System and method for providing secure communication between network nodes

• US 7,116,986 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: U-Nav Microelectronics (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maimone, Peter Joseph, Jackson, Timothy Ronald, Jenkins, Daniel Collin
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US10/724,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/428, 455/435.1, 455/562.1, 455/522, 455/255, 455/436, 455/574, 455/67.16, 455/450, 455/41.2, 455/67.11, 455/562, 370/265
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 data positioning device capable of operating as a node in a network of the present invention is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A network comprising:

a first network node; and

,

a second network node to wirelessly communication with said first network node, wherein said first network node securely transmits communication signals to said second network node using one or more spatial parameters unique to said second network node, wherein

said one or more spatial parameters include at least one of a position parameter and a velocity parameter,

said communication signals are decodable by said second network node only when said one or more spatial parameters match a corresponding spatial characteristic of said second network node,

said communication signals sent from said first network node to said second network node are encrypted using said one or more spatial parameters, and wherein

said communication signals may be decrypted by said second network node using one or more corresponding spatial characteristics of said second network node.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein a position, velocity, time (PVT) calculation is used to encrypt said communication signals.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein said PVT calculation is used to generate a new signal that can only be demodulated by a recipient node that is located in an intended position.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and relative position information.

5. The network of claim 1, further comprising a master transmitter that sets the basic frequency and phase of said network and said first and second network nodes.

6. The network of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of navigation beacons which transmit position signals to said first and second network nodes, and wherein said first and second network nodes are position transponders.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein said communication signals are synchronized to said position signals.

8. The network of claim 6, wherein said communication signals are used as ranging signals for other network nodes, said other network nodes to determine signal propagation time using signal time tagging.

9. The network of claim 6, wherein said position signals are usable for determining absolute positioning information for said first and second network nodes.

10. The network of claim 9, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and absolute position information.

11. The network of claim 6, wherein said communication signals substitute for said position signals in determining network node position information.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein said communication signals are used to provide frequency and signal phase assistance in the determination of node position information.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein said frequency and signal phase assistance is used by said first network node to detect attenuated positioning signals from said plurality of navigation beacons.

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

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 said second positioning device using one or more spatial parameters unique to said second network node, wherein

said one or more spatial parameters include at least one of a position parameter and a velocity parameter,

said communication signals are decodable by said second positioning device only when said one or more spatial parameters match a corresponding spatial characteristic of said second positioning device,

said communication signals are decodable by said second positioning device only when said one or more spatial parameters match a corresponding spatial characteristic of said second positioning device.

15. The positioning device of claim 14, wherein a position, velocity, time (PVT) calculation is used to encrypt said communication signals.

16. The positioning device of claim 15, wherein said PVT calculation is used to generate a new signal that can only be demodulated by a recipient node that is located in an intended position.

17. The positioning device of claim 14, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and relative position information.

18. The positioning device of claim 14, further comprising a master transmitter that sets the basic frequency and phase of said network and said positioning device and second positioning device.

19. The positioning device of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of navigation beacons which transmit position signals to said positioning device and second positioning device, and wherein said positioning device and second positioning device are position transponders.

20. The positioning device of claim 19, wherein said communication signals are synchronized to said position signals.

21. The positioning device of claim 19, wherein said communication signals are used as ranging signals for other positioning devices, said other positioning devices to determine signal propagation time using signal time tagging.

22. The positioning device of claim 19, wherein said position signals are usable for determining absolute positioning information for said positioning device and second positioning device.

23. The positioning device of claim 22, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and absolute position information.

24. The positioning device of claim 19, wherein said communication signals substitute for said position signals in determining position information.

25. The positioning device of claim 23, wherein said communication signals are used to provide frequency and signal phase assistance in the determination of position information.

26. The positioning device of claim 25, wherein said frequency and signal phase assistance is used by said positioning device to detect attenuated positioning signals from said plurality of navigation beacons.

27. A method comprising:

encoding communication signals using one or more spatial parameters unique to a second network node;

transmitting said communication signals from a first network node to the second network node, said first and second network nodes to comprise a wireless network;

receiving said communication signals by said second network node; and

decoding said communication signals by said second network node when said one or more spatial parameters match a corresponding spatial characteristic of said second network node, wherein

said one or more spatial parameters include at least one of a position parameter and a velocity parameter,

comprising encoding said communication signals using a position, velocity, time (PVT) calculation,

generating a new signal using said PVT calculation, where said new signal can only be demodulated by a recipient node that is located in an intended position.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and relative position information.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising setting the basic frequency and phase of said network and said first and second network nodes using a master transmitter.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising transmitting position signals from a plurality of navigation beacons to said first and second network nodes where said first and second network nodes are position transponders.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said communication signals are synchronized to said position signals.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising using said communication signals as ranging signals for other network nodes, said other network nodes to determine signal propagation time using signal time tagging.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising using said position signals to determine absolute positioning information for said first and second network nodes.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said communication signals include non-position data and absolute position information.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said communication signals substitute for said position signals in determining position information.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising using said communication signals to provide frequency and signal phase assistance in the determination of position information.

37. The method of claim 36, using said frequency and signal phase assistance by said first network node to detect attenuated positioning signals from said plurality of navigation beacons.