Patents by Inventor Hugo Zbinden
Hugo Zbinden has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240007196Abstract: Free-Space quantum keyless private communication method according to a communication protocol comprising exchanging information between an emitter (100) and a receiver (200) through a main quantum-classical channel and with an eavesdropper tapping said main channel through a wiretap channel, based on the wiretap channel model, wherein the overall degradation of the wiretap channel is superior than that of the main channel, comprising the steps of preparing, at the emitter (100), a message M composed of classical bits, coding said message M so as to transform it into a coded message X, practical modulating the amplitude and/or the phase of the optical pulses of the coded classical bits, sending the encoded message to the receiver (200) through a classical-quantum channel (500), such that an eavesdropper (300) tapping said channel is provided with partial information about the said states only, detecting and decoding the received message through quantum security analysis.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2021Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventors: Hugo Zbinden, Angeles Vazquez Castro
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Patent number: 11620107Abstract: The invention is directed to a Quantum Random Number Generator comprising an emitting device (110) triggered by a signal representing an input bit x and adapted to generate and send a physical system (130) characterized by one of two possible quantum states determined by said input bit x, a measurement device (120) adapted to detect said physical system, to identify the quantum state of said physical system through an unambiguous state discrimination measurement and to generate an output b first representing whether the quantum state has been identified or not and, if it has been identified, which quantum state among the two possible quantum states was detected by the unambiguous state discrimination measurement to a processing device (140), the processing device (140) being adapted to estimate the entropy of the output b given the probabilities p(b|x) representing the probability of observing output b for a state preparation x, and a randomness extraction device (150) adapted to extract final random bit streType: GrantFiled: October 6, 2017Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: UNIVERSITÉ DE GENÈVEInventors: Anthony Christophe Mickaël Martin, Nicolas Brunner, Hugo Zbinden, Jonatan Brask, Joseph Bowles
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Patent number: 11240017Abstract: The invention relates to a Quantum Key Distribution system comprising a transmitter 300 and a receiver 400 for exchanging a quantum key via a quantum channel 600 through a decoy-state three state protocol wherein the transmitter comprises a transmitter processing unit 340 adapted to use random numbers from a quantum random generator to select a quantum state to encode from different states of intensity and basis, a Pulsed light source 310 adapted to generate an optical pulse, a time-bin interferometer 320 through which the generated optical pulse passes and which transforms generated optical pulse into two coherent pulses separated by the time bin duration, a single intensity modulator 360 adapted to change the intensity of the two pulses individually according to the choice made by the transmitter processing unit 340, and a variable optical attenuator 370 adapted to reduce the overall signal intensity to the optimum photon number per pulse.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2018Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: UNIVERSITE DE GENEVEInventors: Hugo Zbinden, Boris Korzh, Charles Lim, Gianluca Boso
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Publication number: 20200067704Abstract: The invention relates to a Quantum Key Distribution system comprising a transmitter 300 and a receiver 400 for exchanging a quantum key via a quantum channel 600 through a decoy-state three state protocol wherein the transmitter comprises a transmitter processing unit 340 adapted to use random numbers from a quantum random generator to select a quantum state to encode from different states of intensity and basis, a Pulsed light source 310 adapted to generate an optical pulse, a time-bin interferometer 320 through which the generated optical pulse passes and which transforms generated optical pulse into two coherent pulses separated by the time bin duration, a single intensity modulator 360 adapted to change the intensity of the two pulses individually according to the choice made by the transmitter processing unit 340, and a variable optical attenuator 370 adapted to reduce the overall signal intensity to the optimum photon number per pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2018Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Hugo ZBINDEN, Boris KORZH, Charles LIM, Gianluca BOSO
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Publication number: 20190243611Abstract: The invention is directed to a Quantum Random Number Generator comprising an emitting device (110) triggered by a signal representing an input bit x and adapted to generate and send a physical system (130) characterized by one of two possible quantum states determined by said input bit x, a measurement device (120) adapted to detect said physical system, to identify the quantum state of said physical system through an unambiguous state discrimination measurement and to generate an output b first representing whether the quantum state has been identified or not and, if it has been identified, which quantum state among the two possible quantum states was detected by the unambiguous state discrimination measurement to a processing device (140), the processing device (140) being adapted to estimate the entropy of the output b given the probabilities p(b|x) representing the probability of observing output b for a state preparation x, and a randomness extraction device (150) adapted to extract final random bit streType: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2017Publication date: August 8, 2019Applicant: Université de GenèveInventors: Anthony Christophe Mickaël MARTIN, Nicolas BRUNNER, Hugo Zbinden, Jonatan BRASK, Joseph BOWLES
