1. An electroluminescent device comprising a substrate, a first electrode supported by the substrate, a second electrode positioned over the first electrode, and a layer including at least one semiconductive polymer between the first and second electrodes, wherein said semiconductive polymer is a copolymer in which one of the repeat units is a group of formula (I) or a homopolymer in which the repeat unit is a group of formula (I):
wherein:
A and B are the same or different and each comprises wholly or partially an aryl moiety or a heteroaryl moiety, said moiety in A being fused to the bond a-b and said moiety in B being fused to the bond c-d; and
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the bond a-b and the bond c-d about the bond b-d.
2. An electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein said aryl moiety is an aromatic hydrocarbon moeity having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryloxy groups and alkoxy groups;
wherein the alkyl groups are straight or branched-chain alkyl groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the haloalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one halogen atom;
the alkoxy groups are straight or branched-chain alkoxy groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the alkoxyalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one alkoxy group; and
the aryl moiety of the aryloxy groups is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups.
3. An electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein said heteroaryl moiety is a 5- to 7-membered aromatic heterocyclic moiety containing from one to three heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of sulfur atoms, oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, said moiety optionally being substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryloxy groups and alkoxy groups;
wherein the alkyl groups are straight or branched-chain alkyl groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the haloalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one halogen atom;
the alkoxy groups are straight or branched-chain alkoxy groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the alkoxyalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one alkoxy group; and
the aryl moiety of the aryloxy groups is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups.
4. An electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein said repeat unit of formula (I) is a group of formula (II):
wherein:
Y1 and Y2 are the same or different and each represents a single bond or a linking unit that is conjugated with the phenyl group to which it is attached; and
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the two phenyl groups about the bond b-d.
5. An electroluminescent device according to claim 4, wherein each of Y1 and Y2 is a single bond.
6. An electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein said repeat unit of formula (I) is a group of formula (III):
wherein:
m and n are the same or different and each is 0 or an integer of 1, 2 or 3;
R1 and R2 are same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
wherein the alkyl groups are straight or branched-chain alkyl groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the haloalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one halogen atom;
the alkoxy groups are straight or branched-chain alkoxy groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the alkoxyalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one alkoxy group;
the aryl groups are aromatic hydrocarbon groups having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl, alkoxyalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
the aryl moiety of the aryloxy group is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups;
the aralkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one aryl group; and
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the two phenyl rings about the bond b-d.
7. An electroluminescent device according to claim 6, wherein X is a moiety of formula -A-B-C- wherein:
A, B and C are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO, SO2, NR3, N+(R3\u2032)(R3\u2033), C(R4)(R5), Si(R4\u2032)(R5\u2032), and P(O)(OR6);
R3, R3\u2032 and R3\u2033 are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups, and alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one group of formula \u2014N+(R7)3 wherein each group R7 is the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups and aryl groups;
R4, R5, R4\u2032 and R5\u2032 are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, halogen atoms, nitro groups, cyano groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups and alkyl groups which are substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, fluorenyl groups and spirobifluorenyl groups, said aryl, heteroaryl, fluorenyl and spirobifluorenyl groups being substituted with a disubstituted amino group the substituents of which are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, fluorenyl groups and spirobifluorenyl groups, or R4 and R5 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached represent a carbonyl group;
R6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups and aralkyl groups; and
said heteroaryl groups are 5- to 7-membered aromatic heterocyclic groups containing from one to three heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of sulfur atoms, oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, said groups optionally being substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryloxy groups and alkoxy groups.
8. An electroluminescent device according to claim 7, wherein m and n are each 0 and X is a linking unit of formula -A-B-C- wherein A and C each represent a methylene group and B is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO2, NR3, N+(R3\u2032)(R3\u2033) and C(R4)(R5).
9. An electroluminescent device according to claim 7, wherein m and n are each 0 and X is a linking unit of formula -A-B-C- wherein A and C each represent O or S and B is a group of formula C(R4)(R5) wherein R4 and R5 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from one to ten carbon atoms.
10. An electroluminescent device according to claim 7, wherein the unit of formula (III) is selected from the following group:
11. A semiconductive polymer, wherein said semiconductive polymer is a copolymer in which one of the repeat units is a group of formula (II) or a homopolymer in which the repeat unit is a group of formula (II):
wherein:
Y1 and Y2 are the same or different and each represents a single bond or a linking unit that is conjugated with the phenyl group to which it is attached; and
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the two phenyl groups about the bond b-d;
with the proviso that, where Y1 and Y2 each represent a single bond, X may not represent a linking unit selected from the group consisting of \u2014CO\u2014O\u2014CO\u2014, \u2014CO\u2014NH\u2014CO\u2014 and \u2014O\u2014P(O)(OH)\u2014O\u2014,
and where Y1 represents a phenyl group which is fused with the phenyl group to which it is attached to form a naphthalenyl group and Y2 represents a phenyl group which is fused with the phenyl group to which it is attached to form a naphthalenyl group, X may not represent a group of formula \u2014O\u2014CH2\u2014O\u2014.
