approaching £3 billion. www.genericsgroup.com


The front pages of the relevant PCT patent applications:

PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION
(11) WO 02/098053 (13) A2
(21) PCT/GB02/02512
(22) 31 May 2002 (31.05.2002)
(25) ENG (26) ENG
(31) 0113255.4 (32) 31 May 2001 (31.05.2001) GB
(31) PCT/GB02/00626 (32) 14 February 2002 (14.02.2002) GB
(43) 05 December 2002 (05.12.2002)
(51)7 H04L 9/08, G06K 9/00
(54) DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD

(71) SCIENTIFIC GENERICS LIMITED Harston Mill, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB2 5GG; (GB). [GB/GB].(for all designated States except US)
(72)(75) DUFFY, Dominic, Gavan Scientific Generics Limited, Harston Mill, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB2 5GG; (GB) [GB/GB].JONES, Aled, Wynne JONES, Aled, Wynne; (GB) [GB/GB].
(74) BERESFORD, Keith, Denis, Lewis Beresford & Co., 2-5 Warwick Court, High Holborn, London WC1R 5DH; (GB).
(81)
AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EC, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NO, NZ, OM, PH, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZM, ZW

(84)
ARIPO patent (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG)

For information on time limits for entry into the national phase please click here
Published without international search report and to be republished upon receipt of that report



Abstract
There is decribed an apparatus for generating a number from data originating from an analogue source, the apparatus comprising means for performing a set of the data and then processing, in accordance with stored processing instructions predetermined by a training process, the data to generate the number. During the training process, the sensitivity of the value of the generated number to variation in each of the measurement values is analysed, and the process instructions are generated so that the processing of individual measurement values is modified to reduce this sensitivity. In this way, the repeatability of the generated number is improved.







PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION
(11) WO 02/065693 (13) A2
(21) PCT/GB02/00626
(22) 14 February 2002 (14.02.2002)
(25) ENG (26) ENG
(31) 0103656.5 (32) 14 February 2001 (14.02.2001) GB
(31) 0113255.4 (32) 31 May 2001 (31.05.2001) GB
(31) 0113254.7 (32) 31 May 2001 (31.05.2001) GB
(31) 0119464.6 (32) 09 August 2001 (09.08.2001) GB
(43) 22 August 2002 (22.08.2002)
(51)7 H04L 9/08
(54) DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD

(71) SCIENTIFIC GENERICS LIMITED Harston Mill, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB2 5GG; (GB). [GB/GB].(for all designated States except US)
(72)(75) DUFFY, Dominic, Gavan Scientific Generics Limited, Harston Mill, Harston, Cambridgeshire CB2 5GG; (GB) [GB/GB].GOODWIN, Carl, Christopher GOODWIN, Carl, Christopher; (GB) [GB/GB].JONES, Aled, Wynne JONES, Aled, Wynne; (GB) [GB/GB].BINKS, Dominic, Frank, Julian BINKS, Dominic, Frank, Julian; (GB) [GB/GB].
(74) BERESFORD, Keith, Denis, Lewis Beresford & Co, 2-5 Warwick Court, High Holborn, London WC1R 5DH; (GB).
(81)
AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EC, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NO, NZ, OM, PH, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZM, ZW

(84)
ARIPO patent (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG)

For information on time limits for entry into the national phase please click here
Published without international search report and to be republished upon receipt of that report



Abstract
There is described an apparatus for generating a cryptographic key using data representative of an analogue source. The apparatus comprises a number generator which processes the data representative of the analogue source to generate an intermediate key, the intermediate key being a number, and a data store for storing a mapping key, the mapping key being a number predetermined to combine with the intermediate key in accordance with a monotonic mapping function to generate a desired cryptographic key. Preferably, the number generator processes the data representative of an analogue source in accordance with stored process data, determined by a training process, which indicates attributes of the data whose values are to be measured and adjustment data for adjusting the values to improve the repeatability of generation of the intermediate key.