Patent ID: 7853011

Claim:
An apparatus for transmitting a plurality of message data elements to a recipient over a quantum channel, comprising: a) a source adapted for emitting pulses of quanta, the number of quanta per pulse being variable over time; b) a controller adapted for (1) designating certain ones of the pulses as supervisory pulses and other ones of the pulses as message pulses; (2) associating each of the message data elements with a respective one of the message pulses; and (3) informing the recipient as to which pulses are message pulses and which pulses are supervisory pulses; c) a quantum characteristic imparting module adapted for: (1) for each pulse containing one or more quanta, imparting to the one or more quanta a quantum characteristic defined by: (I) when said pulse is a message pulse: a polarization base dynamically selected from a set of two or more predetermined message coding bases; and a polarity relative to the selected polarization base, the polarity being selected in accordance with a data value of the message data element associated with said pulse; (II) when said pulse is a supervisory pulse: a polarization base selected from a set of at least one predetermined supervisory coding bases, each of the supervisory coding bases being distinct from each of the set of message coding bases; (2) releasing the quanta into the quantum channel.