12. A semiconductive polymer, wherein said semiconductive polymer is a copolymer in which one of the repeat units is a group of formula (III) or a semiconductive homopolymer in which the repeat unit is a group of formula (III):
wherein:
m and n are the same or different and each is 0 or an integer of 1, 2 or 3;
R1 and R2 are same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
wherein the alkyl groups are straight or branched-chain alkyl groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the haloalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one halogen atom;
the alkoxy groups are straight or branched-chain alkoxy groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the alkoxyalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one alkoxy group;
the aryl groups are aromatic hydrocarbon groups having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl, alkoxyalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
the aryl moiety of the aryloxy group is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups;
the aralkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one aryl group; and
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the two phenyl rings about the bond b-d;
with the proviso that, where R1 and R2 are bound by a single bond, X may not represent a linking unit selected from the group consisting of \u2014CO\u2014O\u2014CO\u2014, \u2014CO\u2014NH\u2014CO\u2014 and \u2014O\u2014P(O)(OH)\u2014O\u2014.
13. A semiconductive polymer according to claim 12, wherein the polymer is selected from copolymers of the following general formulae (IV), (V), (VI) and (VII):
wherein:
(I) is a repeat unit of formula III; and
D1, D2 and D3 are repeat units which are conjugated with the adjacent units in the polymer chain, n1 is an integer greater than 3, the ratio of x:y is from 99:1 to 1:99, and the ratio of x:(y+z) is from 99:1 to 1:99.
14. A semiconductive polymer according to claim 13, wherein the repeat units D1, D2 and D3 are selected from the following conjugated units of formulae (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV) and (XV):
wherein:
each of R8 to R15 and R17 to R33 is the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups and groups of formula \u2014COR16 wherein R16 is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups, amino groups, alkylamino groups including the alkyl groups, dialkylamino groups including two alkyl groups wherein each alkyl group is the same or different, aralkyloxy groups including the aralkyl group and haloalkoxy groups comprising an alkoxy group which is substituted with at least one halogen atom;
each of Z1, Z2 and Z3 is the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO, SO2, NR3, N+(R3\u2032)(R3\u2033), C(R4)(R5), Si(R4\u2032)(R5\u2032) and P(O)(OR6), wherein;
R3, R3\u2032 and R3\u2033 are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups, and alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one group of formula \u2014N+(R7)3 wherein each group R7 is the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups and aryl groups;
R4, R5, R4\u2032 and R5\u2032 are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, halogen atoms, nitro groups, cyano groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups and alkyl groups which are substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, fluorenyl groups and spirobifluorenyl groups, said aryl, heteroaryl, fluorenyl and spirobifluorenyl groups being substituted with a disubstituted amino group the substituents of which are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, fluorenyl groups and spirobifluorenyl groups, or R4 and R5 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached represent a carbonyl group; and
R6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups and aralkyl groups;
said heteroaryl groups are 5- to 7-membered aromatic heterocyclic groups containing from one to three heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of sulfur atoms, oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, said groups optionally being substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryloxy groups and alkoxy groups;
each of X1, X2, X3 and X4 is the same or different and is selected from:
aryl moieties having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryloxy groups and alkoxy groups;
straight or branched-chain alkylene groups having from one to six carbon atoms;
straight or branched-chain alkenylene groups having from two to six carbon atoms; and
straight or branched-chain alkynylene groups having from one to six carbon atoms; or
X1 and X2 together andor X3 and X4 together can represent a linking group of formula (V) below:
wherein X5 represents an aryl moiety;
each of e1, e2, f1 and f2 is the same or different and is 0 or an integer of 1 to 3;
each of g, q1, q2, q3 and q4 is the same or different and is 0, 1, or 2;
each of h1, h2, j1, j2, j3, l1, l2, l3, l4, r and s is the same or different and is 0 or an integer of 1 to 4;
each of i, k1, k2, o1 and o2 is the same or different and is 0 or an integer of 1 to 5; and
each of p1, p2, p3 and p4 is 0 or 1.
15. A semiconductive polymer according to claim 14, wherein the repeat unit D1, D2 or D3 is a unit of formula (VIII); and
Z1, Z2 and Z3 are selected from the group consisting of O, S and C(R4)(R5).
