Patent ID: 9036817
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A communicator in a communication network, the communicator comprising: a number generator configured to generate numbers for a first encryption key; an optical system configured to transmit a first quantum signal through an aperture in which the first encryption key is used in forming the first quantum signal, the optical system also configured to receive a second quantum signal; a number detector configured to detect a second quantum signal received through the aperture in which the second quantum signal is used in forming a second encryption key; a correlator configured to identify bit values for incoming photons received in the second quantum signal and correlate, temporally, the bit values identified for the incoming photons with bit values generated by a transmitting communicator for the incoming photons; a first source associated with the number generator configured to emit a first source photon; a second source associated with the number generator configured to emit a second source photon; a polarization system configured to polarize the first source photon and the second source photon to form a superposed photon, the superposed photon forming an outgoing photon that is directed towards an optical system; and a signal isolator configured to isolate the first quantum signal from the second quantum signal such that the first quantum signal is transmitted from the communicator in response to the first quantum signal passing through the aperture and such that the second quantum signal is received at the number detector in response to the second quantum signal passing through the aperture, wherein the communicator is one of a plurality of communicators in a communications network and wherein the number generator allows the communicator to establish the first encryption key and transmit the superposed photon to a receiving communicator in the communications network and the number detector allows the communicator to establish the second encryption key and receive a superposed photon from a transmitting communicator in the communications network, wherein the receiving communicator is different from the transmitting communicator.