Battery-Free Aircraft Insert Secure Network Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft inserts without batteries face challenges in establishing secure network connections due to the absence of real-time clocks, which are required for authentication in secure aircraft networks, and conventional methods are inadequate for battery-free inserts.
Innovation Solution
A wireless network module for battery-free aircraft inserts that establishes communication with a low-security module to obtain a timestamp, then uses this timestamp to connect to a high-security module for secure network access, allowing secure communication without the need for a real-time clock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a battery-free insert is used in an aircraft, then maintenance and safety are improved by eliminating batteries, but the insert cannot establish secure network communication without a real-time clock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - the access point's real-time clock - to provide the timestamp needed for secure network authentication. The insert communicates with the access point, which then provides the timestamp from its own real-time clock to the insert, allowing the battery-free insert to obtain the necessary authentication data without having its own battery-powered clock
Solution Approach 2:
The access point performs preliminary action by providing the timestamp to the insert before the insert needs to establish secure network communication. This pre-provisioning of authentication data allows the insert to connect to secure networks without needing its own real-time clock capability
2Adaptability or versatility
If a real-time clock is installed in the insert to provide timestamp, then secure network authentication is enabled, but the device complexity and cost increase due to battery requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the real-time clock function from the insert and relocates it to the access point. The insert no longer needs its own real-time clock hardware and battery, as it obtains timestamps from the access point instead. This separation reduces the insert's complexity while maintaining secure authentication capability
Solution Approach 2:
The access point serves itself by providing its own real-time clock timestamp to the insert. The system uses the access point's existing real-time clock resource to authenticate multiple inserts, eliminating the need for each insert to have its own clock mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for establishing secure network communication for a wireless network module of a battery-free insert. The method includes establishing communication with a low security module of an access point of a secure network, wherein a timestamp is not used to establish the communication with the low security module, obtaining a timestamp from the low security module, discontinuing communication with the low security module, and sending a request to a high security module to establish communication with the high security module of the access point. The request includes the timestamp. Communication is established with the high security module using the timestamp for establishing high security communication with the secure network.