Secured communications using avionics power bus network

• US 10,362,035 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Corbett, Matthew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Bryan F
• Application Number:
  US15/217,712
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 726 7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40 Bus networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/4028 the transportation system being an aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to systems and methods for providing secured communications via an avionics power bus network. The power bus network can have a plurality of power bus domains, for providing power to at least two endpoint systems. The avionics power bus network can incorporate a plurality of network access interfaces, and each of the network access interfaces may provide power bus isolation between at least two of the power bus domains, and/or network communications isolation across at least two power bus domains. A network gateway may configure communications between the two endpoint systems through one or more of the network access interfaces, and for validating credentials to permit the communications to be transmitted through some of the power bus domains. The network gateway can be accessed via a network access point to configure the communications.

Claims

1. A system for providing secured communications via an avionics power bus network, the system comprising:

an avionics power bus network having a plurality of power bus domains for providing power to at least a first endpoint system and a second endpoint system, and a plurality of network access interfaces configured to provide power bus isolation between at least two of the power bus domains, and control network communications isolation across the at least two of the power bus domains;

a network gateway for configuring the one or more of the network access interfaces to permit communications between the first endpoint system and the second endpoint system across the at least two power bus domains, and for validating first credentials to permit the communications to be transmitted across the at least two power bus domains; and

a network access point connection for accessing the network gateway to configure the communications across the at least two power bus domains, and to provide the first credentials to the network gateway, wherein the plurality of power bus domains includes a subset of power bus domains that is accessed via second credentials different from the first credentials.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network access point connection is connected to the first endpoint system and the first credentials are provided by the first endpoint system to the network gateway via the network access point connection.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the network access point connection is connected to an access terminal and the first credentials are provided by the access terminal to the network gateway via the network access point connection.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the network access interfaces each executes a transactions program, the transactions program configured to allow or deny a communication to pass through corresponding network access interfaces according to the first credentials.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the network access interfaces each includes a circuit breaker configured to provide physical isolation or physical connection between two corresponding power bus domains according to the first credentials.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the network access interfaces each comprises a switch or router for network communications.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the network access interfaces are each configured to provide a network translation layer between a respective at least two power bus domains.

8. A method for providing secured communications via an avionics power bus network, the method comprising:

connecting a network gateway to an access terminal via a network access point connection of an avionics power bus network, the avionics power bus network having a plurality of power bus domains for providing power to at least a first endpoint system and a second endpoint system connected to the avionics power bus network;

receiving, by the network gateway from the access terminal via the network access point connection, a request to configure one or more of a plurality of network access interfaces incorporated into the avionics power bus network, to permit communications between the first endpoint system and the second endpoint system across at least two power bus domains, and first credentials to be validated for permitting the communications to be transmitted across the at least two power bus domains, wherein each of the plurality of network access interfaces is configured to control;

provide power bus isolation between the at least two power bus domains, and

control network communications isolation across the at least two of the plurality of power bus domains;

validating, by the network gateway, the first credentials received from the access terminal; and

configuring, by the network gateway responsive to the request and the validated first credentials, the communications between the first endpoint system and the second endpoint system across the at least two power bus domains through the one or more of the plurality of network access interfaces, wherein the plurality of power bus domains includes a subset of power bus domains that is accessed via second credentials different from the first credentials.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the access terminal comprises the first endpoint system and the first credentials are provided by the first endpoint system to the network gateway via the network access point connection.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, by the network gateway from the access terminal via the network access point connection, a second request to configure communications between a third endpoint system and a fourth endpoint system through the avionics power bus network, and the second credentials to be validated for permitting the communications between the third endpoint system and the fourth endpoint system to be transmitted through the subset of the plurality of power bus domains.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring, by the network gateway according to the first credentials, at least a subset of the network access interfaces to each allow or deny, via a transactions program executing on the respective network access interface, a communication to pass.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising configuring, by the network gateway according to the first credentials, at least a subset of the network access interfaces to each provide physical isolation or physical connection via a circuit breaker between two corresponding power bus domains.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a subset of the network access interfaces each comprises a switch or router for network communications.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing, by each of at least a subset of the network access interfaces, a network translation layer between a respective at least two power bus domains.

15. An avionics power bus network for secured communications, the avionics power bus network comprising:

a plurality of power bus domains for providing power to at least a first endpoint system and a second endpoint system;

a plurality of network access interfaces each configured to provide power bus isolation between at least two of the power bus domains, and to control network communications isolation across the at least two power bus domains;

a network gateway for configuring one or more of the network access interfaces to permit communications between the first endpoint system and the second endpoint system across the at least two power bus domains, and for validating first credentials to permit the communications to be transmitted across the at least two power bus domains; and

a network access point connection for accessing the network gateway to configure the communications across the at least two power bus domains, and to provide the first credentials to the network gateway, wherein the plurality of power bus domains includes a subset of power bus domains that is accessed via second credentials different from the first credentials.

16. The avionics power bus network of claim 15, wherein the network access point connection is connected to the first endpoint system and the first credentials are provided by the first endpoint system to the network gateway via the network access point connection, or the network access point connection is connected to an access terminal and the first credentials are provided by the access terminal to the network gateway via the network access point connection.

17. The avionics power bus network of claim 15, wherein at least a subset of the network access interfaces each executes a transactions program, the transactions program configured to allow or deny a communication to pass through corresponding network access interfaces according to the first credentials.

18. The avionics power bus network of claim 15, wherein at least a subset of the network access interfaces each includes a circuit breaker configured to provide physical isolation or physical connection between two corresponding power bus domains according to the first credentials.