Airborne NAS Node with RF Erasure for Secure Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airborne network-attached storage (NAS) solutions face challenges due to the large form-factor, significant power draw, and complex electrical interfaces of 2.5" Solid State Drives, particularly in aircraft environments, where secure and efficient storage solutions are needed for sensitive information.
Innovation Solution
A network-attached storage system utilizing removable flash-based memory cards, such as Secure Digital (SD) cards or USB flash drives, equipped with radio-frequency (RF) receivers and associated circuitry for secure access control, including automatic erasure or disabling of memory upon unauthorized removal, and a keypad for security code entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 2.5" Solid State Drives are used as storage medium, then storage capacity and reliability are improved, but device size, power consumption, and interface complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage function from fixed 2.5" SSDs and implements it using removable memory cards (SD cards, USB flash drives). This extraction allows the system to maintain reliable storage while eliminating the complex electrical interfaces and large form factor of traditional SSDs, as memory cards use standardized, simple interfaces that are easily connected and disconnected.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable or replaceable memory cards instead of permanent fixed SSDs. These memory cards can be easily replaced when full or degraded, providing a cost-effective solution that maintains reliability through replacement rather than repair, while significantly reducing interface complexity and power requirements compared to fixed SSD installations.
2Reliability
If 2.5" Solid State Drives are used as storage medium, then storage capacity and reliability are improved, but device size and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage function from power-hungry 2.5" SSDs and implements it using low-power memory cards. Memory cards consume significantly less power as they lack the complex interface circuits and active management systems of traditional SSDs, thereby maintaining storage reliability through replaceability while dramatically reducing power consumption suitable for airborne applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and electrical parameters of the storage medium from high-power 2.5" SSD specifications to low-power memory card specifications. This parameter change includes using lower voltage interfaces and reducing active circuitry, thereby maintaining adequate storage capacity and reliability while significantly reducing power consumption for airborne deployment.
3Reliability
If 2.5" Solid State Drives are used as storage medium, then storage capacity and reliability are improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential storage function from bulky 2.5" SSDs and implements it using compact memory cards. Memory cards have dramatically smaller form factors that can be easily housed in protected slots within airborne devices, maintaining storage reliability through the ability to replace cards if needed, while reducing the volume occupied by storage components by an order of magnitude or more.
4Reliability
If removable storage media with RF receivers is used, then security against unauthorized removal is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces RF receivers and transmitters as intermediary components that enable wireless security communication between the storage system and removable media. When unauthorized removal is detected, the system transmits an RF signal to the memory card to trigger data erasure, providing robust security without requiring complex physical locking mechanisms or continuous monitoring circuits, thereby achieving high security with moderate complexity increase.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, compact, and power-efficient storage system that can be easily updated with secure access control, reducing development costs and leveraging advancements in memory card storage density for improved capacity and ruggedization.
Implementation Method 1
An RF transmitter is coupled to a controller... The controller sends a signal to the RF transmitter for transmission to the RF receiver in the removed one of the at least one removable storage media
Data Source
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AI summary
A network-attached storage system and method includes a network-attached storage apparatus and removable storage media installed in sockets in that apparatus. The storage media includes an RF receiver and circuitry for erasing or disabling access to memory thereon. A host controller determines when a removable storage medium has been installed in or removed from a socket. A network interface controller is provided for coupling to an external network. An RF transmitter is coupled to a controller. The controller is coupled to each socket via the host controller and to the network interface controller. The controller determines, based on signals from the host controller, when the removal of a removable storage medium from the socket is unauthorized and sends a signal to the RF transmitter for transmission to the RF receiver in the removed removable storage medium to cause the memory therein to be erased or access thereto to be disabled.