Secure aircraft data channel communication for aircraft operations

• US 8,811,616 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2011
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aerotrack Pte Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Flight Focus Pte Ltd.
• Inventors: Cabos, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason
• Application Number:
  US13/084,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20120177198A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 380/271, 380/277
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

According to the application, a method for transmitting an encrypted aircraft related message is disclosed. A message is provided at one of a ground computer system or an aircraft computer system. The aircraft related message is arranged into data packets and at least one of the data packets is encrypted with an encryption key to obtain at least one encrypted data packet. The at least one encrypted data packet is transmitted from a sender to a recipient, wherein the sender is one of the ground computer system or the aircraft computer system, the recipient is the other one of the ground computer system or the aircraft computer system. The at least one encrypted data packet is received by a computer system of the recipient. A step of deciding whether the message is intended for the recipient'"'"'s computer system is provided. The step of deciding comprises an attempt to decrypt the at least one encrypted data packet with an decryption key, and the decryption attempt comprises analyzing of the message content. If it is decided that the decryption that the message is intended for the recipient, a step of processing the decrypted data message by the recipient'"'"'s computer system is provided.

Claims

1. A wireless receiver for receiving an aircraft related message for an aircraft from a ground based station via a communications device, wherein the aircraft related message comprises a data amendment package for updating a database, the wireless receiver comprising:

a recipient computer system for receiving at least one encrypted data packet comprising the aircraft related message via a communications device, wherein the recipient computer system is operative to record a sequence of the received encrypted data packets, to analyze the sequence and to send a request if the recipient computer system determines that a data packet is missing, the recipient computer system comprising the database, the database comprising aircraft data, the aircraft data comprising weather reports and NOTAM;

an inspection means for inspecting a combination identifier which is included in the at least one encrypted data packet;

a detection means for detecting, based on the combination identifier, if the aircraft related message is addressed to the recipient computer system;

a decryption means for decrypting, based on an output of the detection means, the at least one encrypted data packet with a decryption key to obtain a decrypted data message; and

a processing means for processing an output of the decryption means, the processing means being operative to update the database using the output of the decryption means,

wherein the communications device is located at an aircraft.

2. The wireless receiver according to claim 1, further comprising a means for deriving the decryption key from the combination identifier.

3. The wireless receiver according to claim 2, further comprising a means for XOR-ing at least part of the encrypted data packet with the decryption key to obtain a decrypted data block.

4. An aircraft comprising the wireless receiver according to claim 1.