# US 11,310,392 B2 · Fluid-optical encryption system and method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,392 B2 - Document ID: US11310392B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/838,646 - Filed: 2017-12-12 - Published: 2019-06-13 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-12 - Assignees: National Tsinghua University - Applicants: National Tsinghua University - Inventors: Wei-Chih Wang; David R. Schipf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310392B2 ## CPC - H04N 1/4486: {using digital data encryption} - G06F 21/60: Protecting data - G06F 21/606: {by securing the transmission between two devices or processes} - H04L 9/0825: {using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates} - H04L 9/0852: {Quantum cryptography (transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. light, infrared H04B10/00; wavelength-division multiplex systems H04J14/02; WDM arrangements H04J14/03)} - H04L 9/0869: {involving random numbers or seeds} - G06F 2221/2107: File encryption - H04L 2209/04: Masking or blinding - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a fluid-optical encryption system and a method thereof. The fluid-optical encryption system uses a fluid surface that changes topology over time to modulate the wave front of an electromagnetic signal in an encryption, decryption, authentication or other communication system. The electromagnetic signal can be pulsed or continuous, coherent or non-coherent, and can be optical or in another wavelength range such as micrometer or infrared. The information carrying signal is either transmitted through the fluid system or reflected off the surface of the fluid system. The fluid system time dependent change can be induced by mechanical vibration in the fluid container, distorting the fluid container, acoustic waves through the fluid, or by surface tension changes at the boundary of the fluid cause by electrowetting or electrostatic effects. The fluid surface can exhibit patterns that oscillate or change periodically, or change in a chaotic manner. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid-optical encryption system, comprising: a first random phase element, a second random phase element, a first lens, a second lens and a fluid system, wherein an electromagnetic (EM) beam at a plane U0 contains an image that has passed through the first random phase element or been encoded with random phase values; the EM beam at a plane U1 passes through the fluid system; the fluid system includes at least one fluid that directly alters one or more properties of the EM beam; the second random phase element is positioned at a Fourier plane UF between the first lens and the second lens; a plane UE is the location of a camera or some photon detection devices for recording an encrypted image; and distances d1, z1 and focal length f are determined by a user and contribute to a key space; and wherein d1 is the distance between the plane U0 and the plane U1, z1 is the distance between the plane U1 and the first lens, f is the distance between the second lens and the plane UE, and the first and second random phase elements and the first and second lenses are used with the fluid system to encrypt the image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fluid-optical encryption system of claim 1, wherein the first random phase element and the second random phase element each are a phase mask or a spatial light modulator (SLM). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fluid-optical encryption system of claim 1, wherein the fluid system is used once or multiple times in the fluid-optical encryption system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fluid-optical encryption system of claim 1, wherein the encrypted image or series of images are recorded over a finite period of time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fluid-optical encryption system of claim 1, wherein the fluid system alters the phase, path length or polarization of the EM beam over time according to the motion or boundary of the at least one fluid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fluid-optical encryption system of claim 1, wherein at least a fluid surface profile or a fluid surface boundary is varied spatially and temporally and is used as an adaptive lens for the fluid-optical encryption system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fluid-optical encryption system of claim 1, wherein a reflective mirror array is used as a reflective surface for the fluid-optical encryption system. ### Claim 8 A fluid-optical encryption system, comprising: a first random phase element, a second random phase element, a first lens, a second lens and a fluid system, wherein an electromagnetic (EM) beam at a plane U0 contains an image and passes through the first random phase element at a plane U1; the second random phase element is positioned at a plane U2 between a Fourier plane UF and the first lens; the fluid system is positioned at the Fourier plane UF between the first lens and the second lens and includes at least one fluid that directly alters one or more properties of the EM beam; a plane UE is the location of a camera or some photon detection devices for recording an encrypted image; and distances d1, z1, d2, d3, and focal length f are determined by a user and contribute to a key space; and wherein d1 is