System and method for providing secure communication between network nodes

• US 8,320,968 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros Technology Ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jenkins, Daniel Collin, Jackson, Timothy Ronald, Maimone, Peter Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US11/372,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,454 Days
• Field of Search: 455/562.1, 455/422, 455/255, 455/68, 455/423, 455/574, 455/456.2, 703/2, 703/200, 340/540, 342/383, 342/378, 370/310, 370/338, 370/331, 701/207
• US Class Current: 455/562.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/244 using a network of reference devices, e.g. beaconing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update

Abstract

A network, network device and method is disclosed. A network of network nodes is disclosed in which the network nodes securely transmit communication signals using one or more spatial parameters unique to the network nodes. A dad positioning device capable of operating as a node in a network of the present invention is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A positioning device coupled to a network, comprising:

a positioning portion configured to perform a position calculation for the positioning device using position signals received from a plurality of navigation beacons,

a receiver portion;

a transmitter portion;

a processor coupled to the receiver portion and transmitter portion; and

a memory coupled to the processor to store one or more instruction sequences, said instruction sequences to cause the positioning device to communicate wirelessly with a second positioning device by securely transmitting communication signals to the second positioning device using one or more spatial parameters unique to the second positioning device, wherein the communication signals provide frequency and signal phase assistance used by the positioning portion to detect attenuated position signals from said plurality of navigation beacons.

2. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein the communications signals are decodable by the second positioning device only when the one or more spatial parameters match a corresponding spatial characteristic of the second positioning device.

3. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein a position-velocity-time (PVT) calculation is used to encrypt the communication signals.

4. The positioning device of claim 3, wherein the PVT calculation is used to generate a new signal that can only be demodulated by a recipient node located in an intended position.

5. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein the communication signals are synchronized to the position signals.

6. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein the communication signals are used as ranging signals for other positioning devices.

7. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein the position signals are usable for determining absolute positioning information for the positioning device and the second positioning device.

8. The positioning device of claim 7, wherein the communication signals further comprise at least non-position data and absolute position information.

9. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein the communication signals substitute for the position signals in determining position information.

10. The position device of claim 1 wherein the position signals from a plurality of navigation beacons comprises position signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS).