Authentication of a message source

• US 5,754,657 A
• Filed: 03/10/1997
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Janky, James M., Schipper, John F., Sheynblat, Len, Loomis, Peter V. W., Pelley, Allan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/815,370
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/9, 380/25, 380/24, 380/49, 340/825.34, 342/357
• US Class Current: 380/258
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction

Abstract

Methods for authentication or validation of the location of a putative source (ps) of a message, using time varying location determination (LD) signals that are received from J sources (J>1) of LD signals G(t;j;ps) that are spaced apart from the putative source. The putative source forms an augmented data signal that includes the original message, one or more segments g t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ; j; ps!={G(t_r ;j;ps)|t_k(m) ≦t_r ≦t_k(m+1) } of the LD signals for a selected time interval, a putative source asserted location L(t"_k(m) ;ps) for a time t"_k(m) in the selected time interval, and other identifying parameters. The augmented data signal is received by a central station that analyzes the LD signal segments and determines whether the asserted location L(t"_k(m) ;ps) is likely to be the true message source location. Part or all of the augmented data signal can be encrypted for transmission. One application is validation of use of licensed software on a computer whose location may be mobile. Another application is validation of votes cast from a plurality of remote voting sites.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating the location of a source for a message transmitted from a data signal source to a data receiving station, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a data signal source or putative source (ps), a data signal, defined at a sequence of two or more times and changing with time, and receiving measurable location determination (LD) signals from at least one LD signal source at a sequence of two or more LD signal receipt times;

forming at the data signal source and transmitting to the data receiving station an augmented data signal that includes (1) a segment of data signal values, (2) at least one segment of LD signal values received between a selected first LD signal receipt time and a selected second LD signal receipt time, (3) the values of the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, (4) an indicium identifying the LD signal source for each segment of LD signal values included in the augmented data signal, and (5) an asserted location for the data signal source and an asserted data source location time for which this location is asserted, where the asserted data source location time lies in or near a range of times between the selected first and second LD signal receipt times; and

receiving the augmented data signal at the data receiving station, estimating a location of the data signal source from information contained in the augmented data signal, comparing the asserted location with the estimated location, and authenticating the asserted location of the data signal source only if the asserted location and the estimated location substantially agree with each other.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of authenticating said asserted location of said data signal source only if said augmented data signal is received at said data receiving station within a time interval of a selected length after said at least one segment of LD signal values is asserted to have been received by said data signal source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of causing said data receiving station to compare said asserted location with said estimated location comprises the steps of:

forming a distance function

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S.sub.s ={a|x(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-x'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s +b(y(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-y'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s +c|z(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-z'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s }.sup.1/5,

where s is a selected positive parameter, where a, b and c are selected non-negative constants and at least one constant a, b and c is positive, where (x(t"_k(m) ;

ps), y(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) are said asserted location coordinates, and where (x'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps), Y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) are said estimated location coordinates; and

determining whether the distance function satisfies a relation S_s ≦

S_S,thr,

where S_s,thr is a selected positive value.

4. A method for authenticating the location of a source for a message transmitted from a data signal source to a data receiving station, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a data signal source or putative source (ps), a data signal, defined at a sequence of two or more times and changing with time, and receiving measurable location determination (LD) signals from at least one LD signal source at a sequence of two or more LD signal receipt times;

forming at the data signal source and transmitting to the data receiving station an augmented data signal that includes (1) a segment of data signal values, (2) at least one segment of LD signal values received between a selected first LD signal receipt time and a selected second LD signal receipt time, (3) the values of the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, (4) an indicium identifying the LD signal source for each segment of LD signal values included in the augmented data signal, and (5) an asserted location for the data signal source and an asserted data source location time for which this location is asserted, where the asserted data source location time lies in or near a range of times between the selected first and second LD signal receipt times;

receiving at the data receiving station the augmented data signal and an LD signal from at least one selected LD signal source for which a segment of LD signal values is included in the augmented data signal;

estimating, at the data receiving station, a segment of LD signal values that should have been received at the data signal source between the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, based on the asserted location, for the at least one selected LD signal source, and comparing the estimated segment of LD signal values with the segment of LD signal values contained in the augmented data signal for the at least one selected LD signal source; and

authenticating the asserted location of the data signal source only if the estimated segment of LD signal values and the segment of LD signal values contained in the augmented data signal for the at least one selected LD signal source substantially agree with each other.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

