Integrated secure encryption apparatus

• US 20040111739A1
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3e Technologies International, Inc. (Ultra Electronics Holdings PLC)
• Original Assignee: Criticom Critical Communications
• Inventors: Winegard, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

An integrated secure encryption apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention is a self-contained secure console providing switch selectable secure and non-secure communications using the H.320 encoding standard. The system provides a standardized system for secure/non-secure videoconferencing communications systems employing three levels of protection: shielding, physical separation and fiber optic isolation. The system in one aspect includes an inverse multiplexer for receiving and converting data. A VWS black side switch is connected to the inverse multiplexer, and also connected to an encryption device at a Second contact of the VWS black side switch and connected to a VWS red side switch at a Contact 1 of the VWS black side switch. The VWS red side switch is connected to a codec, for example, a video conferencing codec. In a secure mode, Contact 1s of the VWS switches are disabled to allow data to be routed between the second contacts via the encryption device.

Claims

1. An integrated secure videoconferencing communications system, comprising:

an inverse multiplexer for receiving and converting data;

a black side switch having a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact, and coupled to the inverse multiplexer via the third contact;

an encryption device coupled to the second contact of the black side switch;

a red side switch having a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact, and coupled to the encryption device via the second contact;

a codec coupled to the red side switch via the third contact of the red side switch; and

a controller coupled to the black side and the red side switches for controlling connection paths of the first contacts and second contacts of the black side and the red side switches.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein if the system is operating in a secure mode, the controller disables the first contacts of the black side and the red side switches, and the second contacts of the black side and red side switches are enabled to connect data path via the encryption device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein if the system is operating in a non-secure mode, the controller enables the first contacts of the black and the red side switches.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for on-screen dialing.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising fiber optic isolation between all secure and non-secure signals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is in a secure operating mode when power is not supplied to the system.

7. The system of claim 1, further including:

a first fiber optics modem coupled to the first contact of the black side switch; and

a second fiber optics modem coupled to the first contact of the red side switch,

wherein data is communicated between the inverse multiplexer and the codec via the first and the second fiber optics modems.

8. The system of claim 1, further including a dial isolator module coupled to the codec by a first interface, the dial isolator further coupled to the inverse multiplexer by a second interface.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the black side switch is coupled to the inverse multiplexer via an RS-530/499 interface.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the red side switch is coupled to the codec via an RS-530/499 interface.

11. The system of claim 1, further including a power control module coupled to the controller and the first and the second fiber optics modems.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the power control module terminates power supplied to the first and the second fiber optics modems when the system is operating in a secure mode.

13. The system of claim 1, further including a status indicator coupled to the controller for indicating an operating mode.

14. The system of claim 1, further including a switch coupled to the controller for selecting an operating mode.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the encryption device is coupled to the black side and the red side switches via an RS-530/499 interface.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the codec includes a serial interfaced videoconferencing codec.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the encryption device includes KIV 7 module.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the encryption device includes KIV 19 module.

19. A method for providing secure communications, comprising:

determining an operating mode;

if the operating mode is secure mode, enabling second contacts of two switches and communicating data between the two switches via a secure module; and

if the operating mode is non-secure mode, enabling first contacts of the two switches and communicating data between the two switches directly.

20. The method of claim 19, further including displaying the operating mode.

21. The method of claim 19, further including if the operating mode is non-secure mode, routing data between the two switches via a plurality of fiber optics modems.

22. The method of claim 19, further including if the operating mode is secure, routing data between the two switches through encryption devices and disconnecting the non-secure path between the two switches.

23. The method of claim 19, further including if the operating mode is secure, terminating power from a plurality of fiber optics modems coupling the two switches.

24. The method of claim 19, further including converting ISDN channel data to high speed RS-530/499 data.

25. An integrated secure videoconferencing communications system, comprising:

an inverse multiplexer for receiving and converting data;

a black side switch connected to the invert multiplexer;

an encryption device connected to the black side switch;

a red side switch connected to the encryption device, and connected to the black side switch;

a codec connected to the red side switch; and

a controller for controlling the black side and the red side switches to enable either a secure path connection between the black side and the red side switches via the encryption device or a non secure path connection directly between the black side and the red side switches.