Systems and methods for multi layer delivery of information

• US 8,958,561 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3harris Technologies Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stroud, Ken A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Teshome
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THANH H
• Application Number:
  US13/495,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20130022202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 726/26
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/302 gathering intelligence information for situation awareness or reconnaissance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic

Abstract

Systems and methods that may be implemented to provide digital data from a remote information source to multiple local user devices using a multi-layer communication path and a local wireless server node. The multi-layer communication path may, for example, include a relatively long range secure first layer wireless communications path from the remote information source to a local wireless server node, and relatively short range second layer wireless communications path from the local wireless server node to one or more local user devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing digital data from a remote information source, comprising:

providing a local wireless server node;

receiving encrypted digital data from a remote information source at a secure communications device or at the local wireless server node, the encrypted digital data being across a secure first layer wireless communications path, the secure first layer wireless communications path being a wireless transmission path from the remote information source to the local wireless server node;

using the local wireless server node to decrypt the received digital data, or using a secure communications device to decrypt the received digital data and then provide the decrypted data to the local wireless server node; and

providing the decrypted digital data from a local wireless server node to at least one local user device across a second layer wireless communications path that is different from the first layer wireless communications path, the second layer wireless communications path being a wireless transmission path from the local wireless server node to the local user device.

2. The method of claim 1, where the digital data comprises information gathered by the remote information source that includes at least one of sensor data, still or moving image data, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a stand-alone secure communications device that is separate and non-integrated with the local wireless server node, the secure communications device being coupled by a communications path to exchange data with the local wireless server node;

using the secure communications device to receive the encrypted digital data from the remote information source from across the secure first layer wireless communications path;

using the secure communications device to decrypt the received digital data;

providing the decrypted digital data from the secure communications device to the local wireless server node; and

then

providing the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to at least one local user device across a second layer wireless communications path that is different from the first layer wireless communications path.

4. The method of claim 3, where the local user device comprises an unmodified commercial off the shelf (COTS) handheld device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the local wireless server node on a mobile vehicle;

and performing the following steps while operating the local wireless server node on the mobile vehicle;

receiving the encrypted digital data on the mobile vehicle at the local wireless server node or at a secure communications device provided on the mobile vehicle, the encrypted digital data being received from the remote information source and from across the secure first layer wireless communications path;

using the local wireless server node to decrypt the received digital data on the mobile vehicle, or using a secure communications device the local wireless server node to decrypt the received digital data on the mobile vehicle and provide the decrypted digital data to the local wireless server node; and

providing the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to at least one local user device across a second layer wireless communications path.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing the remote information source as an airborne aerial vehicle;

transmitting encrypted digital data from the airborne remote information source across the secure first layer wireless communications path to the local wireless server node on the mobile vehicle or to a secure communications device provided on the mobile vehicle, the encrypted digital data comprising an image of the ground taken from the airborne aerial vehicle; and

providing the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to multiple local user devices across the second layer wireless communications path, each of the multiple local user devices being operated by a dismounted human operator.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the remote information source in a position adjacent a user activity area, the remote information source including a camera configured to capture images of users present in the user activity area;

using the camera to capture digital image data of users while present in the user activity area;

encrypting the captured digital image data at the remote information source prior to transmitting the encrypted digital image data from the remote information source across the secure first layer wireless communications path to the local wireless server node on the mobile vehicle or to a secure communications device provided on the mobile vehicle;

using the local wireless server node to decrypt the received digital data, or using a secure communications device to decrypt the received digital data and to provide the decrypted digital date to the local wireless server node;

providing the local wireless server node in a position accessible to users who are operating local wireless user devices; and

providing the decrypted digital image data from the local wireless server node across the second layer wireless communications path to the local user devices operated by the users.

8. The method of claim 1, where the local user device comprises a commercial off the shelf (COTS) handheld device.

9. The method of claim 1, where the wireless communication range of the second layer wireless communications path is shorter than the wireless communication range of the first layer communication path;

where the outer wireless communication range of the second layer wireless communications path defines a limited data link bubble around the local wireless server node such that the first layer communication path is transmitted from the remote information source to areas beyond and outside the data link bubble defined by the second layer wireless communications path; and

where the method further comprises providing the decrypted digital data across the second layer wireless communications path from the local wireless server node only to local user devices that are positioned within the limited data link bubble defined around the local wireless server node.

10. The method of claim 1, where the secure first layer wireless communications path comprises a tactical common data link;

and where the second layer wireless communications path is implemented with an 802.11 based protocol and frequency.

11. The method of claim 1, where the secure first layer wireless communications path comprises is implemented with at least one NSA Type 1 hardware product;

and where the second layer wireless communications path is implemented with an 802.11 based protocol and frequency.

12. The method of claim 1, where the secure first layer wireless communications path is implemented using algorithm and/or hardware encryption technology that does not utilize commercial off the shelf (COTS) technology to implement and that is not decryptable using COTS data encryption techniques and/or COTS communication equipment that employs COTS data encryption techniques;

and where the second layer wireless communication path is implemented using COTS wireless networking protocol and frequency.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the local wireless server node to respond to at least one of requests or commands transmitted across the second layer wireless communications path from the at least one local user device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the local wireless server node to at least one of store, process or manipulate information received from the remote information source prior to providing the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to at least one local user device across a second layer wireless communications path.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the local wireless server node to establish a wireless network that includes the remote information source, the local wireless server node, and multiple local user devices;

and where the method further comprising using the local wireless server node to route information to and from each node of the wireless network to each other node of the wireless network established by the local wireless server node.

