Phase Coherency for Distance Attack Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for determining distance between a remote device and an object are susceptible to distance manipulation attacks, where an attacker can make the victim receiver estimate an invalid time of arrival, leading to incorrect distance calculations.
Innovation Solution
The system employs phase coherency in conjunction with time of arrival estimates to detect and mitigate distance attacks. It uses a phase-based range determination method, where a clock difference between devices is determined, and phase rotations of signals are analyzed to calculate distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional time of arrival estimation methods are used, then distance measurement is simple and fast, but the system becomes vulnerable to distance manipulation attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces phase coherency analysis as an intermediary verification mechanism between the time of arrival estimation and the final distance calculation. This intermediary step checks whether the phase relationship between transmitted and received signals remains coherent, thereby detecting manipulated signals without fundamentally changing the overall system architecture or requiring completely new measurement methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by comparing the estimated time of arrival with phase-based range determination results. When discrepancies are detected between these two independent measurement approaches, the system flags potential attacks and can reject the compromised distance measurement, creating a self-correcting mechanism that improves reliability.
2Reliability
If phase coherency checks are added to detect attacks, then measurement reliability improves, but processing time and computational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs phase coherency checks and signal validation in advance during the signal reception and initial processing stage, before final distance calculation is completed. By identifying and filtering out manipulated signals early in the process, the system avoids wasting computational resources on processing malicious data and can make rapid authentication decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method provided for detecting or mitigating distance attacks against real-time location systems for determining a position of a remote device relative to an object or device. The system and method may utilize phase coherency in conjunction with a time of arrival estimate as a basis for detecting or mitigating distance attacks.