Synchronized states in a ring of four mutually coupled oscillators and experimental application to secure communications

Data encryption has become increasingly important for many applications including phone, internet and satellite communications. Considering the desirable properties of ergodicity and high sensitivity to initial conditions and control parameters, chaotic signals are suitable for encryption systems. Chaotic encryption systems generally have high speed with low cost, which makes them better candidates than many traditional ciphers for multimedia data encryption. In this paper, analytical and numerical methods as well as experimental implementation are used to prove partial and complete synchronized states in a ring of four autonomous oscillators in their chaotic states. Application to secure communication is discussed.