SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTE ACCESS TO ON-BOARD AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

• US 20150203216A1
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Goldstein, David B., Bell, Douglas Allen, Lutz, David, Marshall, Kevin Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/459,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20150203216A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/40 Maintaining or repairing aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• 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 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• 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 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications

Abstract

A system and method for providing remote access to an on-board aircraft system provides establishing communication between an aircraft server that is located within the aircraft and a remote computer that is located outside of the aircraft. In the aircraft, a request is received to establish a remote session between the remote computer and the aircraft server. A passcode is generated in the aircraft, and is transmitted from a first communication device that is collocated with the aircraft to a second communication device that is collocated with the remote computer. The passcode is then transmitted from the remote computer to the aircraft server and, upon receipt of the passcode by the aircraft server, the remote computer is provided with remote access to the on-board aircraft system.

Claims

11. A system for providing remote access to an aircraft on-board aircraft system that is disposed in an aircraft, the system comprising:

a remote computer located outside of the aircraft and configured to (i) selectively transmit a request to establish a remote session with the on-board aircraft system and (ii) selectively transmit a passcode; and

aircraft infrastructure disposed on the aircraft and configured to (i) selectively establish communication with the remote computer, (ii) receive the request to establish the remote session, (iii) selectively generate the passcode, (iv) receive the passcode transmitted by the remote computer, and (iv) upon receipt thereof, provide the remote computer with remote access to the on-board aircraft maintenance system.

1. A method for providing remote access to an on-board aircraft system, comprising the steps of:

establishing communication between an aircraft server and a remote computer, the aircraft server located within the aircraft, the remote computer located outside of the aircraft;

receiving, in the aircraft server, a request from the remote computer to establish a remote session between the remote computer and the aircraft server;

generating, in the aircraft, a passcode that, upon entry into and transmission by the remote computer, will establish the remote session;

transmitting the passcode from a first communication device to second communication device, the first communication device collocated with the aircraft, the second communication device collocated with the remote computer;

transmitting the passcode from the remote computer to the aircraft server; and

upon receipt of the passcode by the aircraft server, providing the remote computer with remote access to the on-board aircraft system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the generated passcode on a display device installed in the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the aircraft comprises a cockpit; and

the display device is installed in the cockpit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing computational devices and communication devices from initiating communication with the aircraft server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of establishing communication comprises:

establishing the communication between the aircraft server and the remote computer via a ground-based server and a communication network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of establishing communication is initiated by the aircraft server.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the remote computer is located remote from the aircraft and the ground-based server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second communication devices are both hand-held devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote access that is provided is a remote sharing session between the remote computer and the on-board aircraft system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote access that is provided is a remote control session between the remote computer and the on-board aircraft system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the aircraft infrastructure comprises an aircraft server, a display device, and the on-board aircraft system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the on-board aircraft system is in operable communication with the display device and the aircraft server and is configured to (i) generate the passcode, (ii) command the display device to display the generated passcode, and (iii) supply the passcode to the aircraft server.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a first communication device collocated with the aircraft for selectively transmitting the passcode; and

a second communication device collocated with the remote computer for receiving the passcode transmitted by the first communication device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second communication devices are both hand-held devices.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a ground-based server in operable communication with a communication network,

wherein the remote computer selectively transmits the request via the communication network and the ground-based server.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the aircraft server is configured to:

initiate the communication with the remote computer; and

prevent computational devices and communication devices from initiating communication therewith.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the aircraft infrastructure is further configured, upon providing the remote access, to implement a remote sharing session between the remote computer and the on-board aircraft maintenance system.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the aircraft infrastructure is further configured, upon providing the remote access, to implement a remote control session between the remote computer and the on-board aircraft maintenance system.

18-1. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote computer is located remote from the aircraft and the ground-based server and