Space based authentication utilizing signals from low and medium earth orbit

• US 9,059,784 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Enge, Per K., Whelan, David A., Gutt, Gregory M., Lawrence, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanders, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US14/328,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20140321511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 380/258
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/215 issues related to spoofing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/396 Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/19 Earth-synchronous stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/32 including a particular configuration of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 including jamming detection and monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/86 related to preventing deceptive jamming or unauthorized interrogation or access, e.g. WLAN access or RFID reading record carriers with integrated circuit chips including means for preventing undesired reading or writing from or to record carriers by hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07318; arrangements for sensing record carriers including arrangements for protecting the interrogation against piracy attacks G06K7/10257
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A system and methods for location-based authentication using medium earth orbit (MEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites are presented. Location of a client device is authenticated based on at least one client received MEO satellite signal received from at least one MEO satellite at the client device and at least one client received LEO satellite signal received from at least one LEO satellite at the client device.

Claims

1. A method for location-based authentication using medium earth orbit (MEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the method comprising:

receiving at a server a client MEO signal signature comprising samples over an MEO signature time period of at least one client received MEO satellite signal received at a client device from at least one MEO satellite footprint of at least one MEO satellite;

constructing a server MEO signal signature comprising samples over the MEO signature time period of at least one server received MEO satellite signal received from the at least one MEO satellite;

comparing the client MEO signal signature and the server MEO signal signature to provide an MEO comparison result;

receiving at the server a client LEO signal signature comprising samples over an LEO signature time period of at least one client received LEO satellite signal received at the client device from at least one LEO satellite footprint of at least one LEO satellite;

constructing a server LEO signal signature comprising samples over the LEO signature time period of at least one server LEO satellite signal of the at least one LEO satellite;

comparing the client LEO signal signature and the server LEO signal signature to provide an LEO comparison result; and

authenticating that the client device is at an asserted location based on the MEO comparison result and the LEO comparison result to authenticate the asserted location of the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the MEO comparison result and the LEO comparison result at a server device; and

authenticating the location of the client device at a host device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the at least one server received MEO satellite signal at a server device from the at least one MEO satellite; and

constructing a replica of the at least one client received LEO satellite signal at the server device to provide the at least one server LEO satellite signal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the at least one client received MEO satellite signal at the client device from the at least one MEO satellite; and

receiving the at least one client received LEO satellite signal at the client device from the at least one LEO satellite.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing the client MEO signal signature comprising the samples over the MEO signature time period of the at least one client received MEO satellite signal; and

constructing the client LEO signal signature comprising the samples over the LEO signature time period of the at least one client received LEO satellite signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the client LEO signal signature comprising the samples over the LEO signature time period of two client received LEO satellite signals received from two LEO satellites; and

constructing the server LEO signal signature comprising the samples over the LEO signature time period of two server LEO satellite signals received from the two LEO satellites.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a client terrestrial signal signature comprising samples over a terrestrial time period of at least one client received terrestrial signal received from at least one terrestrial source;

constructing a replica of at least one client received terrestrial signal at a server device to provide a server terrestrial signal signature; and

comparing the client terrestrial signal signature and the server terrestrial signal signature to provide a terrestrial comparison result.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising authenticating the asserted location of the client device based on the MEO comparison result, the LEO comparison result, and the terrestrial comparison result.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the client MEO signal signature, the client LEO signal signature, and the terrestrial signal signature to the server.

10. A location-based authentication system using medium earth orbit (MEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the system comprising:

an authentication module operable to authenticate that a client device is at an asserted location based on at least one client received MEO satellite signal received from at least one MEO satellite footprint of at least one MEO satellite at the client device and at least one client received LEO satellite signal received from at least one LEO satellite footprint of at least one LEO satellite at the client device;

a server client data module operable to;

receive a client MEO signal signature comprising samples over an MEO signature time period of at least one client received MEO satellite signal received from at least one MEO satellite; and

receive a client LEO signal signature comprising samples over an LEO signature time period of at least one client received LEO satellite signal received from at least one LEO satellite;

a server data module operable to;

construct a server MEO signal signature comprising samples over the MEO signature time period of at least one server received MEO satellite signal received from the at least one MEO satellite; and

construct a server LEO signal signature comprising samples over the LEO signature time period of at least one server LEO satellite signal of the at least one LEO satellite; and

a comparison module operable to;

compare the client MEO signal signature and the server MEO signal signature to provide an MEO comparison result; and

compare the client LEO signal signature and the server LEO signal signature to provide an LEO comparison result.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

a server device comprises the comparison module; and

a host device comprises the authentication module.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the authentication module is further operable to authenticate the location of the client device based on the MEO comparison result and the LEO comparison result.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the client data module is further operable to receive a client terrestrial signal signature comprising a client terrestrial time window of at least one client received terrestrial signal received from at least one terrestrial source;

the server data module is further operable to construct a server terrestrial signal signature comprising a server terrestrial time window of at least one server received terrestrial signal received from the at least one terrestrial source;

the comparison module is further operable to compare the client terrestrial signal signature and the server terrestrial signal signature to provide a terrestrial comparison result; and

the authentication module is further operable to authenticate the asserted location of the client device based on the MEO comparison result, the LEO comparison result, and the terrestrial comparison result.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a client signature module configured to:

construct the client MEO signal signature comprising samples over the MEO signature time period of at least one client received MEO satellite signal; and

construct the client LEO signal signature comprising samples over the LEO signature time period of at least one client received LEO satellite signal.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one client received LEO satellite signal comprises two client received LEO satellite signals received from two LEO satellites; and

the at least one server LEO satellite signal comprises two server LEO satellite signals of the two LEO satellites.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for client location-based authentication, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

receiving at least one client received MEO satellite signal at a client device from at least one MEO satellite footprint of at least one MEO satellite;

receiving at least one client received LEO satellite signal at the client device from at least one LEO satellite footprint of at least one LEO satellite;

constructing a client MEO signal signature comprising samples over an MEO signature time period of the at least one client received MEO satellite signal;

constructing a client LEO signal signature comprising samples over an LEO signature time period of the at least one client received LEO satellite signal; and

transmitting the client MEO signal signature and the client LEO signal signature to a server for authentication of an asserted location of the client device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions comprising constructing the client LEO signal signature comprising samples over the LEO signature time period of two client received LEO satellite signals received from two LEO satellites.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions comprising receiving a client terrestrial signal signature comprising samples over a terrestrial signature time period of at least one client received terrestrial signal received from at least one terrestrial source.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising computer-executable instructions comprising transmitting the client MEO signal signature, the client LEO signal signature, and the terrestrial signal signature to the server for authentication of the asserted location of the client device.