Automated EM Datalink Testing via Closed-Loop Encryption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current datalink testing for aircraft communications radio suites is labor-intensive and inefficient, often requiring manual testing with insufficient data points, leading to latent issues and schedule and budget impacts due to the need for extensive retesting.
Innovation Solution
An automated close-loop electromagnetic (EM) datalink testing method and system that routes user input data and control commands through a controller and encryption device, encrypts and transmits data via EM signals, and decrypts and processes received data to generate status reports, reducing the need for manual testing and enabling comprehensive data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual testing is performed with limited data points, then testing time and resources are reduced, but testing completeness and reliability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The automated testing system performs self-service by automatically generating test cases, executing tests, collecting results, and generating reports without continuous human intervention. The system autonomously routes user input data through encryption devices and radios, processes received data, and compares results to identify issues, enabling comprehensive testing with abundant data points while reducing manual labor time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical testing operations with automated electronic systems. The automated testing system uses software-controlled routing of test data through encryption devices and radios, substituting human operators with automated controllers that can execute thousands of test cases efficiently and consistently, thereby improving testing completeness without proportionally increasing testing time.
2Reliability
If extensive manual testing and retesting is performed, then software integrity is improved, but schedule and budget are negatively impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The automated testing system implements feedback mechanisms by automatically comparing received user input data with expected results, identifying discrepancies, and generating status reports. This continuous feedback loop enables rapid detection of software issues and verification of fixes without manual intervention, improving software integrity while maintaining high testing efficiency through automated result analysis and reporting.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous testing operations by automatically routing test data through the complete workflow including encryption devices and radios without interruption. The automated controller continuously executes test cases, processes results, and generates reports, eliminating the discontinuous nature of manual testing where operators must repeatedly set up and configure test environments, thereby improving both software integrity and testing efficiency.
3Reliability
If manual testing with insufficient data points is used, then initial testing speed is faster, but latent issues remain undetected
Solution Approach 1:
The automated testing system performs multiple functions through a single integrated platform: generating test cases, routing data through encryption devices and radios, collecting results, analyzing discrepancies, and generating comprehensive reports. This multi-functional system can handle diverse test scenarios and data types uniformly, enabling detection of latent issues across various software components without requiring separate complex testing setups for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated controller serves as an intermediary that coordinates between user input, encryption devices, radios, and result analysis. This intermediary component manages the complex routing and processing of test data, abstracting the complexity from the user while enabling comprehensive issue detection. The intermediary automatically handles data transformation and routing through multiple system components, making the complex testing process transparent and manageable.
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
This approach allows for thorough testing with real hardware in a shorter time, achieving high reliability and identifying interface issues and software bugs, as demonstrated by an 80% to 99.96% datalink transmission success rate in initial tests, equivalent to data collected over 12 years of service.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting, by the first radio, at least one encrypted user input data to a second radio via at least one EM signal
Implementation Method 2
receiving, by the second radio, at least one received encrypted user input data via at least one EM signal
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatus for automated close-loop electromagnetic (EM) datalink testing are disclosed. In some embodiments, the disclosed method involves routing, by a user simulator, at least one user input data and at least one user control command to a controller. The method further involves encrypting, by an encryption device(s), at least one user input data to generate at least one encrypted user input data. Also, the method involves transmitting, by a first radio, at least one encrypted user input data to a second radio via an EM signal(s); and receiving, by the second radio, at least one received encrypted user input data. Additionally, the method involves decrypting, by the encryption device(s), at least one received encrypted user input data to produce at least one received user input data. Further, the method involves processing, by the user simulator, at least one received user input data to generate a status report.