Method and apparatus for authenticating static transceiver data and method of operating an AIS transceiver

• US 8,838,985 B1
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Vesper Marine Ltd. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Robbins, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baum, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US12/854,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 713/182
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• 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 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]

Abstract

A method and apparatus which ensures that static data entered into a communications device or apparatus is accurate, or at least consistent with data provided to an authentication service. In some embodiments of the invention, the authentication service may maintain a database of static data associated with each communications apparatus and/or verify the validity of at least a portion of the static data.

Claims

1. A method for validating marine vessel data associated with a marine vessel and for transmission by an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver installed on the marine vessel, the method comprising:

receiving marine vessel identification data from a user of the AIS transceiver at an authentication service;

authenticating the received marine vessel identification data at the authentication service;

encrypting the marine vessel identification data at the authentication service;

transmitting the encrypted marine vessel identification data at the authentication service;

receiving the encrypted marine vessel identification data at the AIS transceiver;

decrypting the marine vessel identification data at the AIS transceiver;

the AIS transceiver storing the marine vessel identification data in order to enable transmitting of the marine vessel identification data by the AIS transceiver, and

the AIS transceiver transmitting the decrypted marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel;

wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein authenticating comprises matching the marine vessel identification data against marine vessel identification data associated with the marine vessel and held in a database available to the authentication service.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving a serial number of the AIS transceiver and associating this with the marine vessel identification data held in a database available to the authentication service.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises one or more of the following a name of the marine vessel, a radio call sign of the marine vessel, a type of the marine vessel, and dimensions of the marine vessel.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding one or more of the following to the marine vessel identification data:

a serial number of the AIS transceiver;

a nonce;

a signature.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein authenticating comprises one or more of the following:

verify the format of the marine vessel identification data;

check that the marine vessel identification data is not already in use by another AIS transceiver;

verify that the Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) has been assigned to the marine vessel;

verify that the marine vessel identification data corresponds to the marine vessel.

7. A method for validating marine vessel identification data associated with a marine vessel and for transmission by an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver installed on the marine vessel, the method comprising:

receiving marine vessel identification data from a user of the AIS transceiver at an authentication service;

authenticating the received marine vessel identification data at the authentication service;

processing the marine vessel identification data including using encryption at the authentication service;

transmitting the encrypted marine vessel identification data by the authentication service;

receiving the processed marine vessel identification data at the AIS transceiver;

the AIS transceiver storing the marine vessel identification data in order to enable transmitting of the marine vessel data by the AIS transceiver; and

the AIS transceiver transmitting unencrypted marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel, the marine vessel identification data being unencrypted;

wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

receiving marine vessel identification data at the AIS transceiver from a user;

processing the marine vessel identification data received at the AIS transceiver including using encryption;

matching the marine vessel identification data processed at the AIS transceiver with the processed marine vessel identification data received from the authentication service before transmitting unencrypted marine vessel identification data.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the processing further includes one or more of the following:

generating a hash of the marine vessel identification data at both the authentication service and the AIS transceiver, adding a serial number of the AIS to the marine vessel identification data, adding a nonce to the marine vessel identification data, and adding a signature to the marine vessel identification data.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises one or more of the following:

a name of the marine vessel, a radio call sign of the marine vessel, a type of the marine vessel;

dimensions of the marine vessel.

11. A marine vessel data identification validation and transmission system comprising:

an authentication server configured to receive marine vessel identification data from a user;

the authentication server further configured to encrypt the marine vessel identification data in response to the marine vessel data being authenticated;

an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver configured to receive the encrypted marine vessel identification data;

the AIS transceiver further configured to decrypt the marine vessel identification data, and to store the marine vessel identification data;

the AIS transceiver further configured to transmit decrypted marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel;

wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the authentication service is further arranged to match the marine vessel identification data against marine vessel identification data associated with the marine vessel and held in a database available to the authentication service.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises one or more of the following:

a name of the marine vessel, a radio call sign of the marine vessel, a type of the marine vessel, and dimensions of the marine vessel.

14. A marine vessel identification data validation and transmission system comprising:

an authentication server configured to receive marine vessel identification data from a user;

the authentication server further configured to process the marine vessel identification data in response to the marine vessel identification data being authenticated, the process including encryption;

an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver configured to receive the processed marine vessel identification data;

the AIS transceiver further configured to store marine vessel identification data in order to enable transmitting of the marine vessel data by the AIS transceiver; and

the AIS transceiver further configured to transmit marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel, the marine vessel identification data being unencrypted and comprising a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the AIS is further arranged to:

receive marine vessel identification data at the AIS transceiver from a user;

process the marine vessel identification data received at the AIS transceiver including using encryption; and

match the marine vessel identification data processed at the AIS transceiver with the processed marine vessel identification data received from the authentication service before transmitting unencrypted marine vessel identification data.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processing performed by the authentication service and the AIS transceiver further includes one or more of the following:

generating a hash of the marine vessel identification data;

adding a serial number of the AIS transceiver to the marine vessel identification data;

adding a nonce to the marine vessel identification data;

adding a signature to the marine vessel identification data.

