Distributed Blockchain Ledger for Aircraft Data Authenticity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft systems face challenges in trusting electronic data for flight operations and maintenance due to issues with data authenticity and non-repudiation, particularly with protocols like ACARS being vulnerable to impersonation and rogue data insertion, leading to security and operational disruptions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a distributed blockchain ledger network with nodes onboard and offboard the aircraft to ensure data authenticity and non-repudiation through consensus validation, allowing secure data sharing and synchronization even in intermittent connectivity environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional security protection mechanisms (encryption/obfuscation) are used to ensure data authenticity and non-repudiation, then data security is improved, but system complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain as an intermediary system that mediates between data sources and consumers. The blockchain ledger acts as a trusted intermediary that records, validates, and distributes data without requiring complex encryption mechanisms at each endpoint. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall security architecture while maintaining data authenticity and non-repudiation through distributed consensus and immutable recording.
2Reliability
If custom security implementations are used to address data authenticity issues, then data security is improved, but ease of manufacture and standardization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal blockchain framework that can be applied across different aircraft systems and operators without requiring custom implementations. The standardized blockchain protocol provides multi-functional capabilities including data recording, validation, non-repudiation, and audit trails, serving multiple security needs through a single standardized platform rather than requiring system-specific custom solutions.
3Reliability
If data validation and consensus mechanisms are implemented across distributed nodes, then data authenticity and non-repudiation are improved, but processing time and system response time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by pre-establishing the blockchain ledger structure, consensus rules, and node configurations before actual data processing occurs. The system prepares validation mechanisms and consensus protocols in advance, allowing rapid data recording and validation during operation without requiring time-consuming setup procedures. This preliminary configuration enables efficient real-time data authenticity verification across distributed nodes.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method. The system may include a first computing device implemented in a vehicle that is a first node of a distributed blockchain ledger network. The first computing device may include a first processor and a first computer readable medium. The first processor may be configured to: maintain a first instance of a distributed blockchain ledger; receive data for entry in the first instance of the distributed blockchain ledger; write a record including the data in the first instance of the distributed blockchain ledger; determine a data link for forwarding the record to other nodes of the distributed blockchain ledger network; forward the record to the other nodes of the distributed blockchain ledger network, wherein the other nodes include a second computing device offboard of the vehicle, the second computing device configured to maintain a second instance of the distributed blockchain ledger; and validate the record.