Secure fiber optic seals enabled by quantum optical communication concepts
First Claim
1. A method for detecting tampering with a seal, comprising:
- calibrating a seal that includes a quantum optical transmitter in communication with a quantum optical receiver by way of a communications channel, wherein calibrating the seal comprises;
receiving a first plurality of pulses of light at the quantum optical receiver, the first plurality of pulses received prior to occurrence of tampering on the communications channel between the optical receiver and the quantum optical transmitter;
identifying a calibrated threshold correlation value based upon the first plurality of pulses and randomly selected first data encoded on the first plurality of pulses by the quantum optical transmitter; and
detecting tampering on the communications channel between the quantum optical receiver and the quantum optical transmitter subsequent to calibrating the seal, wherein detecting the tampering comprises;
receiving, at the quantum optical receiver, a second plurality of pulses of light, wherein randomly selected second data is encoded on the second pulses of light by the quantum optical transmitter;
storing a respective measured data value for each of the received second pulses;
identifying a correlation statistic based upon a comparison of the measured data values of the second pulses and the encoded data values of the second pulses; and
outputting, based upon the correlation statistic and the threshold correlation value, an indication of tampering on the communications channel between the quantum optical receiver and the quantum optical transmitter.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are various technologies pertaining to detecting tampering of a seal based upon quantum optical communication via a communications channel comprising the seal. A plurality of pulses of light encoded with random data are transmitted on the communications channel, whereupon they are received and their data values measured. The measured data values of the pulses are then compared to the known transmitted data to determine a correlation statistic between the transmitted and received data values. Tampering with the seal can be detected based upon identifying that the correlation statistic has dropped below a threshold non-tampered level of correlation between transmitted and received values.
34 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for detecting tampering with a seal, comprising:
-
calibrating a seal that includes a quantum optical transmitter in communication with a quantum optical receiver by way of a communications channel, wherein calibrating the seal comprises; receiving a first plurality of pulses of light at the quantum optical receiver, the first plurality of pulses received prior to occurrence of tampering on the communications channel between the optical receiver and the quantum optical transmitter; identifying a calibrated threshold correlation value based upon the first plurality of pulses and randomly selected first data encoded on the first plurality of pulses by the quantum optical transmitter; and detecting tampering on the communications channel between the quantum optical receiver and the quantum optical transmitter subsequent to calibrating the seal, wherein detecting the tampering comprises; receiving, at the quantum optical receiver, a second plurality of pulses of light, wherein randomly selected second data is encoded on the second pulses of light by the quantum optical transmitter; storing a respective measured data value for each of the received second pulses; identifying a correlation statistic based upon a comparison of the measured data values of the second pulses and the encoded data values of the second pulses; and outputting, based upon the correlation statistic and the threshold correlation value, an indication of tampering on the communications channel between the quantum optical receiver and the quantum optical transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 19, 20)
-
-
9. A sealing system, comprising:
-
a quantum optical transmitter; a quantum optical receiver in optical communication with the quantum optical transmitter by way of a communications channel; and a computing device in communication with the quantum optical transmitter and the quantum optical receiver, the computing device configured to perform the following acts; performing a calibration process for the sealing system to identify a calibrated threshold correlation value for the sealing system, wherein performing the calibration process comprises; causing the quantum optical transmitter to transmit a first plurality of pulses of light to the quantum optical receiver by way of the communications channel, each of the first plurality of pulses of light encoded with respective randomly selected data by the quantum optical transmitter, the first plurality of pulses received at the quantum optical receiver prior to occurrence of tampering on the communications channel; and identifying the calibrated threshold correlation value for the sealing system based upon the first plurality of pulses and the data encoded on the first plurality of pulses by the quantum optical transmitter; detecting a tampering event on the communications channel, wherein detecting the tampering event comprises; causing the quantum optical transmitter to transmit a second plurality of pulses of light to the quantum optical receiver by way of the communications channel, each of the second plurality of pulses of light encoded with respective randomly selected data by the quantum optical transmitter; storing, based upon measurements of the second plurality of pulses of light by the quantum optical receiver, a respective data value for each of the second pulses; and comparing the respective stored data values with the respective data values encoded on the second pulses to identify a correlation measure; and outputting an indication of tampering on the communications channel based upon the correlation measure and the threshold correlation value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:
-
calibrating an optical sealing system that includes a quantum optical transmitter and a quantum optical receiver that are in optical communication by way of a communications channel, wherein calibrating the optical sealing system comprises; causing the quantum optical transmitter to transmit a first plurality of pulses of light to the quantum optical receiver by way of the communications channel, each of the first plurality of pulses of light encoded with respective random data on quadratures of the light by the quantum optical transmitter; and identifying a calibrated threshold correlation value based upon the first plurality of pulses and the data encoded on the first plurality of pulses by the quantum optical transmitter; causing the quantum optical transmitter to transmit a second plurality of pulses of light to the quantum optical receiver by way of the communications channel, each of the second plurality of pulses of light encoded with respective random data on quadratures of the light by the quantum optical transmitter; storing, based upon measurements of the second plurality of pulses of light by the quantum optical receiver, a respective data value for each of the second pulses; creating a covariance matrix based upon the stored data values and the data values encoded on the second pulses; and outputting an indication of tampering on the communications channel based upon the covariance matrix and the calibrated threshold correlation value.
-
Specification