providing said LD signals from said LD signal sources;

providing said data receiving station with known location coordinates;

causing said data receiving station to use its known location coordinates and information from said augmented data signal to determine estimated location coordinates for said data signal source corresponding to said asserted location time;

causing said data receiving station to compare said asserted location coordinates of said data signal source with the estimated location coordinates for said data signal source; and

determining that said asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only when said asserted location coordinates and the estimated location coordinates of said data signal source approximately agree with each other.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of authenticating said asserted location of said data signal source only if said augmented data signal is received at said data receiving station within a time interval of a selected length after said at least one segment of LD signal values is asserted to have been received by said data signal source.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of choosing said LD signals to be confidential signals.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

choosing as said LD signal sources a group of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, that transmit GPS Y-code signals with signal values Y(t,j) received from a GPS satellite numbered j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1) with an associated frequency f1;

defining a first set of LD signal values Y(t_r ;

j;

ps) to be the signal values Y(t"_r ;

j);

defining said LD signals to be the values of the signals W(t_r ;

j;

ps)=Y(t_r ;

j;

ps)⊕

P(t_r ;

j;

ps), where {P(t_r ;

j;

ps)}_r is a selected signal value sequence with an associated maximum frequency of f1; and

selecting the signal value sequence {P(t_r ;

j;

ps)}_r so that the signal W(t_r ;

j;

ps)=Y(t_r ;

j;

ps)⊕

P(t_r ;

j;

ps) has an associated maximum frequency f2 that is<

<

f1.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

choosing, as said LD signals, Global Positioning System (GPS) P-code signals with signal values P(t_r ;

j) received from a GPS satellite numbered j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1); and

defining said LD signal values to be the signal values P(t_r ;

j).

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

choosing, as said LD signals, Global Positioning System (GPS) C/A-code signals with signal values C(t_r ;

j) transmitted by a GPS satellite numbered j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1); and

defining said LD signal values to be the signal values C(t_r ;

j).

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

providing said data receiving station with known location coordinates;

providing said LD signals from said LD signal sources, where J≧

3;

obtaining, at said data receiving station, LD correction signals Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv), for uncorrected LD signals G(t;

j;

rcv)_unc received at said data receiving station from said LD signal source number j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1), that approximately correct for time varying effects of at least one of (1) propagation of said LD signals through said ionosphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (2) propagation of said LD signals through said troposphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (3) receipt of multipath LD signals at said data receiving station, and (4) the presence of selective availability upon said LD signals that arrive at said data receiving station;

forming corrected LD signal segments g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps }_cor ={G(t_r ;

j;

ps)_cor =G(t_r ;

j;

ps)_unc +Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv)|t_k(m) ≦

t_r >

t_k(m)+1 } for LD signal source number j, and estimating corrected location coordinates (x'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor) for said data signal source at said location assertion time t=t"_k(m), based upon the corrected LD signal segments g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps}_cor and the known location coordinates of said data receiving station;

comparing, at said data receiving station, asserted location coordinates (x(t"_k(m) ;

ps), y(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) of said data signal source with estimated corrected location coordinates (x'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor) of said data signal source; and

determining that the asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only if the asserted location coordinates and the estimated corrected location coordinates approximately agree with each other.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of comparing, at said data receiving station, said asserted location coordinates (x(t"_k(m) ;

ps), y(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) with said estimated corrected location coordinates (x'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor) comprises the steps of;

forming a distance function

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S.sub.s ={a|x(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-x'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps).sub.cor |.sup.s +b|y(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-y'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps).sub.cor |.sup.s +c|z(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-z'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps).sub.cor |.sup.s }.sup.1/s,

where s is a selected positive parameter, where a, b and c are selected non-negative constants and at least one constant a, b and c is positive; and

determining whether the distance function satisfies a relation

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S.sub.s >

S.sub.s,thr,

where S_s,thr is a selected positive value.

13. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said data receiving station, LD correction signals Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv), for uncorrected LD signals G(t;

j;

rcv)_unc received at said data receiving station from said LD signal source number j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1), that approximately correct for time varying effects of at least one of (1) propagation of said LD signals through said ionosphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (2) propagation of said LD signals through said troposphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (3) receipt of multipath LD signals at said data receiving station, and (4) the presence of selective availability upon said LD signals that arrive at said data receiving station;

forming corrected LD signal segments g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps}_cor ={G(t_r ;

j;

ps)_cor =G(t_r ;

j;

ps)_unc +Δ

G(t,j;

rcv)l t_k(m) ≦

t_r ≦

t_k(m)+1 } for a selected subset j=j1, . . . , j=jP of P distinct integers from the set of integers j=1, . . . , J, with 1≦

P≦

J;

determining computed LD signal segments g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j=jp;

ps}_known ={G(t_r ;

j=jp;

ps)_known |t_k(m) ≦

t_r ≦

t_k(m)+1 } (p=1, . . . ,P) that should have been received at said data signal source, using the LD correction signals Δ

G(t,j;

rcv) and said asserted location of said data signal source;

forming LD signal segment differences

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Δ

(j;

t.sub.k(m), t.sub.k(m+1) ;

ps)=F{|G(t.sub.r ;

j;

ps).sub.known -G(t.sub.r ;

j;

ps).sub.cor |;

t.sub.k(m), t.sub.k(m+1) }

for each of said LD signal sources numbered j=jp=j1, . . . , jP, where F is a non-negative functional, defined on a sequence of non-negative values |v(t_r)|(r=k(m), k(m)+1, . . . , k(m+1), that is=0 only if the sequence of values |v(t_r)| is identically zero; and

determining that said asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only if the LD signal segment differences Δ

(j;

t_k(m), t_k(m+1) ;

ps) are less than selected threshold values,

|Δ

(jp;

t_k(m), t_k(m+1) ;

ps)|≦

Δ

(jp;

t_k(m), t_k(m+1))_thr, for at least J1 of the numbers jp, where J1 is a positive integer that is ≦

J, where Δ

(j;

t_k(m), t_k(m+1))_thr, (j=j1, . . . , jP) are selected positive numbers.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of receiving, at said data signal source a sequence of measurable LD signals comprises the steps of:

choosing as said LD signal sources a plurality of satellites that transmit at least one of (i) a set of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals as said LD signals or (ii) a set of Global Orbiting Navigational Satellite System (GLONASS) signals as said LD signals;

obtaining, at said data receiving station, said at least one segment of LD signal values g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps}={G(t_r ;

j;

ps)|t_k(m) ≦

t_r ≦

t_k(m+1) } received at said data signal source from LD signal source number j=1, . . . ,J;

J≧

1), from said augmented data signal;

obtaining, at said data receiving station, a segment of LD signal values G(t_r ;

j;

rcv) from said LD signals received at said data receiving station from said LD signal sources;

despreading said LD signal values G(t_r ;

j;

ps) and G(t_r ;

j;

rcv) to remove any C/A-code signals and any P-code signals from said LD signal values and to form signal values W(t_r ;

j;

ps) and W(t_r ;

j;

rcv), respectively, that approximately represent W-code signal values for said LD signals received at said data signal source and at said data receiving station, respectively; and

using said signals W(t_r ;

j;

ps) and W(t_r ;

j;

rcv) as said LD signals received at said data signal source and at said data receiving station, respectively.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

forming a correlation function ##EQU4## and estimating the set of values Δ

t=Δ

t(corr,j) for which the correlation function χ

(Δ

t,j) attains a local maximum;

estimating line-of-sight distances d_LOS (t'"'"'k(m);

j;

ps) and d_LOS (t"k(m);

j;

rcv) from said data signal source and from said data receiving station, respectively, to said LD signal source number j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1) at said location assertion time t=t"_k(m), and forming a time difference Δ

t(ps/rcv,j)={d_LOS (t"k(m);

j;

ps)-d_LOS (t"k(m);

j;

rcv)}/c'"'"', where c'"'"' is a selected velocity of propagation of electromagnetic signals in the atmosphere; and

determining that said asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only when the value Δ

t(ps/rcv;

j) is approximately the same as at least one of the set of values Δ

t(corr;

j) for at least one of said LD signal sources numbered.

42. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

choosing, as said LD signals, Global Positioning System (GPS) Y-code signals with signal values Y(t"_r ;

j) received from a GPS satellite numbered j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1); and

defining said LD signal values to be the signal values Y(t"_r ;

j).