16. A system for providing digital data from a remote information source, comprising:

a remote information source, the remote information source comprising;

at least one information generating device, and

remote processing and communication circuitry coupled to receive information from the information generating device, the remote processing and communication circuitry being further configured to encrypt the received information to produce encrypted digital data, and to transmit the encrypted digital data across a secure first layer wireless communications path, the secure first layer wireless communications path being a wireless transmission path from the remote information source to the local wireless server node;

first communication circuitry configured to receive the encrypted digital data from the remote information source across the secure first layer wireless communications path;

decryption circuitry coupled to the first communication circuitry, the decryption circuitry being configured to decrypt the received digital data; and

a local wireless server node, the local wireless server node comprising second communication circuitry coupled to receive the decrypted digital data and to provide the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to at least one local user device across a second layer wireless communications path, the second layer wireless communication path being a wireless transmission path from the local wireless server node to the local user device.

17. The system of claim 16, where the information generating device comprises at least one of a digital camera, a sensor, or a combination thereof.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a stand-alone secure communications device that is separate and non-integrated with the local wireless server node, the secure communications device being coupled by a communications path to exchange data with the local wireless server node;

where the secure communications device comprises the first communication circuitry and the decryption circuitry; and

where the secure communications device is coupled to provide the decrypted digital data from the decryption circuitry to the local wireless server node.

19. The system of claim 18, where the local user device comprises an unmodified commercial off the shelf (COTS) handheld device.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising a mobile vehicle, the local wireless server node being positioned on the mobile vehicle.

21. The system of claim 20, where the remote information source comprises an aerial vehicle.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising the at least one local user device, the at least one user device comprising multiple local user devices.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising the at least one local user device, the at least one user device comprising a commercial off the shelf (COTS) handheld device.

24. The system of claim 16, where the wireless communication range of the second layer wireless communications path is shorter than the wireless communication range of the first layer communication path;

where the outer wireless communication range of the second layer wireless communications path defines a limited data link bubble around the local wireless server node such that the first layer communication path is transmitted from the remote information source to areas beyond and outside the data link bubble defined by the second layer wireless communications path.

25. The system of claim 16, where the secure first layer wireless communications path comprises a tactical common data link;

and where the second layer wireless communications path is implemented with an 802.11 based protocol and frequency.

26. The system of claim 16, where the secure first layer wireless communications path comprises is implemented with at least one NSA Type 1 hardware product;

and where the second layer wireless communications path is implemented with an 802.11 based protocol and frequency.

27. The system of claim 16, where the secure first layer wireless communications path is implemented using algorithm and/or hardware encryption technology that does not utilize commercial off the shelf (COTS) technology to implement and that is not decryptable using COTS data encryption techniques and/or COTS communication equipment that employs COTS data encryption techniques;

and where the second layer wireless communication path is implemented using COTS wireless networking protocol and frequency.

28. The system of claim 16, where the second communication circuitry is configured to receive digital data across the second layer wireless communications path from at least one local user device across the second layer wireless communications path;

and where the local wireless server node further comprises server circuitry configured to respond to at least one of requests or commands transmitted across the second layer wireless communications path from the at least one local user device.

29. The system of claim 16, where the local wireless server node further comprises server circuitry configured to at least one of store, process or manipulate information received from the remote information source prior to providing the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to at least one local user device across the second layer wireless communications path.

30. The system of claim 16, where the local wireless server node is configured to establish a wireless network that includes the remote information source, the local wireless server node, and multiple local user devices;

and where the local wireless server node is configured to route information to and from each node of the wireless network to each other node of the wireless network established by the local wireless server node.

31. A local wireless server node, comprising:

first layer receiving circuitry configured to receive encrypted digital data from a remote information source at a local wireless server node from across a secure first layer wireless communications path, the secure first layer wireless communications path being a wireless transmission path from the remote information source to the local wireless server node;

decryption circuitry coupled to the first layer receiving circuitry, the decryption circuitry being configured to decrypt the received digital data; and

second layer receiving and transmitting circuitry configured to provide the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to at least one local user device across a second layer wireless communications path, the second layer wireless communications path being a wireless transmission path from the local wireless server node to the local user device.

32. The local wireless server node of claim 31, where the secure first layer wireless communications path comprises a tactical common data link;

and where the second layer wireless communications path is implemented with an 802.11 based protocol and frequency.

33. The local wireless server node of claim 31, where the secure first layer wireless communications path comprises is implemented with at least one NSA Type 1 hardware product;

and where the second layer wireless communications path is implemented with an 802.11 based protocol and frequency.

34. The local wireless server node of claim 31, where the secure first layer wireless communications path is implemented using algorithm and/or hardware encryption technology that does not utilize commercial off the shelf (COTS) technology to implement and that is not decryptable using COTS data encryption techniques and/or COTS communication equipment that employs COTS data encryption techniques;

and where the second layer wireless communication path is implemented using COTS wireless networking protocol and frequency.

35. The local wireless server node of claim 31, further comprising server circuitry coupled to the decryption circuitry, the server circuitry being configured to at least one of store, process, route or manipulate the decrypted digital data.

36. The local wireless server node of claim 35, where the second layer receiving and transmitting circuitry is configured to receive data communication in the form of at least one of commands or requests transmitted across the second layer wireless communications path from at least one local user device;

and where the server circuitry is configured to respond to at least one of requests or commands transmitted across the second layer wireless communications path from at least one local user device by at least one of retrieving, storing, processing, routing or manipulating digital data.

37. The local wireless server node of claim 35, where the server circuitry is configured to process information received from the remote information source prior to providing the decrypted digital data from the local wireless server node to at least one local user device across a second layer wireless communications path.

38. The local wireless server node of claim 35, where the server circuitry is configured to establish a wireless network that includes the remote information source, the local wireless server node, and multiple local user devices;

and where the server circuitry is configured to use the local wireless server node to route information to and from each node of the wireless network to each other node of the wireless network established by the local wireless server node.