The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 28, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 12, 1996
Amitava Hazra, Holmdel, NJ (US);
Joseph E Wilkes, Red Bank, NJ (US);
AT&T Corp, Middletown, NJ (US);
Abstract
A method is provided for securely transmitting information from a telephone to a calling party over a telephone network. In accordance with the method, encrypted audio signals are received from the telephone over a communication path to an authentication mechanism that may be located in the telephone network. The communication path is then disabled by placing the telephone is a hold state. The encrypted audio signals are decrypted to yield decrypted audio signals. The decrypted audio signals are transmitted to the calling party while the communication path is disabled. Finally, a communication path is enabled from the telephone to the calling party subsequent to transmitting the decrypted audio signals. This method provides a high degree of security since the communication path between the user and the authentication mechanism is disabled when the decrypted message is transmitted to the called party. Accordingly, if a party were to intercept the communication path between the user and the authentication mechanism (such as a listener using a receiver to intercept a wireless telephone transmission), the party could not intercept the decrypted message.