Composer George Antheil and Hedy Lamarr (who was a mathematics wizard)
had experimented with automated control of instruments.  Together they
submitted the idea of a secret communication system in June 1941.

A U.S. patent was granted in June 1942 to Antheil and Hedy Kiesler
Markey, her married name at the time, for an early version of "fre- 
quency hopping," using a piano roll to change between 88 frequencies.
This was intended to make radio-guided torpedoes harder for enemies to
detect or jam.  Refer to Wikipedia for more details.

Hedy was living before the war in Austria with her husband.  One day,
preparing for a dinner at her home, she asked her husband if she could
wear all of her jewels that evening.  She appeared at dinner weighted
down by them.  Later that evening she excused herself to go to the
washroom and never returned.  Next thing anyone knew, Hedy was in
America in 1937, beauty, jewels, and all.

Steve Bentley
Vancouver, B.C.