16. A method for authenticating the location of a source for a message transmitted from a data signal source to a data receiving station, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a data signal source or putative source (ps), a data signal, defined at a sequence of two or more times and changing with time, and receiving measurable location determination (LD) signals from at least one LD signal sources at a sequence of two or more LD signal receipt times;

forming at the data signal source and transmitting to the data receiving station an encrypted augmented data signal, encrypted using a selected encryption algorithm E(Θ

) that depends upon a selectable encryption parameter Θ

, that includes (1) a segment of data signal values, (2) at least one segment of LD signal values received between a selected first LD signal receipt time and a selected second LD signal receipt time, (3) the values of the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, (4) an indicium identifying the LD signal source for each segment of LD signal values included in the augmented data signal, and (5) an asserted location for the data signal source and an asserted data source location time for which this location is asserted, where the asserted data source location time lies in or near a range of times between the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, where the data receiving station is capable of receiving and decrypting an encrypted signal that uses the encryption algorithm E(Θ

); and

receiving the encrypted augmented data signal at the data receiving station, determining the encryption parameter Θ

used to encrypt the encrypted augmented data signal, decrypting the encrypted augmented data signal, estimating a location of the data signal source from information contained in the augmented data signal, comparing the asserted location with the estimated location, and authenticating the asserted location of the data signal source only if the asserted location and the estimated location substantially agree with each other.

17. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

providing said LD signals from J LD signal sources, where J≧

3;

providing said data receiving station with known location coordinates;

using said known location of said data receiving station and information from said encrypted augmented data signal to determine estimated location coordinates of said data signal source corresponding to said location assertion time;

comparing, at said data receiving station, said asserted location coordinates with the estimated location coordinates for said data signal source; and

determining that asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only if said asserted location coordinates and the estimated location coordinates of said data signal source approximately agree with each other.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of comparing said asserted location coordinates with said estimated location coordinates comprises the steps of:

forming a distance function

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S.sub.s ={a|x(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-x'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s +b(y(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-y'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s +c|z(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)--z'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s }.sup.1/s,

where s is a selected positive parameter, where a, b and c are selected non-negative constants and at least one constant a, b and c is positive , where (x(t"_k(m) ;

ps), y(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) are said asserted location coordinates of said data signal source, and where (x'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps), y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) are said estimated location coordinates of said data signal source; and

determining whether the distance function satisfies a relation

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S.sub.s ≦

S.sub.s,thr,

where S_s,thr is a selected positive value.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of authenticating said asserted location of said data signal source only if said encrypted augmented data signal is received at said data receiving station within a time interval of a selected length after said at least one segment of LD signals is asserted to have been received by said data signal source.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of choosing said LD signals to be confidential signals.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

choosing, as said LD signals, Global Positioning System (GPS) Y-code signals with signal values Y(t"_r ;

j), transmitted by a GPS satellite numbered j(j=1, . . . J;

J≧

1); and

defining said LD signal values to be the signal values Y(t'"'"'_r ;

j).

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

choosing as said J LD signal sources a group of J Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites that transmit GPS Y-code signals with signal values Y(t,j) having an associated frequency of f1;

defining a first set of LD signal values Y(t_r ;

j;

ps) to be the signal values Y(t"_r ;

j), as received at said data signal source from said LD signal source number j;

defining said LD signals G(t_r ;

j;

ps)! to be the values of the signals W(t_r ;

j;

ps)=Y(t_r ;

j;

ps)⊕

P(t_r ;

j;

ps), where {P(t_r ;

j;

ps)}_r is a selected signal value sequence with an associated maximum frequency f1; and

selecting the signal value sequence {P(t_r ;

j;

ps)}_r so that the signal W(t_r ;

j;

ps)=Y(t_r ;

j;

ps)⊕

P(t_r ;

j;

ps) has an associated maximum frequency f2 that is <

<

f1.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

choosing, as said LD signals, Global Positioning System (GPS) P-code signals with signal values P(t_r ;

j), transmitted by a GPS satellite numbered j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1); and

defining said LD signal values to be the signal values P(t_r ;

j).

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

choosing, as said LD signals, Global Positioning System (GPS) C/A-code signals with signal values C(t_r ;

j), transmitted by a GPS satellite numbered j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1); and

defining said LD signal values to be the signal values C(t_r ;

j).

