US PATENT CLASS 380
Class Notes
Current as of: June, 1999
Click HD for Main Headings
Click for All Classes
DEFINITION
Classification: 380/
SUBJECT MATTER UNDER THIS CLASS:
This class includes equipment and processes which (a) conceal or obscure intelligible information by transforming such information so as to make the information unintelligible to a casual or unauthorized recipient, or (b) extract intelligible information from such a concealed representation, including breaking of unknown codes and messages.
(1) Note. Cryptos:graphic processing may include, e.g., scrambling or masking or their complementary transformations.
(2) Note. All electrical communications equipment which processes an information signal for purposes of concealment are classified in this class.
(3) Note. Processing or converting of a signal for purposes of handling or transmission which may incidentally render a signal unintelligible are not classified in this class.
(4) Note. Mere blocking of access to the information is not considered a cryptos:graphic transformation of the signal or information.
(5) Note. A cryptogram or a cryptos:graphic record absent a separate encrypting or decrypting device is classified elsewhere. See References to Other Classes, below.
REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES SEE OR SEARCH CLASS
178, Telegraphy,
37, for a private printing recorder; subclass 99.1 for an acoustically shielded sounder.
235, Registers,
495, for a perforated, coded record (e.g., punched card or tape) reading template.
283, Printed Matter,
73, for a printed or embossed article absent decryption structure.
341, Coded Data Generation or Conversion,
20+, and 173+, for code transmission, and 50+ for code conversion not specified as a concealing or cryptos:graphic coding method.
342, Communications: Directive Radio Wave Systems and Devices (e.g., Radar, Radio Navigation),
13+, for radar electronic warfare; subclasses 42+ for a radar transponder identification system.
348, Television, 5.5, for unauthorized use control of television equipment by signal access blocking.
379, Telephonic Communications,
188+, for telephone use or access blocking equipment.
381, Electrical Audio Signal Processing Systems and Devices,
73.1, for electrically operated sound or noise masking.
395, Information Processing System Organization, subclass 728 for generalized access blocking less cryptographic means or function.
399, Electrophotography,
12, for unit or part identification, subclass 84 for key sheet controlling job mode, and subclasses 366+ for document
handling of unauthorized copy prevention.
709, Electrical Computers and Digital Data Processing Systems: Multiple Computer or Process Coordinating,
200+, for data transferring among multiple computer and digital processing systems.
711, Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Memory, 163+, for memory access limiting less cryptos:graphic means or function.
713, Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems: Support,
200+, for security in digital processing systems.
714, Error Detection/Correction and Fault Detection/Recovery, appropriate subclasses for generic error checking of digital devices.
GLOSSARY:
CIPHER
Information concealed by substitution or interchange of text characters for those in the original message.
CODE
Information concealed by substitution of words or symbols for words of the concealed message.
CRYPTOGRAPHY
The study of secret information storage or communication.
CRYPTANALYSIS Determination of encryption code of encrypted message (i.e., codebreaking).
DECRYPTING OR DECIPHERING
A process of extracting concealed information from an intentionally obscured form and changing it into a form intelligible to a recipient with proper authorization or equipment.
ENCRYPTING OR ENCIPHERING
A process of obscuring information by intentionally changing it to a form unintelligible to a casual or unauthorized observer.
KEY
A formula, word or signal used to define the code in encryption or decryption of the information. Such a signal is often a digital signal having a predetermined or pseudorandom content.