Secure Vehicle Data Transmission via Modulated Light Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data transmission methods in vehicles, particularly in military applications, face challenges in ensuring high security against eavesdropping and minimizing wiring and material usage to reduce weight.
Innovation Solution
A data transmission system utilizing a light source, such as LEDs or lasers, to modulate and transmit data streams via light signals within the vehicle, with a receiving unit to convert light signals back into electrical data, ensuring secure and wireless communication while potentially using existing interior lighting and employing infrared or ultraviolet ranges for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wired data transmission is used, then data can be transmitted between electronic components, but data security is compromised due to easy interception
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical cable-based data transmission system with an optical system using light sources and light-sensitive sensors. This substitution fundamentally changes the transmission medium from conductive cables that can be physically tapped to light signals that are difficult to intercept without detection, thereby resolving the security vulnerability of wired transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modulates the light source by rapidly changing its brightness parameters (intensity and timing) to encode data. By varying the light emission in specific temporal patterns that are imperceptible to human eyes, the system transmits data securely through optical signals that are difficult to intercept and decode, addressing the eavesdropping risk while maintaining reliable communication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If extensive cabling is used for data transmission, then all electronic components can be connected, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for extensive physical cabling by replacing electrical signal transmission through cables with optical signal transmission through air or transparent media. This substitution removes the weight of numerous data cables while maintaining full data transmission capability between all electronic components, directly resolving the weight issue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables existing interior lighting systems to serve dual purposes: providing illumination for the vehicle interior and transmitting data through modulated light signals. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated data transmission cables, reducing vehicle weight while maintaining comprehensive data transmission capability across all components.
3Reliability
If light sources are added for data transmission, then secure wireless communication is achieved, but material requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing interior lighting systems perform dual functions: illumination and secure data transmission. By modulating the brightness of existing lights at frequencies imperceptible to humans, the system achieves secure wireless communication without adding dedicated light sources, thereby minimizing additional material requirements while maintaining high security standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables existing lighting infrastructure to serve itself by encoding data transmission capabilities into the normal lighting operation. The lighting system continues its primary illumination function while simultaneously transmitting data through subtle modulations, eliminating the need for separate dedicated transmission components and reducing overall material requirements.
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 provides secure data transmission that is resistant to eavesdropping, minimizes wiring and material usage, and maintains low vehicle weight by using light signals that are imperceptible to the human eye or outside observers, ensuring data integrity and reducing the vehicle's weight.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light source for generating light within the vehicle. Such a light source can, for example, consist of at least one LED or at least one laser
Implementation Method 2
The receiving unit comprises a light-sensitive sensor, which is arranged in the vehicle in such a way that it can receive the light from the light source and feed it to the receiving unit. This then converts the temporal sequence of the light signals back into electrical signals
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for transmitting data in a vehicle. To that end, the device is equipped with at least one light source for generating light within the vehicle. Furthermore, the device comprises a voltage source for generating electrical voltage, wherein the electrical voltage is used for operating the light source. The invention then proposes that provision be made of a transmitting unit which can modulate a data stream as voltage signal onto the electrical voltage generated by the voltage source. The light source within the vehicle is then used to distribute these voltage signals as light signal in the vehicle. As a result, the data stream is emitted via the light from the light source in the vehicle. At least one receiving unit is furthermore provided in order to pick up the modulated voltage signals from the light signal and to convert them to a data stream. As a result, at a location receptive to the light from the light source, the data stream can be extracted again from the light from the light source by the receiving unit.