Method and apparatus for the secure communication of data

A device -for generating DTMF tone pairs encoded with data, the device comprising:

• memory storing information elements and non-frequency DTMF tone pair characteristic values, each one of the information elements being associated with one of the non-frequency DTMF tone pair characteristic values;
• a signal generator controllably generating DTMF tone pairs with non-frequency DTMF tone pair characteristic values corresponding to ones of said values stored in said memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to said memory and said signal generator, said processor controlling the signal generator to generate said DTMF tone pairs as a function of said stored values.

A device for decoding data encoded into a set of tones having non-frequency tone characteristic values representing encoded information, said device comprising:

• a data table storing a plurality of non-frequency tone characteristic values and a data element associated with each of the stored non-frequency tone characteristic values;
• a detector detecting the non-frequency tone characteristic values representing the encoded information;
• and
• a processor coupled to said data table and said detector, said processor decoding said encoded information as a function of the data stored in the data table and the detected non-frequency tone characteristic values.

A device for generating a series of tone signals providing non-frequency modulation of data, each tone signal including simultaneously asserted first and second tones, the device comprising:

• a first tone generator circuit generating a first tone;
• a second tone generator circuit generating a second tone;
• a first amplification circuit coupled to said first tone generator circuit amplifying the first tone;
• a second amplification circuit coupled to the second tone generator circuit amplifying the second tone, said first and second amplification circuits operating independently to provide non-frequency modulation of data;
• a control circuit controlling the first and second tone generator circuits and the first and second amplification circuits to generate a series of first and second tones;
• and
• an output circuit coupled to said first and second amplification circuits combining the series of first and second tones to generate a series of tone signals.

A device for generating a series of tone signals providing non-frequency modulation of data, each tone signal including simultaneously asserted first and second tones, the device comprising:

• a first tone generator circuit generating a first tone;
• a second tone generator circuit generating a second tone;
• a first amplification circuit electrically coupled to said first tone generator circuit, said first amplification circuit amplifying the first tone;
• a second amplification circuit electrically coupled to the second tone generator circuit, said second amplification circuit amplifying the second tone, said first and second amplification circuits operating independently to provide non-frequency modulation of data;
• a control circuit electrically coupled to said first and second amplification circuits and said first and second generator circuits, said control circuit controlling the first and second tone generator circuits and the first and second amplification circuits to generate a series of first and second tones;
• an output circuit coupled to said first and second amplification circuits, said output circuit combining the series of first and second tones to generate a series of tone signals;
• memory storing a plurality of twist levels, each twist level representing the difference of the amplification of a first tone and a second tone of a tone signal;
• and
• wherein the control circuit includes a processor coupled to said memory and said first and second amplification circuits, said processor accessing said memory and controlling the amplification levels of said first and second amplification circuits to introduce into the tone signals being generated the level of twist stored in the memory for the tone signal being generated.

A device for generating a series of tone signals providing non-frequency modulation of data, each tone signal including simultaneously asserted first and second tones, the device comprising:

• a first tone generator circuit generating a first tone;
• a second tone generator circuit generating a second tone;
• a first amplification circuit electrically coupled to said first tone generator circuit, said first amplification circuit amplifying the first tone;
• a second amplification circuit electrically coupled to the second tone generator circuit, said second amplification circuit amplifying the second tone, said first and second amplification circuits operating independently to provide non-frequency modulation of data;
• a control circuit electrically coupled to said first and second amplification circuits and said first and second generator circuits, said control circuit controlling the first and second tone generator circuits and the first and second amplification circuits to generate a series of first and second tones;
• an output circuit coupled to said first and second amplification circuits, said output circuit combining the series of first and second tones to generate a series of tone signals;
• a speaker coupled to the output circuit converting the series of tone signals into acoustic signals;
• and
• a microphone located in proximity to the speaker and coupled to the control circuit converting the acoustic signals into an electrical feedback signal,
• wherein the series of tone signals are electrical signals.

A device for generating and dynamically encrypting data into a set of tones, said device comprising:

• memory storing data, information relating to alterable tone characteristic values and a plurality of encryption methods, each of said plurality of encryption methods being valid for use at different times;
• an encryptor electrically coupled to said memory, said encryptor selecting which of said encryption methods is valid for use and using said valid encryption method to associate each of said alterable tone characteristic values with a data item;
• and
• a tone generator in electrical communication with said encryptor.

A method of generating a set of tones encoded with data, comprising the steps of:

• storing in a data table a plurality of information elements and a plurality of alterable tone characteristic values, each one of the information elements being associated with one of the plurality of alterable tone characteristic values;
• using the data to be encoded to obtain the alterable tone characteristic value associated with the data to be encoded from the data table;
• and
• generating, as a function of the alterable tone characteristic value obtained from the data table, a set of tones.

A method of generating an audio DTMF signal providing non-frequency modulation of data, comprising the steps of:

• generating a Lo-frequency tone signal;
• amplifying the Lo-frequency tone signal to create a Lo-frequency tone signal having a first power level;
• generating a Hi-frequency tone signal;
• amplifying the Hi-frequency tone signal separately from said Lo-frequency tone signal to generate a Hi-tone signal having a second power level that differs from the first power level to provide non-frequency modulation of data;
• combining the Lo-frequency and Hi-frequency tone signals to form a tone pair;
• amplifying the tone pair;
• and
• supplying the amplified tone pair to a speaker to generate said audio DTMF signal.

A method of dynamically encrypting data into a set of tones, said method comprising the steps of:

• storing data items, information relating to alterable tone characteristic values and a plurality of encryption methods, each of said plurality of encryption methods being valid for use at different times;
• determining which of said plurality of encryption methods is valid for use;
• using said valid encryption method to associate each of said alterable tone characteristic values with a data item;
• and
• generating a set of tones as a function of the alterable tone characteristic values associated with each data item to be encrypted.