METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING A DIGITAL DATA SEQUENCE INTO AN ENCIPHERED FORM

A converter or running-key for generator producing pseudo-random sequences under the supervision of a secret or confidential key or code is substantially formed by a combination device containing a memory circuit and a feedback circuit. Periodic digital sequences are summed in an adder circuit, and the thus obtained composite digital sequence is separated in a divider circuit. A part of this composite digital sequence is used as a digital feedback sequence which is fed to an input of the same adder circuit through the feedback circuit comprising an auxiliary digital memory device or storage and an auxiliary logic circuit. In this manner, the desired memory and feedback is achieved which results in more complicated or complex pseudo-random sequences. In an advantageous exemplary embodiment, a substitution block is inserted as the auxiliary digital memory device or storage. This substitution block can be implemented by a commercially available read-and-write memory (RAM).