Alternate Parts Signature List File

• US 20090138517A1
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Klausner, Ben, Fuchs, Ludwin, Gould, Todd William, McLain, Fred J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,208,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing aircraft software parts. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method creates an alternate parts signature list part having a set of signatures for a set of stored aircraft software parts. The alternate parts signature list part is distributed to the aircraft data processing system. Each signature for a set of stored aircraft software parts on the aircraft data processing system is replaced with a corresponding signature in the alternate parts signature list part to form a set of current signatures on the aircraft data processing system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing aircraft software parts, the computer implemented method comprising:

creating an alternate parts signature list file having a set of signatures for a set of aircraft software parts;

signing the alternate parts signature list file;

placing the alternate parts signature list file in a crate to form a crated alternate parts signature list file;

signing the crated alternate parts signature list file to form a signed crate;

sending the signed crate to an aircraft data processing system as a aircraft software part; and

replacing each signature for an aircraft software part on the aircraft data processing system with a corresponding signature in the signed crate to form a set of current signatures on the aircraft data processing system.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sending step comprises:

sending the signed crate to an onboard electronic distribution system on the aircraft data processing system.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

validating a particular aircraft software part prior to loading onto a line replaceable unit using a corresponding current signature for the set of current signatures.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, wherein the loading step is initiated by a human operator.

5. A computer implemented method for managing aircraft software parts, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying a set of aircraft software parts;

placing a set of signatures associated with the set of aircraft software parts in a file; and

sending the file as an aircraft software part to an aircraft data processing system, in which the set of signatures correspond to existing aircraft software parts.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5 further comprising:

storing the aircraft software part in the aircraft data processing system;

using a selected signature in the set of signatures in the a aircraft software part file to authenticate a selected aircraft software part in the set of aircraft software parts stored on the aircraft data processing system to form an authenticated aircraft software part; and

loading the authenticated software part onto a line replaceable unit in the aircraft.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the loading step is initiated by a human operator.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5 further comprising:

replacing each old signature for a set of aircraft software parts on the aircraft data processing system with a corresponding new signature located in the aircraft software part.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the each old signature is an expired signature.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the placing step comprises:

placing the set of signatures associated with the set of aircraft software parts in the file;

creating the aircraft software part from the file;

signing the aircraft software part to form a signed aircraft software part;

placing the signed aircraft software part in a crate to form a crated aircraft software part;

11. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the aircraft software part is stored in a crate.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the set of signatures is a set of extensible markup language signatures.

13. A computer implemented method for managing aircraft software parts, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a aircraft software part containing a set of signatures associated with a set of aircraft software parts on an aircraft; and

replacing each old signature associated with each aircraft software part in the set of aircraft software parts on the aircraft with a corresponding new signature in the aircraft software part.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13 further comprising:

placing the set of signatures associated with the set of aircraft software parts in a file;

forming the aircraft software part with the file; and

sending the aircraft software part to an aircraft data processing system.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the replacing step comprises:

responsive to a request to load a selected aircraft software part in the set of aircraft software parts on the aircraft, authenticating the selected aircraft software part using an associated new signature from the aircraft software part in place of an old signature associated with the selected aircraft software part;

responsive to the selected aircraft software part being successfully authenticated, loading the selected aircraft software part onto a line replaceable unit on the aircraft.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, wherein the request is sent by an aircraft mechanic.

17. An apparatus comprising:

an aircraft data processing system in an aircraft; and

a software application located on the aircraft data processing system, wherein the software application is capable of receiving a aircraft software part having a set of signatures associated with a set of aircraft software parts in the aircraft data processing system and using a selected signature in the set of signatures in a file to authenticate a selected aircraft software part in the set of aircraft software parts stored on the aircraft data processing system to form an authenticated aircraft software part, and loading the authenticated software part onto a line replaceable unit in the aircraft.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

a second data processing system; and

a aircraft software part management application located on the second data processing system, wherein the aircraft software part management application is capable of identifying the set of aircraft software parts;

placing the set of signatures associated with the set of aircraft software parts in the file; and

sending the file to the aircraft data processing system as a aircraft software part.

19. A computer program product comprising:

a computer recordable media;

program code, stored on the computer recordable media, for identifying a set of aircraft software parts;

program code, stored on the computer recordable media, for placing a set of signatures associated with the set of aircraft software parts in a file to form a aircraft software part; and

program code, stored on the computer recordable media, for sending the aircraft software part to an aircraft data processing system.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

program code, stored on the computer recordable media, for storing the aircraft software part in the aircraft data processing system;

program code, stored on the computer recordable media, for using a selected signature in the set of signatures in the aircraft software part to authenticate a selected aircraft software part in the set of aircraft software parts stored on the aircraft data processing system to form an authenticated aircraft software part; and

program code, stored on the computer recordable media, for loading the authenticated software part onto a line replaceable unit in the aircraft data processing system.