Max Aaron Caldwell

US Patent:

62298976, May 8, 2001

Filed:

Oct 30, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/960677

Inventors:

James R. Holthaus - Omaha NE
Max Aaron Caldwell - Lincoln NE

Assignee:

Transcrypt International, Inc. - Lincoln NE

International Classification:

H04L 900

US Classification:

380270

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for improved security in wire or wireless communication systems includes scrambling the audio signal, combining a masking signal with the scrambled audio signal, and then transmitting the scrambled masked signal. To recover the original audio, a receiver must by synchronized and know the characteristics of the masking signal and the scrambling technique. Such a receiver removes the masking signal, descrambles the audio and thus recovers the original audio. Any attempted interception of the communication would hear white noise, and even if the white noise mask where removed, the communication would still have the security level of the scrambling. The mask removes any remnants of the original audio that might be used to try to locate and intercept the communication.