ECC-VPC VPN Gateway for Secure Emergency Data Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current emergency networks face challenges in securely and efficiently transferring data between Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) and virtual private clouds, leading to potential data security breaches and errors in data entry during incident reporting.
Innovation Solution
A virtual private network (VPN) connection is established between ECCs and a virtual private cloud (VPC) infrastructure, enabling secure data extraction and conversion of serial data to packet data, followed by authentication and transmission to an application programming interface (API) endpoint, with a graphical user interface (GUI) displaying enhanced emergency call data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a VPN connection is established between ECCs and VPC infrastructure, then data security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a VPN gateway as an intermediary component that mediates between the ECC network and the VPC infrastructure. This gateway handles the complex authentication and encryption protocols, isolating the complexity from the main ECC systems while maintaining security. The gateway acts as a secure bridge that manages the VPN connection without requiring direct complex configuration in the ECC core systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The network architecture is segmented into distinct zones: the ECC network, the VPN tunnel, and the VPC infrastructure. This segmentation allows each component to be configured and managed independently, reducing overall system complexity. The VPN connection creates a separate, isolated network path for secure data transmission, preventing complexity from propagating across the entire system.
2Productivity
If serial data is converted to packet data for cloud transmission, then data transfer efficiency is improved, but risk of data breaches increases
Solution Approach 1:
The VPN gateway serves as a secure intermediary that converts serial data to packet data in a controlled environment. This conversion happens within the protected VPN tunnel, ensuring that even though data format changes for efficient cloud transmission, the transformation process itself is secured against external access or interception.
Solution Approach 2:
The VPN tunnel creates an inert or protected network environment for data conversion and transmission. Within this encrypted tunnel, data is transformed from serial to packet format and transmitted to the cloud, isolated from external threats. The inert atmosphere of the encrypted channel prevents harmful factors from affecting the data during the vulnerable conversion and transmission process.
3Reliability
If authentication procedures are implemented before data transmission, then data security is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication credentials are established and configured in advance during system setup. The VPN gateway and ECC systems are pre-authenticated with each other before actual emergency data transmission occurs. This preliminary authentication action ensures that when real-time data transmission is needed, the security verification has already been completed, minimizing delays during critical emergency operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A disclosed method of operating an emergency data management system includes: obtaining emergency data related to an emergency call to an emergency communication center (ECC) by a cloud server of the emergency data management system independent from the ECC; obtaining an address for the emergency call via a connectivity device located at the ECC, where the connectivity device is operatively coupled to the cloud server; matching the address to an ECC computer-aided-dispatch (CAD) system incident record address; and sending the emergency data to the ECC CAD system incident record corresponding to the matched CAD system incident record address.