Encrypted Data Transfer Over Intermittently Limited Links

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heavy-duty vehicles face challenges in securely transferring large data sets over intermittently limited data links due to fluctuating network quality and volume limits, which can expose sensitive data to unauthorized access and violate data protection regulations.

Innovation Solution

The system encrypts data using an asymmetric key pair, shares the private key with the recipient system, and transfers the encrypted data during periods when the volume limit is lifted, ensuring secure and compliant data transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is stored in vehicle memory for extended periods, then data protection requirements are violated, but transferring large data sets over intermittently limited data links is impossible due to volume caps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata protectionVSAvoiddata transfer volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the large data set into multiple smaller data portions, where each portion fits within the intermittent volume cap of the data link. This allows complete transfer of the entire data set over time without violating volume limits, while maintaining data protection through encryption of all portions before transfer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary encryption of the entire data set into multiple encrypted portions before the data link becomes available for transfer. This preliminary action ensures data is protected from unauthorized access in vehicle memory before transfer begins, and the encrypted portions can be stored securely until transfer conditions are met

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If data is encrypted and private key is shared with recipient system, then data protection is improved, but system complexity increases due to key management requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata protectionVSAvoidkey management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the private key from the sender system after it has been shared with the recipient system, removing the security burden from the sender. This allows the sender to focus on encrypting and transferring data portions without needing to retain or manage the private key, simplifying the sender's key management while maintaining strong data protection through asymmetric encryption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If data transfer is attempted during periods when volume limit applies, then productivity is improved, but data security is compromised due to unauthorized access risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transfer rateVSAvoidunauthorized access
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary encryption of all data portions before any transfer occurs, regardless of current data link conditions. This ensures that even if transfer is delayed or interrupted, the data remains protected in vehicle memory. The encryption is completed in advance so that when the data link becomes available, transfer can proceed immediately with already-protected data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4700624A1Safe data transfer over an intermittently limited data link
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 VOLVO TRUCK CORP
  • EP4700624A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4700624A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4700624A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for safe transfer of a large data set from a sender system (110) to a recipient system (120), which are connected by a data link (130) to which a volume limit applies intermittently. The method is performed by processing circuitry (111) in the sender system and comprises: obtaining a data set (D); generating an asymmetric key pair comprising a private key (Kpr) and a public key (Kpu); sharing the private key of the asymmetric key pair with the recipient system; encrypting the data set using the public key of the asymmetric key pair, for thereby obtaining an encrypted data set (E) which is decryptable only by means of the private key; awaiting a time period in which the volume limit does not apply to the data link; and, in that time period, transferring the encrypted data set to the recipient system over the data link.