Private, arrival-time messaging

Abstract

This invention provides a secure method for sending data—private, arrival-time messaging. Private, arrival-time messaging is based on classical physics and not quantum mechanics. It insures a private language for communicators with privately-synchronized clocks. In this method, there is no encrypted message available to an eavesdropper. A private message is mapped onto a time measurement known only to an intended sender and an intended receiver such that a third party knowing only the arrival time of the message and not the time measurement can never know the private message.

Claims

1. A method for private messaging comprising: a. synchronizing a first clock located a set distance away from said second clock to a given frequency and zero phase; b. encrypting a message at said first clock to be transmitted to said second clock such that said encryption is based on said given frequency and said zero phase to generate a time measurement known only to said first clock and said second clock, said time measurement being the arrival time of said encrypted message at said second clock; and c. transmitting an energy pulse, wherein said energy pulse has a publicly available arrival time at said second clock that is not equal to said arrival time measured by said first clock and said second clock.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first clock and said second clock are computer generated.

3. A method for delivering an encrypted message comprising a. encrypting a message on a first computer and transmitting said message from a first computer to a second computer, wherein said first computer and said second computer are set to a frequency and phase known only to said first computer and said second computer such that said frequency and phase create a private arrival time of said encrypted message at said second computer and said encrypting is based on said private arrival time; b. transmitting said encrypted message through an energy pulse from said first computer to a second computer, wherein said transmissions is complete from said first computer to said second computer at a publicly known arrival time that is based on the distance between said first computer and said second computer and the speed of said energy pulse; wherein said publicly known arrival time comprises a frequency and phase that is not equal to said frequency and phase of said private arrival time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(1) The subject matter of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims. Rather, the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.

(2) Private, arrival-time messaging is based on classical physics and not quantum mechanics. Therefore, it is not based on entanglement. It insures a private language for communicators with privately-synchronized clocks. In this method, there is no encrypted message available to an eavesdropper.

(3) For example, suppose that Alice and Bob have privately synchronized clocks with discrete phases mapped into words and Alice sends one energy pulse to Bob that points to a specific word. An eavesdropper, Eve, could not determine what the word was. The word did not travel through space in an encrypted form, because the energy pulse cannot be decrypted to yield the word. And if Alice continues to send energy pulses with different arrival times to Bob, then the words that those pulses point to cannot be determined by Eve. Alice and Bob exist in a private space-time, so their messages also exist in their private space-time. Eve exists in the public space-time, so she cannot get access to Alice and Bob's messages. Consider two words in terms of arrival times:
t.sub.1+t.sub.0=T.sub.1
t.sub.2+t.sub.0=T.sub.2

(4) In these equations, t.sub.0 is the zero-phase time on Alice and Bob's clocks. Clearly, we can characterize a space-time with the zero-phase time. The times measured by Alice and Bob are {t.sub.1, t.sub.2}. These times map into specific words known to Alice and Bob. The times measured by Eve are {T.sub.1, T.sub.2}. As long as T.sub.1≠T.sub.2, from Eve's perspective, there are 2 equations and 3 unknowns, so the system is underdetermined. Consequently, Eve cannot determine {t.sub.1, t.sub.2}. If, however, T.sub.1=T.sub.2, then from Eve's perspective, there is 1 equation and 2 unknowns, so Eve still cannot solve the equations and determine {t.sub.1, t.sub.2}, but from the redundancy of the arrival times, information about the probability distribution of the message can be obtained. We can conclude that as long as the arrival times are not repeated, the system of equations will remain underdetermined, so that Eve cannot determine Alice and Bob's signal arrival times or determine t.sub.0 (i.e. move into Alice and Bob's space-time) and gain information about the message from redundancy. In this case, we can say that Alice and Bob have their own private language.

(5) In the above example, the 2 encrypted words are the arrival times: {t.sub.1, t.sub.2}. Consequently, even if Eve can move into Alice and Bob's space-time and determine {t.sub.1, t.sub.2}, the information is still encrypted. When Eve cannot move into Alice and Bob's space-time, then there is no encrypted information available to Eve, making decryption or hacking impossible.

(6) Thus, this invention is a novel, classical messaging system which is completely private and not difficult to construct and maintain over long distances. The system (i.e. Private, Arrival-Time Messaging) is described as follows.

(7) Using the same short hand names as above: Alice (A) and Bob (B) communicate by measuring arrival times on their clocks with synchronized frequency (ω) and zero phase (φ). ω and φ are known only to Alice and Bob.

(8) The transmission of energy pulses with arrival times: {T.sub.j}, j∈{1,2, . . . }, as measured by a public clock, from A to B, separated by a distance: Δx is denoted by:

(9) $\begin{array}{cc}A\text{:}{T}_j-\frac{\Delta x}{v}.fwdarw.B\text{:}{T}_j& \left(1\right)\end{array}$
where v is the speed of the energy pulses. The messages are encoded in the set:

(10) $\left\{t_j\mathrm{mod}\left(\frac{2\pi }{\omega }\right)\right\}$
which are times as measured on the private clocks. The set of equations which connect private and public times is:

(11) $\begin{array}{cc}\left\{\omega t_j\mathrm{mod}\left(\frac{2\pi }{\omega }\right)+\phi ={\omega }_0{T}_j\mathrm{mod}\left(\frac{2\pi }{{\omega }_0}\right)\right\}& \left(2\right)\end{array}$
where ω.sub.0 is the frequency of the public clock and the zero phase is zero, with the phase equivalence: θ+2nπ=θ, n∈{1, 2, . . . }, θ<2π. Alice and Bob can directly measure

(12) $\left\{t_j\mathrm{mod}\left(\frac{2\pi }{\omega }\right)\right\}$
and decode the messages. If the resolution of the clocks is extremely high, then many messages can be sent without repeating the arrival times. Consequently, as long as there is no redundancy in the set:

(13) $\left\{T_j\mathrm{mod}\left(\frac{2\pi }{\omega }\right)\right\},$
then the set of equations (2) is underdetermined if ω and φ are unknown and no information can be obtained about the probability distribution of the message. Consequently, an eavesdropper (e.g. Eve) cannot solve the equations (2) and determine

(14) $\left\{t_j\mathrm{mod}\left(\frac{2\pi }{\omega }\right)\right\},$
in which is encoded the messages transmitted from A to B or derive information about the message from redundancy.

(15) Without loss of generality, messages can be similarly sent from B to A.

EXAMPLE 1

(16) A typical processing speed for a home computer is 2.5 GHz. The frequency is

(17) $2.5\times {10}^9\frac{1}{s}.$
Mapping a word into each time measurement T.sub.j and sending messages at a rate of 50 Hz, would generate a choice of 50 million time measurements for each word. Each word is a byte of 8 bits of information. Consequently, 50 million bytes or 50 MB of messages can be sent with one pair of synchronized clocks. Since the clock here is a computer, a key can be stored that privately maps words into time measurements {t.sub.j} on a memory stick. In fact, 1,000 keys can be stored on a 50 GB memory stick, resulting in 50 GB of private messages with one memory stick.

(18) For the purpose of understanding the PRIVATE, ARRIVE-TIME MESSAGING, references are made in the text to exemplary embodiments of a PRIVATE, ARRIVE-TIME MESSAGING, only some of which are described herein. It should be understood that no limitations on the scope of the invention are intended by describing these exemplary embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that alternate but functionally equivalent components, materials, designs, and equipment may be used. The inclusion of additional elements may be deemed readily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. Specific elements disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to employ the present invention.