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Patent number: 10331412Abstract: A device for random number generation based on an optical process of quantum nature, including a light source emitting photons randomly, a light detector adapted to absorb the randomly emitted photons and to measure a number n of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T, and a randomness extractor. The detector includes a photon sensor acting as a photon-to-electron converter, an amplifier for converting the electron signal received from the photon sensor into a voltage and amplifying the voltage signal, as well as an analog-to-digital converter for processing the amplified signal received from the amplifier by encoding the amplified signal into digital values and sending these digital values to the randomness extractor for further processing such as to produce quantum random numbers (QRNs) based on the number of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2017Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Université de GenèveInventors: Bruno Sanguinetti, Anthony Martin, Nicolas Gisin, Hugo Zbinden
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Patent number: 10063891Abstract: A data compression method wherein said data comprises noise and information, comprising a data acquisition step, a pre-compression parameter selection step, wherein said pre-compression parameters are linked to an information loss, a compression step, and a storage step, the compression step being characterized in that it comprises a lossy pre-compression for removing some noise of the data, carried out using the pre-compression parameters selected in the selection step followed by lossless compression for compressing the remaining data.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Université de GenèveInventors: Anthony Martin, Hugo Zbinden, Bruno Sanguinetti
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Publication number: 20170337037Abstract: A device for random number generation based on an optical process of quantum nature, including a light source emitting photons randomly, a light detector adapted to absorb the randomly emitted photons and to measure a number n of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T, and a randomness extractor. The detector includes a photon sensor acting as a photon-to-electron converter, an amplifier for converting the electron signal received from the photon sensor into a voltage and amplifying the voltage signal, as well as an analog-to-digital converter for processing the amplified signal received from the amplifier by encoding the amplified signal into digital values and sending these digital values to the randomness extractor for further processing such as to produce quantum random numbers (QRNs) based on the number of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Bruno SANGUINETTI, Anthony MARTIN, Nicolas GISIN, Hugo ZBINDEN
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Patent number: 9747077Abstract: A device for random number generation based on an optical process of quantum nature, including a light source emitting photons randomly, a light detector adapted to absorb the randomly emitted photons and to measure a number n of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T, and a randomness extractor. The detector includes a photon sensor acting as a photon-to-electron converter, an amplifier for converting the electron signal received from the photon sensor into a voltage and amplifying the voltage signal, as well as an analog-to-digital converter for processing the amplified signal received from the amplifier by encoding the amplified signal into digital values and sending these digital values to the randomness extractor for further processing such as to produce quantum random numbers (QRNs) based on the number of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Université de GenèveInventors: Bruno Sanguinetti, Anthony Martin, Nicolas Gisin, Hugo Zbinden
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Publication number: 20170208347Abstract: A data compression method wherein said data comprises noise and information, comprising a data acquisition step, a pre-compression parameter selection step, wherein said pre-compression parameters are linked to an information loss, a compression step, and a storage step, the compression step being characterized in that it comprises a lossy pre-compression for removing some noise of the data, carried out using the pre-compression parameters selected in the selection step followed by lossless compression for compressing the remaining data.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2016Publication date: July 20, 2017Inventors: Anthony MARTIN, Hugo ZBINDEN, Bruno SANGUINETTI
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Publication number: 20170060534Abstract: A device for random number generation based on an optical process of quantum nature, including a light source emitting photons randomly, a light detector adapted to absorb the randomly emitted photons and to measure a number n of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T, and a randomness extractor. The detector includes a photon sensor acting as a photon-to-electron converter, an amplifier for converting the electron signal received from the photon sensor into a voltage and amplifying the voltage signal, as well as an analog-to-digital converter for processing the amplified signal received from the amplifier by encoding the amplified signal into digital values and sending these digital values to the randomness extractor for further processing such as to produce quantum random numbers (QRNs) based on the number of photons produced by the light source in a time interval T.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2015Publication date: March 2, 2017Inventors: Bruno SANGUINETTI, Anthony MARTIN, Nicolas GISIN, Hugo ZBINDEN
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Patent number: 8995650Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing a secure quantum cryptography system using two non-orthogonal states. For each qubit, the emitter station prepares a quantum system in one of two non-orthogonal quantum states in the time-basis to code bit values. Intra- and inter-qubit interference is then used to reveal eavesdropping attempts. Witness states are used to help reveal attacks performed across the quantum system separation.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: ID Quantique SAInventors: Nicolas Gisin, Grégoire Ribordy, Hugo Zbinden
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Publication number: 20130016835Abstract: For distributing a sequence of symbols, an emitter station transmits to a receiver station quantum systems through a quantum channel. Each of the quantum systems belongs to a set of at least two non-orthogonal quantum states and comprises a group of at least two weak coherent states of an electromagnetic field. Each weak coherent state is in a time bin of duration t. Centers of neighboring weak coherent states in a group are separated by a time T1, with T1 greater than t. Centers of neighboring weak coherent states in adjacent quantum systems are separated by a time T2, with T2 greater than t. In addition, any two weak coherent states separated by T1+T2 are phase coherent. The receiver station comprises an optical subsystem configured to check, for received quantum systems, phase coherence of two weak coherent states of time bins separated by T1+T2.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2011Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: UNIVERSITE DE GENEVEInventors: Hugo ZBINDEN, Nino WALENTA, Charles Ci Wen LIM
