Circuit for exclusion zone compliance

• US 7,898,409 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Riter, Bruce D., Janky, James M., Loomis, Peter Van Wyck
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tai T
• Application Number:
  US12/100,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20090256744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/539.2, 340/426.15, 340/426.19, 340/985, 340/989, 340/992, 340/993, 342/176, 342/195, 342/357.06, 342/537.12, 342/413, 342/464, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1013 to locations

Abstract

A circuit for exclusion zone compliance is recited. In one embodiment, the circuit comprises a satellite navigation signal reception component configured for receiving at least one signal from at least one Global Navigation Satellite System satellite and a navigation data deriving component configured for deriving position data and a clock time from the at least one signal. The circuit further comprises a non-volatile memory component configured for storing an encrypted data set describing the boundaries of an exclusion zone and a data blocking component configured for controlling the accessing of the encrypted data set. The circuit further comprises a data control component configured for blocking the output of a signal from the circuit in response an indication selected from the group consisting of: an indication that the circuit is located within an exclusion zone and an indication that output of said signal is not permitted based upon said clock time.

Claims

1. A circuit for exclusion zone compliance, said circuit comprising:

a satellite navigation signal reception component configured for receiving satellite signals;

a navigation data deriving component communicatively coupled with said satellite navigation signal reception component, said navigation data deriving component configured for deriving position data and a clock time from said satellite signals;

a non-volatile memory component communicatively coupled with said navigation data deriving component and configured for storing an encrypted data set describing boundaries of an exclusion zone;

a data blocking component communicatively coupled with said non-volatile memory device and navigation data deriving component, said data blocking component configured for controlling an accessing of said encrypted data set; and

a data control component communicatively coupled with said navigation data deriving component, said data control component configured for blocking an output of a signal from said circuit in response to either of an indication selected from a group consisting of;

an indication that said circuit is located within said exclusion zone and an indication that said output of said signal is not permitted based upon said clock time.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said non-volatile memory component comprises a read-only memory component.

3. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said non-volatile memory component comprises a programmable memory device.

4. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said circuit comprises an integrated circuit.

5. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said data blocking component further comprises:

a checksum determining component configured for determining a checksum based upon said encrypted data set; and

a checksum comparison component communicatively coupled with said checksum determining component, said checksum comparison component configured for comparing a second checksum value stored by said non-volatile memory component with said checksum and wherein said data blocking component prevents said navigation data deriving component from accessing said encrypted data set when said checksum comparison component determines that said checksum does not match said second checksum value.

6. The circuit of claim 5 further comprising:

an encrypted data set input communicatively coupled with said non-volatile memory component configured for receiving an updated encrypted data set.

7. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said data blocking component further comprises:

a date comparison component configured for comparing a date associated with said updated encrypted data set with a second date corresponding to a valid encrypted data set and wherein said data blocking component is further configured for preventing said navigation data deriving component from accessing said updated encrypted data set when said date comparison component determines that said date associated with said updated encrypted data set does not match said second date corresponding to a valid encrypted data set.

8. The circuit of claim 7 wherein said date comparison component further comprises:

a clock time input configured for receiving said clock time from said navigation data deriving component; and

a time comparison component configured for comparing said clock time with said date.

9. The circuit of claim 6 further comprising:

a second encrypted data set input communicatively coupled with said data control component and configured for receiving a second encrypted data set; and

an encrypted data set output communicatively coupled with said data control component.

10. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said data blocking component further comprises:

an encryption key comparator configured for comparing a stored encryption key with an encryption key associated with said updated encrypted data set and wherein said data blocking component is further configured for preventing a loading of said updated encrypted data set into said non-volatile memory component when said stored encryption key does not match said encryption key associated with said updated encryption data set.

11. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said data control component is further configured for initiating the permanent disabling of said circuit in response to determining that said circuit is located within an exclusion zone.

12. The circuit of claim 1 further comprising:

a speed determining component configured to determine a speed of said circuit and wherein said data control component is further configured to block said output of said signal from said circuit in response to an indication that a speed threshold of said circuit is exceeded; and

an altitude limiting component configured for comparing an altitude of said circuit received from said navigation data deriving component with an altitude threshold and for outputting an altitude signal when said altitude exceeds an altitude threshold and wherein said data control component is further configured to block an output of said altitude signal from said circuit in response to an indication that said altitude threshold of said circuit is exceeded.

13. A method for implementing exclusion zone compliance, said method comprising:

utilizing a satellite navigation signal reception component disposed within a circuit to receive satellite signals;

utilizing a navigation data deriving component disposed within said circuit to derive position data and a clock time from said satellite signals;

utilizing a non-volatile memory component disposed within said circuit to store an encrypted data set describing boundaries of said exclusion zone;

utilizing a data blocking component communicatively coupled with said non-volatile memory device and said navigation data deriving component to control an accessing of said encrypted data set ; and

utilizing a data control component disposed within said circuit to prevent an output of a signal from said circuit in response to either of an indication that said circuit is located within an exclusion zone and an indication that said output of said signal is not permitted based upon said clock time.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein utilizing said non-volatile memory component further comprises:

utilizing a read-only memory component disposed within said circuit to store said encrypted data set.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said non-volatile memory component comprises a programmable memory device.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

implementing said satellite navigation signal reception component, said navigation data deriving component, said non-volatile memory component, said data blocking component, and said data blocking component in an integrated circuit.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein utilizing said data blocking component further comprises:

utilizing a checksum determining component for determining a checksum based upon said encrypted data set; and

utilizing a checksum comparison component communicatively coupled with said checksum determining component for comparing a second checksum value stored by said non-volatile memory component with said checksum; and

utilizing said data blocking component to prevent said navigation data deriving component from accessing said encrypted data set when said checksum comparison component determines that said checksum does not match said second checksum value.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving an updated encrypted data set via an encrypted data set input which is communicatively coupled with said non-volatile memory component.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

utilizing a date comparison component for comparing a date associated with said updated encrypted data set with a second date corresponding to a valid encrypted data set; and

using said data blocking component to prevent said navigation data deriving component from accessing said updated encrypted data set when said date comparison component determines that said date associated with said updated encrypted data set does not match said second date corresponding to a valid encrypted data set.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

receiving said clock time from said navigation data deriving component via a clock time input; and

using a time comparison component to compare said clock time with said date.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving a second encrypted data set via a second encrypted data set input communicatively coupled with said data control component; and

outputting said second encrypted data set via an encrypted data set output communicatively coupled with said data control component when said circuit is not located within said exclusion zone.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein utilizing said data blocking component further comprises:

utilizing an encryption key comparator for comparing a stored encryption key with an encryption key associated with said updated encrypted data set; and

using said data blocking component to prevent a loading of said updated encrypted data set into said non-volatile memory component when said stored encryption key does not match said encryption key associated with said updated encrypted data set.

23. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

utilizing said data control component for initiating a permanent disabling of said circuit in response to determining that said circuit is located within an exclusion zone.

24. The method in of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving an indication that said satellite signals cannot be accessed by satellite navigation signal reception component; and

utilizing said data control component disposed within said circuit to prevent said output of said signal from said circuit in response to said indication that said satellite signals cannot be accessed by said satellite navigation signal reception component.

25. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

blocking said output of said signal from said circuit in response to an indication that a speed threshold of said circuit is exceeded; and

blocking said output of said signal from said circuit in response to an indication that an altitude threshold of said circuit is exceeded.