/Patent Tracker
GoogleGranted patentSecurity & privacyInterest 6/10

Google patents encrypted search that finds keywords without decrypting data

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This patent describes a way to search for specific words inside encrypted files without the server needing to see the actual content. It uses math to match a search request with the encrypted data, allowing the server to send back only the matching parts while keeping the main keys secret.

Why it mattersIt offers a technical method for finding information in private data without compromising the encryption, which is useful for secure cloud storage.

In the filing’s own words

A method for sharing read access to a document stored on memory hardware. The method includes receiving a shared read access command from a sharor sharing read access to a sharee for a document stored on memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, and receiving a shared read access request from the sharee. The shared read access command includes an encrypted value and a first cryptographic share value based on a write key, a read key, a document identifier, and a sharee identifier. The method also includes multiplying the first and second cryptographic share values to determine a cryptographic read access value. The cryptographic read access value authorizes read access to the sharee for the document. The method also includes storing a read access token for the sharee including the cryptographic read access value and the encrypted value in a user read set of the memory hardware.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A computer-implemented method when executed on data processing hardware causes the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a first user device, encrypted data encrypted locally at the first user device by a customer side key stored on the first user device, the customer side key kept secret from the data processing hardware; storing, on memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the encrypted data; receiving, from a second user device, a search query for a keyword in the encrypted data, the search query comprising a cryptographic search value based on a key for the encrypted data and the keyword; determining a portion of the encrypted data associated with the cryptographic search value; and providing the determined portion of the encrypted data to the second user device.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
Encrypted search cloud service with cryptographic sharing
Patent number
US12748882B2
Application number
18923613
Filed
Oct 22, 2024
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
20

Classified under

G06F 21/6227 Physics & computingH04L 9/0631 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/0819 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/085 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/0866 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/0894 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

More from Google in Security & privacy

Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.