Communication protocol for a remote locator system

• US 20020029335A1
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: On Track Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: On Track Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Thacker, William E., Crockett, Patrick W.
• Application Number:
  US09/907,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it

Abstract

A method of specifying a communication protocol for reliably and securely communicating location information between a remote locator device and a location service is provided and includes specifying a physical channel layer for the selection of the communication channel over which location information to be communicated is to be transmitted;

specifying a link layer for the selection of the means by which the translation of a coded signal into a form suitable for transmission across the communication channel specified is accomplished;

specifying an encryption/encoding layer for selectively controlling the encryption of location information, for selectively coding the information whether or not it was encrypted, and for selectively following a protocol for dealing with detected errors; and

specifying a content layer for defining the set of all legal messages to be transmitted.

Claims

1. A method of specifying a communication protocol for reliably and securely communicating location information comprising the steps of:

A. specifying a physical channel layer for the selection of the communication channel over which location information to be communicated is to be transmitted;

B. specifying a link layer for the selection of the means by which the translation of a coded signal into a form suitable for transmission across the communication channel specified in step A is accomplished;

C. specifying an encryption/encoding layer for selectively controlling the encryption of location information, for selectively coding the information whether or not it was encrypted, and for selectively following a protocol for dealing with detected errors; and

D. specifying a content layer for defining the set of all legal messages to be transmitted.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step A includes the step of:

E. specifying the physical channel layer to be any communication channel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. selecting a modem or a TCP/IP wrapper.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting public key encryption.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting symmetric key encryption for the content layer of step D.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting no encryption.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting no encoding.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step D includes the step of:

E. establishing a fixed set of legal messages.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the specification of and agreement/denial to encryption and error-detecting algorithms and keys as a legal message.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the specification of a negotiated set of legal messages as a legal message.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the notification that all tasks for a communication session have been completed (session termination signal) as a legal message.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the identification data for the source of location data as a legal message.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein step F includes the step of:

F. defining location data as a legal message.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein step F includes the step of:

G. defining the number of times location data has been acquired/generated as a legal message.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein step A includes the step of:

E. specifying the physical channel layer to be any communication channel.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. selecting a modem.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein step B includes the step of:

E. selecting a TCP/IP wrapper for converting character streams into TCP/IP packets.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting public key encryption for transmission of information regarding the identity of a locator device.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting symmetric key encryption for the content layer of step D.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting no encryption.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. selecting no encoding.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein step D includes the step of:

E. establishing a fixed set of legal messages.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the specification of and agreement/denial to encryption and error-detecting algorithms and keys as a legal message.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the specification of a negotiated set of legal messages as a legal message.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the notification that all tasks for a communication session have been completed (session termination signal) as a legal message.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein step D further includes the step of:

F. defining the identification data for the source of location data as a legal message.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein step E includes the step of:

F. defining location data as a legal message.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein step F includes the step of:

G. defining the number of times location data has been acquired/generated as a legal message.

15. A method of specifying a communication protocol for reliably and securely communicating location information between at least one movable locator device having the capability of determining its location and a locator service including the steps of:

A. specifying a physical channel layer for the selection of the communication channel over which location data from at least one locator device is to be transmitted to a locator service;

B. specifying a link layer for the selection of the means by which the translation of a coded signal into a form suitable for transmission across the communication channel specified in step A is accomplished;

C. specifying an encryption/encoding layer for selectively controlling the encryption of location information from one locator device for selectively coding the information whether or not it was encrypted, and for selectively following a protocol for dealing with detected errors; and

D. specifying a content layer for defining the set of all legal messages to be transmitted between a locator device and a locator system.

30. A communication protocol for the communication of location information from a locator device and a locator service comprising a physical channel layer for transmission of data, a link layer for translating location data into a signal for transmission of said location data through said physical channel layer, an encryption/encoding layer for selectively controlling the encryption of said location information and coding encrypted location information in an error-detecting code, and a content layer for defining a set of all legal messages to be transmitted through said physical channel layer.