16. A semiconductive polymer according to claim 14, wherein said polymer is a statistical copolymer of formula (VI) wherein D1 is selected from the conjugated units of formulae (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), and (XV)
and the ratio x:y is from 10:90 to 50:50.
17. An optical device comprising a substrate and at least one semiconductive polymer supported by said substrate, wherein said semiconductive polymer is selected from copolymers of the following general formulae (IV), (V), (VI) and (VII):
wherein:
(I) is a repeat unit of formula III;
wherein:
m and n are the same or different and each is 0 or an integer of 1, 2 or 3;
R1 and R2 are same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
wherein the alkyl groups are straight or branched-chain alkyl groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the haloalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one halogen atom;
the alkoxy groups are straight or branched-chain alkoxy groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the alkoxyalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one alkoxy group;
the aryl groups are aromatic hydrocarbon groups having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl, alkoxyalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
the aryl moiety of the aryloxy group is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups;
the aralkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one aryl group;
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the two phenyl rings about the bond b-d;
with the proviso that, where R1 and R2 are bound by a single bond, X may not represent a linking unit selected from the group consisting of \u2014CO\u2014O\u2014CO\u2014, \u2014CO\u2014NH\u2014CO\u2014 and \u2014O\u2014P(O)(OH)\u2014O\u2014, and
D1, D2 and D3 are repeat units which are conjugated with the adjacent units in the polymer chain, n1 is an integer greater than 3, the ratio of x:y is from 99:1 to 1:99, and the ratio of x:(y+z) is from 99:1 to 1:99.
18. An optical device comprising a substrate and at least one semiconductive polymer supported by said substrate, wherein said semiconductive polymer is a copolymer in which one of the repeat units is a group of formula (II) or a homopolymer in which the repeat unit is a group of formula (II):
wherein:
Y1 and Y2 are each single bonds; and
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the two phenyl groups about the bond b-d.
19. An optical device comprising a substrate and at least one semiconductive polymer supported by said substrate, wherein said semiconductive polymer is a copolymer in which one of the repeat units is a group of formula (III) or a homopolymer in which the repeat unit is a group of formula (III):
wherein:
m and n are the same or different and each is 0 or an integer of 1, 2 or 3;
R1 and R2 are same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
wherein the alkyl groups are straight or branched-chain alkyl groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the haloalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one halogen atom;
the alkoxy groups are straight or branched-chain alkoxy groups having from one to 20 carbon atoms;
the alkoxyalkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one alkoxy group;
the aryl groups are aromatic hydrocarbon groups having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl, alkoxyalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, and aralkyl groups;
the aryl moiety of the aryloxy group is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having from six to 14 carbon atoms in one or more rings which may optionally be substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups;
the aralkyl groups are alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one aryl group; and
X is a linking unit, X being such that there is a torsion angle of at least 5\xb0 between the two phenyl rings about the bond b-d.
20. An optical device according to claim 19, wherein X is a moiety of formula -A-B-C- wherein:
A, B and C are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO, SO2, NR3, N+(R3\u2032)(R3\u2033), C(R4)(R5), Si(R4\u2032)(R5\u2032), and P(O)(OR6);
R3, R3\u2032 and R3\u2033 are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups, and alkyl groups which are substituted with at least one group of formula \u2014N+(R7)3 wherein each group R7 is the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups and aryl groups;
R4, R5, R4\u2032 and R5\u2032 are the same or different and each is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxy groups, halogen atoms, nitro groups, cyano groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups, aralkyl groups and alkyl groups which are substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, fluorenyl groups and spirobifluorenyl groups, said aryl, heteroaryl, fluorenyl and spirobifluorenyl groups being substituted with a disubstituted amino group the substituents of which are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of aryl groups, heteroaryl groups, fluorenyl groups and spirobifluorenyl groups, or R4 and R5 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached represent a carbonyl group;
R6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryl groups, aryloxy groups and aralkyl groups; and
said heteroaryl groups are 5- to 7-membered aromatic heterocyclic groups containing from one to three heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of sulfur atoms, oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms, said groups optionally being substituted with at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of nitro groups, cyano groups, amino groups, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups, alkoxyalkyl groups, aryloxy groups and alkoxy groups.
21. An optical device according to claim 20, wherein m and n are each 0 and X is a linking unit of formula -A-B-C- wherein A and C each represent a methylene group and B is selected from the group consisting of O, S, SO2, NR3, N+(R3\u2032)(R3\u2033) and C(R4)(R5).
22. An optical device according to claim 20, wherein m and n are each 0 and X is a linking unit of formula -A-B-C- wherein A and C each represent O or S and B is a group of formula C(R4)(R5) wherein R4 and R5 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from one to ten carbon atoms.
