Methods and systems for secure wireless communication within a predetermined boundary

• US 5,608,723 A
• Filed: 04/26/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Interval Research Corporation
• Inventors: Felsenstein, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Safourek, Benedict V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGO, RICKY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/429,031
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 370/18, 370/95.1, 370/59.3, 370/84, 375/202, 375/205, 455/33.1, 455/38.1, 455/53.1, 455/54.1, 455/59, 340/825.04, 340/825.44, 380/21, 380/33, 380/34, 380/42, 380/43
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication

Abstract

A message signal which is to be securely communicated is encoded, using a preselected code, to generate an encoded signal. A radio frequency signal representative of the encoded signal is transmitted, wherein the radio frequency signal may propagate beyond the predetermined boundary. A code signal representative of the preselected code is also transmitted, wherein propagation of the code signal is confined within the predetermined boundary. At a corresponding receiver within the predetermined boundary, the code signal and the radio frequency signal are received. The encoded signal represented by the radio frequency signal is decoded based upon the preselected code in order to recover the message signal.

Claims

1. A method of secure wireless communication of a message signal within a predetermined boundary, the method comprising the steps of:

encoding the message signal using a preselected code to generate an encoded signal;

transmitting a radio frequency signal representative of the encoded signal; and

transmitting a code signal representative of the preselected code, wherein propagation of the code signal is confined within the predetermined boundary.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the message signal is encoded using a code-division multiple access scheme.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the preselected code includes a binary sequence.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the binary sequence is periodic based upon a pseudo-random digital key.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the code signal is transmitted at a bit rate less than a bit rate of the encoded signal.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the code signal is transmitted at a bit rate less than a bit rate of the message signal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined boundary is defined by at least one wall, a floor, and a ceiling.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the radio frequency signal propagates beyond the predetermined boundary.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the code signal is a light signal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the code signal is an infrared light signal.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the code signal is an ultraviolet light signal.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the code signal is an ultrasonic signal.

13. A method of secure wireless communication of a message signal within a predetermined boundary defined by at least one wall, a floor, and a ceiling, the method comprising the steps of:

encoding the message signal using a preselected pseudo-random digital key to generate an encoded signal, the message signal encoded by a code-division multiple access scheme;

transmitting a radio frequency signal representative of the encoded signal, the radio frequency signal propagating beyond the predetermined boundary; and

transmitting a code signal representative of the preselected pseudo-random digital key, the code signal selected from the group consisting of an infrared light signal, an ultraviolet light signal, and an ultrasonic signal, wherein propagation of the code signal is confined by the predetermined boundary.

14. A method of receiving a secure, wireless communication of a message signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a code signal selected from the group consisting of a light signal and an ultrasonic signal, the code signal representative of a preselected code;

receiving a radio frequency signal representative of an encoded signal; and

decoding the encoded signal based upon the preselected code to recover the message signal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the code signal is an infrared light signal.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the code signal is an ultraviolet light signal.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the preselected code includes a binary sequence.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the binary sequence includes a pseudo-random digital key.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of decoding the encoded signal includes the steps of:

storing the pseudo-random digital key; and

decoding the encoded signal in accordance with a code-division multiple access scheme using the pseudo-random digital key.

20. A method of receiving a secure, wireless communication of a message signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a code signal representative of a preselected pseudo-random digital key, the code signal selected from the group consisting of an infrared light signal, an ultraviolet light signal, and an ultrasonic signal;

storing the pseudo-random digital key;

receiving a radio frequency signal representative of an encoded signal; and

decoding the encoded signal to recover the message signal, the encoded signal demodulated in accordance with a code-division multiple access scheme using the pseudo-random digital key.

21. A system for secure wireless communication of a message signal within a predetermined boundary, the system comprising:

an encoder which encodes the message signal using a preselected code, the encoder generating an encoded signal;

a first transmitter which transmits a radio frequency signal representative of the encoded signal; and

a second transmitter which transmits a code signal representative of the preselected code, wherein propagation of the code signal is confined within the predetermined boundary.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the encoder includes a code-division multiple access encoder.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the preselected code includes a binary sequence.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the binary sequence is periodic based upon a pseudo-random digital key.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the code signal is transmitted at a bit rate less than a bit rate of the encoded signal.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the code signal is transmitted at a bit rate less than a bit rate of the message signal.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the predetermined boundary is defined by at least one wall, a floor, and a ceiling.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the radio frequency signal propagates beyond the predetermined boundary.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the second transmitter includes an infrared light emitter for transmitting the code signal, whereby the code signal is an infrared light signal.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the second transmitter includes an ultraviolet light emitter for transmitting the code signal, whereby the code signal is an ultraviolet light signal.

31. The system of claim 21 wherein the second transmitter includes an ultrasonic transducer for transmitting the code signal, whereby the code signal is an ultrasonic signal.

32. A system for secure wireless communication of a message signal within a predetermined boundary defined by at least one wall, a floor, and a ceiling, the system comprising:

a code-division multiple access encoder which encodes the message signal using a preselected pseudo-random digital key, the encoder generating an encoded signal;

a first transmitter which transmits a radio frequency signal representative of the encoded signal, the radio frequency signal propagating beyond the predetermined boundary; and

a second transmitter which transmits a code signal representative of the preselected pseudo-random digital key, the code signal selected from the group consisting of an infrared light signal, an ultraviolet light signal, and an ultrasonic signal, wherein propagation of the code signal is confined within the predetermined boundary.

33. A system for receiving a secure, wireless communication of a message signal, the system comprising:

a first receiver which receives a radio frequency signal representative of an encoded signal;

a second receiver which receives a code signal representative of a preselected code, the code signal selected from the group consisting of a light signal and an ultrasonic signal; and

a decoder which decodes the encoded signal based upon the preselected code, whereby the decoder recovers the message signal.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the code signal is an infrared light signal, and wherein the second receiver includes an infrared detector for receiving the infrared light signal.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the code signal is an ultraviolet light signal, and wherein the second receiver includes an ultraviolet detector for receiving the ultraviolet light signal.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the code signal is an ultrasonic signal, and wherein the second receiver includes an ultrasonic transducer for receiving the ultrasonic signal.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein the preselected code includes a binary sequence.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the binary sequence includes a pseudo-random digital key.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the decoder includes:

a storage device for storing the pseudo-random digital key; and

a code-division multiple access decoder for decoding the encoded signal using the pseudo-random digital key.