Cryptographically secure communication system

• US 4,283,602 A
• Filed: 09/23/1968
• Issued: 08/11/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Telephone & Telegraph Corp. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adams, Robert T., Granlund, John, Ahrens, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Birmiel, Howard A.
• Application Number:
  US04/761,879
• Time in Patent Office: 4,705 Days
• Field of Search: 178/22, 179/1.5 E, 179/1.5 R
• US Class Current: 380/41
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/02 by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible

Abstract

This relates to a cryptographically secure communication system employed with an analog input, an analog output and a transmission medium each having a given low frequency pass band with a predetermined bandwidth. The input analog signal is sampled and then quantized to have an amplitude equal to one of a predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels. This quantized signal is applied together with a first sequence of signal representing randomly and with substantially equal probability the discrete amplitude levels to a modulo - M adder to encrypt the sample pulses. These encrypted sample pulses are converted to an encrypted analog signal for propagation through the transmission medium. The encrypted analog signal is received from the medium and then sampled and quantized to provide the encrypted amplitude samples at the receiver. These encrypted samples are applied together with a second sequence of signals identical to and synchronous with the first sequence of signals to a modulo - M subtractor to decrypt the received encrypted samples to recover the original analog signal samples which are then converted to an analog output signal. It is also possible to employ a modulo - M subtractor to encrypt the sample pulses and a modulo - M adder to decrypt the received encrypted samples.

Claims

1. A cryptographically secure communication system employed with a transmission medium having a given low frequency pass band and a predetermined bandwidth comprising:

a source of analog signal confined to said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth;

first means coupled to said source to produce amplitude sample pulses from said analog signal at a given rate related to at least twice said predetermined bandwidth, each of said sample pulses having a discrete amplitude equal to one of a predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels;

second means to provide a first sequence of signals representing randomly and with substantially equal probability said predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels, said first sequence of signals being coincident with said sample pulses;

third means coupled to said first means and said second means responsive to said sample pulses and said first sequence of signals to encrypt said sample pulses;

said transmission medium;

fourth means coupled between said third means and said transmission medium to convert said encrypted sample pulses to an encrypted analog signal confined to said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth for propagation through said transmission medium;

fifth means coupled to said transmission medium to produce encrypted amplitude sample pulses from said encrypted analog signal at said given rate, each of said encrypted sample pulses having a discrete amplitude equal to one of said predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels;

sixth means synchronous with said second means to provide a second sequence of signals identical to said first sequence of signals, said second sequence of signals being coincident with said encrypted sample pulses;

seventh means coupled to said fifth means and said sixth means responsive to said encrypted sample pulses and said second sequence of signals to decrypt said encrypted sample pulses and recover said sample pulses;

eighth means coupled to said seventh means to convert said sample pulses to said analog signal confined to said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth; and

ninth means coupled to said eighth means having said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth to utilize said analog signal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels equal M, is an integer;

said third means includes

means to add said first sequence of signals to said sample pulses modulo M; and

said seventh means includes

means to subtract said second sequence of signals from said encrypted sample pulses modulo M.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein

said first means includes

tenth means coupled to said source to sample said analog signal at said given rate, and

eleventh means coupled between said tenth means and said means to add to quantize said sample pulses;

and

said fifth means includes

twelfth means coupled to said transmission medium to sample said encrypted analog signal at said given rate, and

means coupled between said twelfth means and said means to subtract to quantize said encrypted sample pulses.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels equal M, where M is an integer;

said third means includes

means to subtract said first sequence of signals from said sample pulses modulo M; and

said seventh means includes

means to add said second sequence of signals to said encrypted sample pulses modulo M.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein

said first means includes

tenth means coupled to said source to sample said analog signal at said given rate, and

eleventh means coupled between said tenth means and said means to subtract to quantize said sample pulses;

and

said fifth means includes

twelfth means coupled to said transmission medium to sample said encrypted analog signal at said given rate, and

means coupled between said twelfth means and said means to add to quantize said encrypted sample pulses.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels equal 2ⁿ, where n is an integer equal to the number of binary bits representing each of said discrete amplitude levels;

said second means provides said first sequence of signals in binary form;

said third means includes

tenth means coupled to said first means to convert the amplitude of said sample pulses into a binary representation thereof, and

binary adder means with an (n-1) bit carry coupled to said second means and said tenth means to add the binary output of said second means to the binary output of said tenth means;

said sixth means provides said second sequence of signals in binary form; and

said seventh means includes

eleventh means coupled to said fifth means to convert the amplitude of said encrypted sample pulses into a binary representation thereof, and

binary subtractor means with an (n-1) bit borrow coupled to said sixth means and said eleventh means to subtract the binary output of said sixth means from the binary output of said eleventh means.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein

said fourth means includes

twelfth means coupled to said adder means to convert the binary output of said adder means to said encrypted sample pulses, and

low pass filter means having said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth coupled to said twelfth means to convert said encrypted sample pulses to said encrypted analog signal;

and

said eighth means includes

thirteenth means coupled to said subtractor means to convert the binary output of said subtractor means to said sample pulses, and

low pass filter means having said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth coupled to said thirteenth means to convert said sample pulses to said analog signal.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said predetermined number of discrete amplitude levels equal 2ⁿ, where n is an integer equal to the number of binary bits representing each of said discrete amplitude levels;

said second means provides said first sequence of signals in binary form;

said third means includes

tenth means coupled to said first means to convert the amplitude of said sample pulses into a binary representation thereof, and

binary subtractor means with a (n-1) bit borrow coupled to said second means and said tenth means to subtract the binary output of said second means from the binary output of said tenth means;

said sixth means provides said second sequence of signals in binary form; and

said seventh means includes

eleventh means coupled to said fifth means to convert the amplitude of said encrypted sample pulses into a binary representation thereof, and

a binary adder means with a (n-1) bit carry coupled to said sixth means and said eleventh means to add the binary output of said sixth means to the binary output of said seventh means.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein

said fourth means includes

twelfth means coupled to said subtractor means to convert the binary output of said subtractor means to said encrypted sample pulses, and

low pass filter means having said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth coupled to said twelfth means to convert said encrypted sample pulses to said encrypted analog signal;

and

said eighth means includes

thirteenth means coupled to said adder means to convert the binary output of said adder means to said sample pulses, and

low pass filter means having said given pass band and said predetermined bandwidth coupled to said thirteenth means to convert said sample pulses to said analog signal.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said first means includes

tenth means coupled to said source to sample said analog signal at said given rate, and

eleventh means coupled between said tenth means and said third means to quantize said sample pulses;

and

said fifth means includes

twelfth means coupled to said transmission medium to sample said encrypted analog signal at said given rate, and

means coupled between said twelfth means and said seventh means to quantize said encrypted sample pulses.