the distance between the plane U0 and the plane U1, z1 is the distance between the plane U1 and the first lens, d2 is the distance between the first lens and the plane U2, d3 is the distance between the plane U2 and the Fourier plane UF, f is the distance between the second lens and the plane UE, and the first and second random phase elements and the first and second lenses are used with the fluid system to encrypt the image. ### Claim 9 A fluid-optical encryption system, comprising: a first random phase element, a second random phase element and a fluid system, wherein an electromagnetic (EM) beam at a plane U0 contains an image; the first random phase element is located at a plane U1; the second random phase element is positioned at a plane U2; the fluid system is positioned at a Fourier plane UF and includes at least one fluid that directly alters one or more properties of the EM beam; a plane UE is the location of a camera or some photon detection devices for recording an encrypted image; and distances d1, d2, d3, and d4 are determined by the user and contribute to a key space; and wherein d1 is the distance between the plane U0 and the plane U1, d2 is the distance between the plane U1 and the Fourier plane UF, d3 is the distance between the Fourier plane UF and the plane U2, d4 is the distance between the plane U2 and the plane UE, and the first and second random phase elements are used with the fluid system to encrypt the image. ### Claim 10 A fluid-optical encryption method, comprising the steps of: containing an image by an electromagnetic (EM) beam at a plane U0; the EM beam passing through a first random phase element or being encoded with random phase values at the plane U0; the EM beam at a plane U1 passing through a fluid system; positioning a second phase element at a Fourier plane UF between a first lens and a second lens; and positioning a camera or some photon detection devices at a plane UE and recording an encrypted image, wherein the fluid system includes at least one fluid that directly alters one or more properties of the EM beam and distances d1, z1, and focal length f are determined by a user and contribute to a key space; and wherein d1 is the distance between the plane U0 and the plane U1, z1 is the distance between the plane U1 and the first lens, f is the distance between the second lens and the plane UE, and the first and second random phase elements and the first and second lenses are used with the fluid system to encrypt the image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fluid-optical encryption method of claim 10, wherein the step of recording an encrypted image includes recording the encrypted image or series of images over a finite period of time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The fluid-optical encryption method of claim 11, further comprising the step of altering the phase, path length or polarization of the EM beam by the fluid system over time according to the motion or boundary of the at least one fluid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The fluid-optical encryption method of claim 11, further comprising the step of spatially and temporally varying at least a fluid surface profile or a fluid surface boundary that encodes the EM beam. ### Claim 14 A fluid-optical encryption method, comprising the steps of: containing an image by an electromagnetic (EM) beam at a plane U0; the EM beam passing through a first random phase element at a plane U1; positioning a second random phase element at plane U2 between a Fourier plane UF and a first lens; positioning a fluid system at the Fourier plane UF between the first lens and a second lens; and positioning a camera or some photon detection devices at a plane UE and recording an encrypted image, wherein the fluid system includes at least one fluid that directly alters one or more properties of the EM beam and distances d1, z1, d2, d3, and focal length f are determined by a user and contribute to a key space; and wherein d1 is the distance between the plane U0 and the plane U1, z1 is the distance between the plane U1 and the first lens, d2 is the distance between the first lens and the plane U2, d3 is the distance between the plane U2 and the Fourier plane UF, f is the distance between the second lens and the plane UE, and the first and second random phase elements and the first and second lenses are used with the fluid system to encrypt the image. ### Claim 15 A fluid-optical encryption method, comprising the steps of: containing an image by an electromagnetic (EM) beam at a plane U0; respectively positioning a first random phase element, a second random phase element and a fluid system at a plane U1, a plane U2 and a Fourier plane UF; and positioning a camera or some photon detection devices at a plane UE and recording an encrypted image, wherein the fluid system includes at least one fluid that directly alters one or more properties of the EM beam and distances d1, d2, d3, and d4 are determined by a user and contribute to a key space; and wherein d1 is the distance between the plane U0 and the plane U1, d2 is the distance between the plane U1 and the Fourier plane UF, d3 is the distance between the Fourier plane UF and the plane U3 d4 is the distance between the plane U2 and the plane UF, and the first and second random phase elements are used with the fluid system to encrypt the image.