Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Encrypted HFDL position reports
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Application No.: US15217274Application Date: 2016-07-22
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Publication No.: US10244389B1Publication Date: 2019-03-26
- Inventor: Neil J. Earnhardt, Jr.
- Applicant: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US IA Cedar Rapids
- Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US IA Cedar Rapids
- Agent Angel N. Gerdzhikov; Donna P. Suchy; Daniel M. Barbieri
- Main IPC: H04L29/06
- IPC: H04L29/06 ; H04W12/02 ; H04W72/04 ; H04B7/185 ; H04W12/04 ; G06F21/60

Abstract:
A system and related method for encrypting HFDL position reports of an aircraft involves determining the position of the aircraft based on signals received from navigational satellites and generating data packets based on the position and an aircraft identifier such as an ICAO address. The data packets are encrypted for transmission to HF ground stations as a position report normally would be (e.g., as a performance diagnostic packet or a frequency diagnostic packet). However, the encrypted position data can only be decrypted by a control key provided to traffic control authorities or a subscriber key provided to the aircraft owner or authorized personnel. Only holders of the control key or subscriber key may decode the aircraft position and track the aircraft's heading or position.
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