Transport communication management

• US 10,069,843 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FedEx Corporation
• Original Assignee: FedEx Corporation
• Inventors: Yerger, Mark D., McFann, Ted, Slavinsky, Joseph W., Kendrick, Joshua Beckman, Struminger, Scot A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Armouche, Hadi S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wade, Shaqueal D
• Application Number:
  US14/315,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20140380433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks

Abstract

Methods and systems for communicating information are disclosed. An example method can comprise receiving information at a first device based on a first protocol. The information can be translated, at the first device, for communication to a second device based on a second protocol. A determination can be made as to whether the information matches a criterion associated with a transportation device. The information can be provided to the second device based on the second protocol and a determination that the information matches the criterion.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a first device located on an aircraft based on an internet protocol, information, wherein the information comprises a software update for an avionics component of the aircraft;

translating based on a communication protocol supported by the avionics component, the information for communication to the avionics component;

determining, based on a relevancy of the avionics component to navigation of the aircraft, a security rule;

determining, based on the security rule, that the software update is applicable to the avionics component, wherein the security rule comprises authorizing a source of the information and analyzing the information for a security threat;

determining, based on the security rule, a condition specifying one or more of a time, a location, or an operation status of the aircraft for applying the software update;

providing, via the communication protocol based on satisfaction of the condition, the information to the avionics component to update the avionics component; and

verifying that the software update is applied to the avionics component according to a update rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a component of the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the avionics component comprises at least one of a flight management system, an aircraft condition monitoring system, or an electronic flight bag.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the security rule comprises the update rule, and wherein the update rule specifies at least one of a timing condition for applying the software update to the avionics component, a location condition for applying the software update to the avionics component, or a cost condition for applying the software update to the avionics component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication protocol comprises at least one of an Aeronautical Radio Incorporated (ARINC) protocol, or an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is received while the aircraft is in flight.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update is applied to the avionics component during operation of the aircraft when the avionics component is not critical to operation of the aircraft and the software update is applied to the avionics component when the aircraft is not operating when the avionics component is critical to operation of the aircraft.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving information at an aircraft, wherein the information comprises a software update to an avionics component of the aircraft;

providing, based on an internet protocol, the information to a first network of the aircraft;

determining, based on a relevancy of the information to navigation of the aircraft, a security rule;

analyzing, by a component of the first network based on the security rule, the information to determine that a source of the information is authorized and that the information is not a security threat;

providing, based on the analyzing of the information, the information to the avionics component;

determining, based at least one of the security rule and the update rule, a condition specifying one or more of a time, a location, or an operation status of the aircraft for applying the software update;

updating, based on satisfaction of the condition, the avionics component based on the software update; and

verifying that the software update is applied to the avionics component according to a update rule.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information is not provided to the avionics component when the source is not authorized.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information is provided, based on a communication protocol supported by the avionics component, to the-avionics component through a second network of the aircraft.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication protocol comprises at least one of an Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated (ARINC) protocol, or an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) protocol.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the avionics component comprises at least one of a flight management system, an aircraft condition monitoring system, or an electronic flight bag.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the update rule specifies at least one of a timing condition for applying the software update to the avionics component, a location condition for applying the software update to the avionics component, or a cost condition for applying the software update to the avionics component.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing processor executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to;

communicate, based on an internet protocol, with a first network located on an aircraft;

communicate, based on a protocol associated with an avionics component, with a second network located on the aircraft;

receive information and translate the information between the first network and the second network based on a security rule, wherein the information comprises a software update for the avionics component, and wherein the security rule is selected based on a relevancy of the avionics component to navigation of an aircraft;

apply, based on satisfaction of a condition specifying one or more of a time, a location, or an operation status of the aircraft for applying the software update, the software update to the avionic component; and

verify, based on a update rule, that the software update is applied to the avionics component.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to select one or more transceivers and provide information from the selected one or more transceivers to the first network.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the avionics component comprises at least one of a flight management system, an aircraft condition monitoring system, or an electronic flight bag.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the update rule specifies at least one of a timing condition for applying an update to the avionics component, a location condition for applying the update to the avionics component, or a cost condition for applying the update to the avionics component.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to determine, based on the security rule, whether the information is authorized or unauthorized for the avionics component and discard the information when the information is unauthorized for the avionics component.