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

providing said data receiving station with known location coordinates;

providing said LD signals from said LD signal sources;

obtaining, at said data receiving station, LD correction signals Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv), for uncorrected LD signals G(t;

j;

rcv)_unc received at said data receiving station from said LD signal source number j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1), that approximately correct for time varying effects of at least one of (1) propagation of said LD signals through said ionosphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (2) propagation of said LD signals through said troposphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (3) receipt of multipath LD signals at said data receiving station, and (4) the presence of selective availability upon said LD signals that arrive at said data receiving station;

forming corrected LD signal segments g}t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps{_cor ={G(t_r ;

ps)_cor =G(t_r ;

j;

ps)_unc +Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv)|t_k(m) ≦

t_r ≦

t_k(m)+1 } for said data signal source number j (j-1, . . . , J;

J≧

1) and estimating corrected location coordinates (x'"'"'(t"^k(m) ;

ps)_cor, y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor) at said location assertion time t=t"_k(m), based upon the corrected LD signal segments g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps}_cor ; and

the known location coordinates of said data receiving station;

comparing, at said data receiving station, asserted location coordinates (x(t"_k(m) ;

ps), y(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) of said data signal source with estimated corrected location coordinates (x'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor) of said data signal source; and

determining that the asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only if said asserted location coordinates and the estimated corrected location coordinates (x'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor)! approximately agree with each other.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of comparing, at said data receiving station, said asserted location coordinates (x(t"_k(m) ;

ps), y(t"_k(m) ;

ps), z(t"_k(m) ;

ps)) with said estimated corrected location coordinates (x'"'"'(t-_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, y'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor, z'"'"'(t"_k(m) ;

ps)_cor) comprises the steps of;

forming a distance function

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S.sub.s ={a|x(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-x'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s +b(y(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-y'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps).sub.cor |.sup.s +c|z(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)-z'"'"'(t".sub.k(m) ;

ps)|.sup.s }.sup.1/5,

where s is a selected positive parameter, where a, b and c are selected non-negative constants and at least one constant a, b and c is positive; and

determining whether the distance function satisfies a relation

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S.sub.s ≦

S.sub.s,thr,

where S_s,thr is a selected positive value.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said data receiving station, LD correction signals Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv), for uncorrected LD signals G(t;

j;

rcv)_unc received at said data receiving station from said LD signal source number j (j=1, . . . , J;

J≧

1), that approximately correct for time varying effects of at least one of (1) propagation of said LD signals through said ionosphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (2) propagation of said LD signals through said troposphere before said LD signals arrive at said data receiving station, (3) receipt of multipath LD signals at said data receiving station, and (4) the presence of selective availability upon said LD signals that arrive at said data receiving station;

forming corrected LD signal segments g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps}_cor ={G(t_r ;

j;

ps)_cor =G(t_r ;

j;

ps)_unc +Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv)|t_k(m) ≦

t_r ≦

t_k(m)+1 } for a selected subset j=j1, . . . , j=jP of P distinct integers from the set of integers j=1, 2, . . . , J, with 1≦

P≦

J;

determining computed LD signal segments g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j=jp;

ps}_known ={G(t_r ;

j=jp;

ps)_known |t_k(m) ≦

t_r ≦

t_k(m)+1 } ( P=1, . . . , P) that should have been received at said data signal source, using the LD correction signals Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv) and said asserted location L(t"_k(m) ;

ps)! of said data signal source;

forming LD signal segment differences

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Δ

(j;

t.sub.k(m), t.sub.k(m+1) ;

ps)=F{|G(t.sub.r ;

j;

ps).sub.known -G(t.sub.r ;

j;

ps).sub.cor |;

t.sub.k(m), t.sub.k(m+1) }

for each of said LD signal sources numbered j=jp=j1, . . . , jP, where F is a non-negative functional, defined on a sequence of non-negative values |v(t_r)|(r=k(m), k(m)+1, . . . , k(m+1), that is=0 only if the sequence of values |v(t_r)| is identically zero; and

determining that said asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only if the LD signal segment differences Δ

j;

t_k(m), t_k(m+1) ;

ps) are less than selected threshold values,

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">|Δ

(jp;

t.sub.k(m), t.sub.k(m+1) ;

ps)|≦

Δ

(jp;

t.sub.k(m), t.sub.k(m+1)).sub.thr,

for at least J1 of the numbers jp, where J1 is a positive integer that is ≦

J, where Δ

(j;

t_k(m), t_k(m+1))_thr, (=j1, . . . , jP) are selected positive numbers.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of choosing said encryption parameter Θ

so that Θ

depends upon at least one of said time varying LD correction values Δ

G(t;

j;

rcv) for a time t=t.sub.Θ

that lies in said time interval t_k(m) ≦

t₇₃ ≦

t_k(m)+1.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of receiving, at said data signal source a sequence of measurable LD signals comprises the steps of:

choosing as said LD signal sources a plurality of satellites, numbered j=1, . . . , J (J≧

