Data security in optical communications systems
US8538272B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 22, 2004 |
| Grant date | Sep 17, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 2, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B2210/254
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of encrypting an optical communications signal involves determining an encryption function, filtering an electrical input signal using the encryption function to generate an encrypted electrical signal, and modulating an optical source using the encrypted electrical signal to generate a corresponding encrypted optical signal. This is then transmitted through an optical communications system. The encryption is selected such as to substantially remove symbol definition from the optical signal. This method provides digital signal processing of an electrical input signal in order to derive a signal for controlling an optical modulator in such a way that the optical signal transmitted over the link is a continuous analogue signal rather than a series of discrete symbols which alternate between well-defined signal values. This makes it difficult for a third party to derive the binary bit sequence encoded by the optical signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.