17. A method for authenticating marine vessel identification data associated with a marine vessel and for transmission by an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver installed on the marine vessel;

the method comprising;

providing the marine vessel identification data to an authentication service;

receiving by the AIS transceiver encrypted marine vessel identification data from the authentication service; and

the AIS transceiver decrypting and storing the marine vessel identification data in order to enable transmission of the marine vessel identification data by the AIS transceiver;

the AIS transceiver further transmitting the decrypted marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel;

wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the marine vessel data comprises one or more of the following:

a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) of the marine vessel, a name of the marine vessel, a radio call sign of the marine vessel, a type of the marine vessel, and dimensions of the marine vessel.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising receiving with the encrypted marine vessel identification data one or more of the following:

a serial number of the AIS transceiver;

a nonce;

a signature.

20. A method for authenticating marine vessel identification data associated with a marine vessel and for transmission by an Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver installed on the marine vessel;

the method comprising;

providing the marine vessel identification data to an authentication service;

receiving marine vessel identification data from a user of the AIS transceiver;

receiving processed marine vessel identification data from the authentication service;

the AIS transceiver processing the marine vessel identification data from the user using encryption;

the AIS transceiver storing the marine vessel identification data in order to enable transmitting of the marine vessel data by the AIS; and

the AIS transceiver transmitting the marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel in response to determining that the received processed marine vessel identification data from the authentication service matches the processed marine vessel identification data from the user;

wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

21. The AIS transceiver according to claim 20, wherein the processing comprises one or more of the following:

encrypting the marine vessel identification data;

hashing the marine vessel identification data;

generating a digital signature from the marine vessel identification data.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the marine vessel data comprises one or more of the following:

a name of the marine vessel, a radio call sign of the marine vessel, a type of the marine vessel, and dimensions of the marine vessel.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising receiving with the processed marine vessel identification data one or more of the following:

a serial number of the AIS transceiver;

a nonce;

a signature.

24. A marine Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver for a marine vessel comprising:

a non-volatile memory; and

a control circuit comprising a processing device configured to;

receive encrypted marine vessel identification data including the Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) of the marine vessel, the marine vessel data having been provided by a user of the AIS transceiver and authenticated by an authentication service;

decrypt the marine vessel identification data;

store the marine vessel identification data in order to enable transmitting of the marine vessel data by the AIS transceiver; and

transmit the decrypted marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel;

wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

25. The marine AIS transceiver according to claim 24, wherein the processing device is further configured to receive and process one or more of the following before transmitting decrypted marine vessel identification data:

a serial number of the AIS transceiver, a nonce, and a signature.

26. The AIS transceiver according to claim 24, wherein the marine vessel data comprises one or more of the following:

a name of the marine vessel, a radio call sign of the marine vessel, a type of the marine vessel, and dimensions of the marine vessel.

27. The AIS transceiver according to claim 24, wherein the processing device is further configured to receive with the encrypted marine vessel identification data one or more of the following:

a serial number of the AIS transceiver;

a nonce;

a signature.

28. A marine Automatic Identification System (AIS) transceiver for a marine vessel and comprising:

a non-volatile memory; and

a control circuit comprising a processing device configured to;

receive marine vessel identification data from a user;

receive processed marine vessel identification data from an authentication service process the marine vessel identification data from the user using encryption; and

store the marine vessel identification data in response to determining that the received processed marine vessel identification data from the authentication service matches the processed marine vessel identification data from the user in order to enable transmitting of the marine vessel data by the AIS transceiver; and

transmit decrypted marine vessel identification data while installed on the marine vessel;

wherein the marine vessel identification data comprises a Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) of the marine vessel.

29. The AIS transceiver according to claim 28, wherein the processing comprises one or more of the following:

encrypting the marine vessel identification data, hashing the marine vessel identification data, and generating a digital signature from the marine vessel identification data.

30. The AIS transceiver according to claim 28, wherein the marine vessel data comprises one or more of the following:

a name of the marine vessel, a radio call sign of the marine vessel, a type of the marine vessel, and dimensions of the marine vessel.

31. The AIS transceiver according to claim 28, wherein the processing device is further configured to receive with the processed marine vessel identification data one or more of the following:

a serial number of the AIS transceiver;

a nonce;

a signature.