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Patent number: 8320774Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for maximizing interference contrast in an interferometric quantum cryptography system to detect eavesdropping by utilizing a tunable emitter station in communications with a receiver station via a quantum communications channel and a “public” communications channel. The tunable emitter station tracks and compensates for interferometer drifts by adjusting the interference contrast of the QC system to minimize or eliminate inherent perturbations induced into key bit transmissions. Tuning of the photo emitter's output wavelength is accomplishable using temperature and/or drive current adjustment of the emitter's tunable optical subsystem.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2007Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: ID Quantique SAInventor: Hugo Zbinden
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Patent number: 7929690Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing a secure quantum cryptography system using two non-orthogonal states. For each qubit, the to emitter station prepares a quantum system in one of two non-orthogonal quantum states in the time-basis to code bit values. Intra- and inter-qubit interference is then used to reveal eavesdropping attempts. Witness states are used to help reveal attacks performed across the quantum system separation.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2005Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: ID Quantique SAInventors: Nicolas Gisin, Grégoire Ribordy, Hugo Zbinden
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Publication number: 20100239250Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing a secure quantum cryptography system using two non-orthogonal states. For each qubit, the emitter station prepares a quantum system in one of two non-orthogonal quantum states in the time-basis to code bit values. Intra- and inter-qubit interference is then used to reveal eavesdropping attempts.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2010Publication date: September 23, 2010Inventors: Nicolas GISIN, Grégoire Ribordy, Hugo Zbinden
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Patent number: 7580524Abstract: In a method and apparatus for synchronizing the receiver and the emitter in an autocompensating quantum cryptography system it is allowed to one of the stations (for example the emitter) to define the timing of all its operations (for example the application of a signal onto the modulator used to encode the values of the bits) as a function of a time reference. This time reference can either be transmitted using a channel from the other station (for example the receiver). It can also consist of a time reference synchronized with that of the other station through using information transmitted along a channel and a synchronization unit. Preferably a time reference unit is provided at each station. One of these time reference units functions as a master, while the other one function as a slave. The slave is synchronized with the master using information transmitted over a communication channel by a synchronization unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2003Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Universite De GeneveInventors: Nicolas Gisin, Olivier Guinnard, Grégoire Ribordy, Hugo Zbinden
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Publication number: 20090010435Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for maximizing interference contrast in an interferometric quantum cryptography system to detect eavesdropping by utilizing a tunable emitter station in communications with a receiver station via a quantum communications channel and a “public” communications channel. The tunable emitter station tracks and compensates for interferometer drifts by adjusting the interference contrast of the QC system to minimize or eliminate inherent perturbations induced into key bit transmissions. Tuning of the photo emitter's output wavelength is accomplishable using temperature and/or drive current adjustment of the emitter's tunable optical subsystem.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2007Publication date: January 8, 2009Inventor: Hugo Zbinden
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Publication number: 20080292099Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing a secure quantum cryptography system using two non-orthogonal states. For each qubit, the to emitter station prepares a quantum system in one of two non-orthogonal quantum states in the time-basis to code bit values. Intra- and inter-qubit interference is then used to reveal eavesdropping attempts. Witness states are used to help reveal attacks performed across the quantum system separation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2005Publication date: November 27, 2008Applicant: ID QUANTIQUE S.A.Inventors: Nicolas Gisin, Grégoire Ribordy, Hugo Zbinden
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Publication number: 20030231771Abstract: In a method and apparatus for synchronizing the receiver and the emitter in an autocompensating quantum cryptography system it is allowed to one of the stations (for example the emitter) to define the timing of all its operations (for example the application of a signal onto the modulator used to encode the values of the bits) as a function of a time reference. This time reference can either be transmitted using a channel from the other station (for example the receiver). It can also consist of a time reference synchronized with that of the other station through using information transmitted along a channel and a synchronization unit. Preferably a time reference unit is provided at each station. One of these time reference units functions as a master, while the other one function as a slave. The slave is synchronized with the master using information transmitted over a communication channel by a synchronization unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2003Publication date: December 18, 2003Applicant: Universite de GeneveInventors: Nicolas Gisin, Olivier Guinnard, Gregoire Ribordy, Hugo Zbinden