1) that transmit at least one of (i) a set of Global Positioning System signals as said LD signals or (ii) a set of Global Orbiting Navigational Satellite System signals as said LD signals;

obtaining, at said data receiving station, said at least one segment of LD signal values g{t_k(m),t_k(m+1) ;

j;

ps}={G(t_r ;

j;

ps)|t_k(m) ≦

t_r ≦

t_k(m+1) } received at said data signal source, from said encrypted augmented data signal;

obtaining, at said data receiving station, a segment of LD signal values G(t_r ;

j;

rcv) from said LD signals received at said data receiving station from said LD signal sources;

despreading said LD signal values G(t_r ;

j;

ps) and G(t_r ;

j;

rcv) to remove any C/A-code signals and any P-code signals from said LD signal values and to form signal values W(t_r ;

j;

ps) and W(t_r ;

j;

rcv), respectively, that approximately represent W-code signal values for said LD signals received at said data signal source and at said data receiving station, respectively; and

using said signals W(t_r ;

j;

ps) and W(t_r ;

j;

rcv) as said LD signals received at said data signal source and at said data receiving station, respectively.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

forming a correlation function ##EQU5## and estimating the set of values Δ

t=Δ

t(corr;

j) for which the correlation function χ

(Δ

t,j) attains a local maximum;

estimating line-of-sight distances d_LOS (t"_k(m) ;

j;

ps) and d_LOS (t"k(m);

j;

rcv) from said data signal source and from said data receiving station, respectively, to said LD signal source number j at said location assertion time t=t"_k(m), and forming a time difference Δ

t(ps/rcv,j)={d_Los (t"k(m);

j;

ps)-d_LOS (t"k(m);

j;

rcv)}/c'"'"', where c'"'"' is a selected velocity of propagation of electromagnetic signals in the atmosphere; and

determining that said asserted location of said data signal source is approximately the actual location of said data signal source only when the value Δ

t(ps/rcv;

j) is substantially the same as at least one of the set of values Δ

t(corr;

j) for at least one of said LD signal sources.

31. A method for authenticating the location of a site where a software package is being used, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a computer station a segment of location determination (LD) signals with measurable LD signal values from at least three LD signal sources at a sequence of two or more LD signal receipt times, where the computer station is asserted to be located at one of N selected locations (N≧

1) and includes a microprocessor, a computer memory, a transmitter, a receiver and a software package that requires a license for use of the software;

forming at the computer station and transmitting to a data receiving station an authentication signal that includes (1) a computer station indicium identifying the computer station that includes the software package, and (2) a segment of LD signals received at the computer station between a first selected time and a second selected time and the corresponding first and second selected times, for each of at least three distinct LD signal sources, and (4) an indicium identifying the LD signal source for the at least three segments of LD signal values included in the authentication signal;

receiving the authentication signal at the data receiving station, estimating a location of the computer station from information contained in the authentication signal, and comparing the estimated location with a list of N authorized locations, at which use of the software package is approved; and

approving use of the software package at the computer station only when the distance between the estimated location and at least one of the N authorized locations is no greater than a selected threshold distance.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

comparing said computer station indicium with an approved list of indicia for computer stations at which use of said software package is approved; and

approving use of said software package at said computer station only if said computer station indicium appears on said approved list.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of disabling use of said computer station if use of said software at said computer station is not approved.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of authenticating said asserted location only if said augmented data signal is received at said data receiving station within a time interval of a selected length after said segment of said LD signals is asserted to have been received by said computer station.

