Patent ID: 7720226

Claim:
A method for secure transmission of an information-containing optical signal in a reflective/transmissive architecture, comprising: dividing the optical signal using an optical tapped delay line into a first plurality of spectral sub-bands defined by the equation: F ⁡ ( t , K ) = ∫ ω K ω K + 1 ⁢ ∫ 0 T ⁢ f ⁡ ( S + t ) ⁢ ⅇ jωS ⁢ ⁢ ⅆ S ⁢ ⁢ ⅆ ω where i. t=aperture of the hyperfine device (tap key), ii. S=time integration variable, iii. ω=frequency, and iv. K=sub-band index, modifying each of the first plurality of spectral sub-bands to encrypt the information contained in the optical signal by at least one of (i) imparting a phase shift to each sub-band, (ii) imparting a time delay to each sub-band, and (iii) imparting a frequency shift to each sub-band, combining the modified first plurality of spectral sub-bands into a combined optical signal, dividing the combined optical signal into a second plurality of spectral sub-bands, modifying each of the second plurality of spectral sub-bands to decrypt the previously encrypted information contained in the optical signal by at least one of (i) imparting a phase shift to each sub-band, (ii) imparting a time delay to each sub-band, and (iii) imparting a frequency shift to each sub-band.