Aircraft Communication Gateway Filtering with Auxiliary Tables

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic communication gateways for aircraft are not optimal in terms of treatment time for data filtering, which can compromise the security of critical aircraft systems and increase the risk of cyberattacks.

Innovation Solution

An electronic communication gateway with an acquisition module, a filter module, and a transmission module, which uses auxiliary tables to quickly implement filtering criteria by directly accessing relevant fields or values within the data messages, thereby reducing processing time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional filtering methods are used to filter data messages between domains, then security filtering is achieved, but processing time is excessive and reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity filteringVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The filtering process is segmented into multiple independent barriers (first type barrier for syntax filtering, second type barrier for semantics filtering). Each barrier handles specific filtering tasks independently, allowing parallel processing and reducing overall processing time while maintaining comprehensive security filtering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Syntax filtering is performed as a preliminary action before semantics filtering. The first type barrier performs syntax validation upfront, eliminating obviously invalid messages before they reach the more computationally intensive second type barrier, thus reducing total processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If comprehensive filtering criteria are applied to all messages, then security against cyberattacks is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecyber securityVSAvoidtreatment time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Comprehensive filtering criteria are segmented into syntax-based criteria (first type barrier) and semantics-based criteria (second type barrier). This segmentation allows the system to apply different levels of filtering intensity appropriate to each message type, reducing unnecessary processing time while maintaining comprehensive security coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different filtering criteria are applied locally based on message characteristics. The first type barrier applies syntax filtering locally to quickly reject obviously invalid messages, while the second type barrier applies semantics filtering only to messages that pass the initial syntax check, optimizing the balance between security and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If strict filtering barriers are implemented between domains, then security level is maintained, but message transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedomain security levelVSAvoidmessage transmission speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The strict filtering barrier is segmented into two sequential barriers with different filtering characteristics. The first type barrier provides quick syntax-based filtering that allows valid messages to pass rapidly, while the second type barrier provides deeper semantics-based filtering only when necessary, thus maintaining domain security while improving overall message transmission speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4468656B1Communication gateway with improved filtering, associated aircraft, filtering method and computer program
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 THALES SA
  • EP4468656B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4468656B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4468656B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This avionics communication gateway (30) comprises: - a data message acquisition module (42); each message being, according to a communication protocol, a header and a payload including a plurality of successive fields; - a filtering module (44) for each message, validating said message if it meets a set of filtering criteria and blocking it otherwise; and - a transmission module (45) for each validated message to a corresponding recipient. The filtering module includes a unit (46) for generating a main table for each message, representing a tree of the payload fields according to a set of levels associated with the communication protocol; and a calculation unit (48) for each message, generating a dictionary table and at least one auxiliary table from among first, second, and third auxiliary tables, the filtering module using at least one auxiliary table for filtering said message.