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US 5,455,861 AGranted
Secure telecommunications
AssigneeAT&T Corp.
InventorsDavid W. Faucher, Daniel N. Heer, Michael M. Kaplan, David P. Maher
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAT&T Corp.
InventorsDavid W. Faucher, Daniel N. Heer, Michael M. Kaplan, David P. Maher
Estimating the term…
A security node disposed in the telecommunications network connecting calling and called parties transforms information (which can be voice, data, facsimile, video and other types of calls or messages) encrypted in a first format to (a) encrypted information in a different format or to (b) non-encrypted information, and vice-versa. The node is accessible from any location connected to the network. By routing calls or messages originated by the calling party and destined for the called party via the security node, and providing appropriate control signals to the node, the information may be encrypted only over a portion of the transmission path between the parties, and clear over the remainder of the transmission path. Alternatively, the information may be encrypted in different portions of the path using different encryption algorithms. This arrangement enables the parties to obtain relatively secure communications even if only one party has a security device at the originating or terminating end, or if the parties have security devices using different handshaking protocols and encryption algorithms.
An apparatus for providing secure communication of information signals over a communications network, the apparatus for coupling between a telephone base and an information signal generator, the telephone base coupled to the communications network, the apparatus comprising a signal encryptor for coupling to the information signal generator and the telephone base, the signal encryptor for generating encrypted signals reflecting signals formed by the generator, the telephone base for transmitting over the network signals reflecting the generated encrypted signals.
An apparatus for providing secure communication of information signals over a communications network, the apparatus for coupling between a telephone base and an information signal utilization device, the telephone base coupled to the communications network and for receiving information signals therefrom, the apparatus comprising a signal decryptor, for coupling to the telephone base and the utilization device, the signal decryptor for generating decrypted signals for use by the utilization device, the decrypted signals reflecting encrypted signals provided by the telephone base.
An apparatus for providing secure telephone communication, the apparatus for coupling between a telephone base and a telephone microphone, the telephone base coupled to a communications network, the telephone microphone for generating first signals reflecting speech, the apparatus comprising:
The apparatus of 16 further comprising a removable interface module, the removable interface module comprising a telephone base interface coupled to the signal encryptor and for coupling to the telephone base.
An apparatus for providing secure telephone communication, the apparatus for coupling between a telephone base and a telephone speaker, the telephone base coupled to a communications network and for providing first signals reflecting encrypted signals received from the communications network, the apparatus comprising:
An apparatus for providing secure telephone communication, the apparatus for coupling between a telephone handset and a telephone base, the telephone handset including speaker and a microphone for generating first signals reflecting speech, the telephone base coupled to a communications network and for producing second signals reflecting encrypted speech signals received from the network, the apparatus comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.