23. An optical device according to claim 20, wherein the unit of formula (III) is selected from the following group:
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for securing a data set, the method steps implemented by a programmed computer system, the method steps comprising:
encrypting, using a hardware processor, the data set based on an encryption key to produce an encrypted data set;
creating hash information based on a hash operation using the data set;
generating data splitting information, wherein the data splitting information is usable to determine into which of a plurality of shares of data a unit of data of the encrypted data set will be placed;
separating the encrypted data set into the plurality of shares based on the data splitting information, wherein each share contains one or more, but not all, of the units of data of the encrypted data set, and wherein at least two of the plurality of shares contain different amounts of the encrypted data set;
including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the encryption key and the hash information; and
causing the plurality of shares to be stored in separate storage locations;
wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a deterministic technique.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a substantially random technique.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing a plurality of data units in each of the shares to be rearranged relative to one another after the separating step.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data into the plurality of shares comprises causing the plurality of shares to have a substantially randomly distribution of the encrypted data set.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of the encryption key comprises data created using a Shamir secret sharing algorithm.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of including data indicative of the encryption key comprises:
encrypting the encryption key with a second key; and
including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the encrypted encryption key.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the method step of storing the second key outside of the plurality of shares, wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares, and the second key.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the separate storage locations are located on at least two separate storage devices.
10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to carry out a method for securing a data set, the method comprising the steps of:
encrypting the data set based on an encryption key to produce an encrypted data set;
creating hash information based on a hash operation using the data set;
generating data splitting information, wherein the data splitting information is usable to determine into which of a plurality of shares of data a unit of data of the encrypted data set will be placed;
separating the encrypted data set into the plurality of shares based on the data splitting information, wherein each share contains one or more, but not all, of the units of data of the encrypted data set, and wherein at least two of the plurality of shares contain different amounts of the encrypted data set;
including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the encryption key and the hash information; and
causing the plurality of shares to be stored in separate storage locations;
wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares.
11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a deterministic technique.
12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a substantially random technique.
13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises causing a plurality of data units of the encrypted data set to be rearranged relative to one another after the separating step.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data into the plurality of shares comprises causing the plurality of shares to have a substantially randomly distribution of the encrypted data set.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the data indicative of the encryption key comprises data created using a Shamir secret sharing algorithm.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the step of including data indicative of the encryption key comprises:
encrypting the encryption key with a second key; and
including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the encrypted encryption key.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the method further comprises storing the second key outside of the plurality of shares, wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares, and the second key.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the separate storage locations are located on at least two separate storage devices.
19. A computer system for securing a data set, the system comprising:
at least one processor;
a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to carry out the following steps:
encrypting the data set based on an encryption key to produce an encrypted data set;
creating hash information based on a hash operation using the data set;
generating data splitting information, wherein the data splitting information is usable to determine into which of a plurality of shares of data a unit of data of the encrypted data set will be placed;
separating the encrypted data set into the plurality of shares based on the data splitting information, wherein each share contains one or more, but not all, of the units of data of the encrypted data set, and wherein at least two of the plurality of shares contain different amounts of the encrypted data set;
including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the encryption key and the hash information; and
causing the plurality of shares to be stored in separate storage locations;
wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a deterministic technique.
21. The system of claim 19, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a substantially random technique.
22. The system of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises causing a plurality of data units of the encrypted data set to be rearranged relative to one another after the separating step.
23. The system of claim 19, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data into the plurality of shares comprises causing the plurality of shares to have a substantially randomly distribution of the encrypted data set.
24. The system of claim 19, wherein data indicative of the encryption key comprises data that was created using a Shamir secret sharing algorithm.
25. The system of claim 19, wherein the step of including data indicative of the encryption key comprises:
encrypting the encryption key with a second key; and
including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the encrypted encryption key.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein the method further comprises storing the second key outside of the plurality of shares, wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares, and the second key.
27. The system of claim 19, wherein the separate storage locations are located on at least two separate storage devices.
28. The method of claim 1, wherein the separate storage locations are located on one storage device.
29. The method of claim 1, wherein the separate storage locations are geographically separated.
30. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the plurality of shares to be stored in separate storage locations comprises causing the plurality of shares to be stored in respective separate storage locations.
31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the separate storage locations are located on one storage device.
32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the separate storage locations are geographically separated.
33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein causing the plurality of shares to be stored in separate storage locations comprises causing the plurality of shares to be stored in respective separate storage locations.
34. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the separate storage locations are located on one storage device.
35. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the separate storage locations are geographically separated.
36. The computer system of claim 19, wherein causing the plurality of shares to be stored in separate storage locations comprises causing the plurality of shares to be stored in respective separate storage locations.