SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SECURE DATA CONNECTIONS IN AN AVIATION ENVIRONMENT

• US 20180034834A1
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Timothy, Letney, Gordon Edward, Luschei, Kevin James, Anstey, Timothy William, Bush, John, Magnuson, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 10,412,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A secure communication management (SCM) computer device for providing secure data connections in an aviation environment which, includes safety of flight information, is provided. The SCM computer device includes a processor in communication with a memory. The processor is programmed to receive, from a first user computer device, a first data message for a first aircraft. The first data message is in a standardized data format. The processor is also programmed to analyze the first data message for potential cybersecurity threats. If the determination is that the first data message does not contain a cybersecurity threat, the processor is further programmed to convert the first data message into a first data format associated with the first aircraft and transmit the converted first data message to the first aircraft using a first communication protocol associated with the first aircraft.

Claims

1. A secure communication management (SCM) computer device for providing secure data connections in an aviation environment, said SCM computer device comprising a processor in communication with a memory, said processor programmed to:

receive, from a first user computer device, a first data message for a first aircraft, wherein the first data message is in a standardized data format;

analyze the first data message for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the analysis is that the first data message does not contain a cybersecurity threat, convert the first data message into a first data format associated with the first aircraft; and

transmit the converted first data message to the first aircraft using a first communication protocol associated with the first aircraft.

2. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first data message is also configured to be transmitted to a second aircraft, and wherein the processor is further programmed to:

convert the first data message into a second format associated with the second aircraft; and

transmit the converted first data message to the second aircraft using a second communication protocol associated with the second aircraft.

3. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol are different.

4. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first aircraft is associated with a first airline and wherein the second aircraft is associated with a second airline.

5. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the first aircraft is located in a first geographic region and the second aircraft is located in a second geographic region.

6. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive a second data message from the first aircraft;

analyze the second data message for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the determination is that the second data message does not contain a cybersecurity threat, convert the second data message into the standardized data format; and

transmit the converted second data message to the user computer device.

7. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to determine a communication protocol and data format associated with the corresponding aircraft.

8. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive a plurality of data from a plurality of aircraft;

analyze the plurality of data to determine one or more trends; and

transmit the determined one or more trends to the user computer device.

9. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive a plurality of data from the first aircraft where the first aircraft is at a gate;

analyze the plurality of data for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the determination is that the plurality of data does not contain any cybersecurity threats, convert the plurality of data into the standardized data format; and

transmit the converted plurality of data to the user computer device.

10. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the plurality of data includes one or more operating conditions of the corresponding aircraft.

11. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first aircraft is in flight.

12. A SCM computer device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user computer device is associated with at least one of an airline associated with the first aircraft and at least one maintenance system associated with the first aircraft.

13. A method for providing secure data connections in an aviation environment, said method implemented using a secure communication management (SCM) computer device, said SCM computer device comprising a processor in communication with a memory, said method comprising:

receiving, from a first user computer device, a first data message for a first aircraft, wherein the first data message is in a standardized data format;

analyzing, by the SCM computer device, the first data message for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the analysis is that the first data message does not contain a cybersecurity threat, converting, by the SCM computer device, the first data message into a first data format associated with the first aircraft; and

transmitting, from the SCM computer device, the converted first data message to the first aircraft using a first communication protocol associated with the first aircraft.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the first data message is also configured to be transmitted to a second aircraft, and wherein the method further comprises:

converting the first data message into a second format associated with the second aircraft; and

transmitting the converted first data message to the second aircraft using a second communication protocol associated with the second aircraft.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the first aircraft is located in a first geographic region and the second aircraft is located in a second geographic region.

16. The method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a second data message from the first aircraft;

analyzing the second data message for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the determination is that the second data message does not contain a cybersecurity threat, converting the second data message into the standardized data format; and

transmitting the converted second data message to the user computer device.

17. The method in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a plurality of data from the first aircraft where the first aircraft is at a gate;

analyzing the plurality of data for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the determination is that the plurality of data does not contain any cybersecurity threats, converting the plurality of data into the standardized data format; and

transmitting the converted plurality of data to the user computer device.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the plurality of data includes one or more operating conditions of the corresponding aircraft.

19. A system for providing secure data connections in an aviation environment, said system comprising:

an aircraft including at least one computer system that communicates via a first communication protocol;

a secure communication management (SCM) computer device comprising a processor in communication with a memory, said SCM computer device configured to;

receive, from a first user computer device, a first data message for said aircraft, wherein the first data message is in a standardized data format;

analyze the first data message for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the analysis is that the first data message does not contain a cybersecurity threat, convert the first data message into a first data format associated with said aircraft; and

transmit the converted first data message to said aircraft using a first communication protocol associated with said aircraft.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said SCM computer device is further configured to:

receive a second data message from said aircraft;

analyze the second data message for potential cybersecurity threats;

if the determination is that the second data message does not contain a cybersecurity threat, convert the second data message into the standardized data format; and

transmit the converted second data message to the user computer device.