35. A method for authenticating the location of a site where a vote is cast by a voting station user, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a computer station a segment of location determination (LD) signals with measurable LD signal values from at least three LD signal sources at a sequence of two or more LD signal receipt times, where the computer station is asserted to be located at one of N selected locations (N≧

1) and includes a microprocessor, a computer memory, a transmitter, a receiver and a voter module that allows a voter to cast a vote on a designated election issue;

forming at the computer station and transmitting to a data receiving station an authentication signal that includes (1) a computer station indicium identifying the computer station that includes the software package, and (2) a segment of LD signals received at the computer station between a first selected time and a second selected time and the corresponding first and second selected times, for each of at least three distinct LD signal sources, and (4) an indicium identifying the LD signal source for the at least three segments of LD signal values included in the authentication signal;

receiving the location authentication signal at the data receiving station, estimating a location of the computer station from information contained in the authentication signal, and comparing the estimated location with a list of N authorized locations, at which casting a vote upon the designated election issue is approved; and

accumulating the vote cast by the voter at the computer station only when the distance between the estimated location and at least one of the N authorized locations is no greater than a selected threshold distance.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

comparing said computer station indicium with an approved list of indicia for computer stations at which votes may be cast on said designated election issue; and

accumulating the vote cast by the voter at said computer station, with other votes cast by other voters on the designated election issue, only if said computer station indicium appears on said approved list.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of disabling use of said computer station if use of said computer station for casting votes on said designated election issue is not approved.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of authenticating said asserted location only if said augmented data signal is received at said data receiving station within a time interval of a selected length after said segment of said LD signals is asserted to have been received by said computer station.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

including in said authentication signal an indicium identifying said voter;

comparing said voter'"'"'s indicium with an approved list of voter indicia on said designated election issue; and

accumulating the vote cast by the voter at the computer station, with other votes cast by other voters on the designated election issue, only if said voter'"'"'s indicium appears on this approved list of voter indicia.

40. A system for authenticating the location of a source for a message transmitted from a data signal source to a data receiving station, the apparatus comprising:

a data signal source or putative source, having a data signal defined at a sequence of two or more times and changing with time, and having the capacity to transmit the data signal to a data receiving station, where the data signal source receives measurable location determination (LD) signals from at least one LD signal source at a sequence of two or more LD signal receipt times;

where the data signal source forms and transmits to a data receiving station an augmented data signal that includes (1) a segment of data signal values, (2) at least one segment of LD signal values received between a selected first LD signal receipt time and a selected second LD signal receipt time, (3) the values of the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, (4) an indicium identifying the LD signal source for each segment of LD signal values included in the augmented data signal, and (5) an asserted location for the data signal source and an asserted data source location time for which this location is asserted, where the asserted data source location time lies in or near a range of times between the selected first and second LD signal receipt times; and

a data receiving station having the capacity to receive the augmented data signal, estimate a location of the data signal source from information contained in the augmented data signal, compare the asserted location with the estimated location, and authenticate the asserted location of the data signal source only if the asserted location and the estimated location substantially agree with each other.

41. A system for authenticating the location of a source for a message transmitted from a data signal source to a data receiving station, the apparatus comprising:

a data signal source or putative source, having a data signal defined at a sequence of two or more times and changing with time, and having the capacity to transmit the data signal to a data receiving station, where the data signal source receives measurable location determination (LD) signals from at least one LD signal source at a sequence of two or more LD signal receipt times;

where the data signal source forms and transmits to a data receiving station an augmented data signal that includes (1) a segment of data signal values, (2) at least one segment of LD signal values received between a selected first LD signal receipt time and a selected second LD signal receipt time, (3) the values of the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, (4) an indicium identifying the LD signal source for each segment of LD signal values included in the augmented data signal, and (5) an asserted location for the data signal source and an asserted data source location time for which this location is asserted, where the asserted data source location time lies in or near a range of times between the selected first and second LD signal receipt times;

a data receiving station having the capacity to receive the augmented data signal, to receive LD signals from at least one selected LD signal source for which a segment of LD signal values is included in the augmented data signal, to estimate a segment of LD signal values that should have been received at the data signal source between the selected first and second LD signal receipt times, for the at least one selected LD signal source, to compare the estimated segment of LD signal values with the segment of LD signal values contained in the augmented data signal for the at least one selected LD signal source, and to authenticate the asserted location of the data signal source only if the estimated segment of LD signal values and the segment of LD signal values contained in the augmented data signal for the at least one selected LD signal source approximately agree with each other.