Tachograph Virtual Memory Image for Secure Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tachograph systems face slow access times due to complex cryptological security mechanisms, which hinder efficient data transmission between the tachograph and data card, compromising usability while maintaining security requirements.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a virtual image of the data memory with change pointers and a central status variable to coordinate logical function modules, allowing for efficient data exchange and encryption, reducing the need for frequent comparisons and minimizing data transmission cycles, and ensuring secure communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex cryptological security mechanisms are implemented to protect data transmission between tachograph and data card, then security is improved, but access time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and establishes a secure communication channel before actual data transmission begins. The tachograph and data card perform mutual authentication and key exchange in advance, so that subsequent data transfers occur over an already-secured connection, reducing the time penalty of security measures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary secure communication protocol that mediates between the tachograph and data card. This intermediary layer handles the complex cryptological operations separately from the main data transmission path, allowing security checks to occur in parallel or pre-established contexts rather than blocking data flow.
2Reliability
If frequent comparisons are made between virtual image and data memory to ensure data integrity, then security is maintained, but central processing unit utilization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic comparison intervals between the virtual image in tachograph memory and the actual data memory on the data card. Instead of continuous monitoring, comparisons are performed at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 12 hours or at specific operational milestones), significantly reducing CPU utilization while maintaining data integrity through regular verification.
3Adaptability or versatility
If data transmission is limited to 256 bytes per access according to ISO 7816, then communication protocol compatibility is maintained, but data exchange efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments large data transfer operations into multiple sequential 256-byte blocks that comply with ISO 7816 specifications. Each block is transmitted individually with proper protocol handshaking, but the overall transfer is managed as a unified operation through efficient block assembly and parallel processing where possible, maintaining compatibility while maximizing throughput within protocol constraints.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(1)~2(4)
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly (1) comprising a tachograph (DTCO) and a data memory (13, 14), in particular a data memory (13, 14) of a data card (4, 5). The tachograph (DTCO) comprises an interface, which is designed to exchange data between the tachograph (DTCO) and the data memory (13, 14), logic function modules (FM) and at least one memory (DMEM). The invention also relates to a method for operating said tachograph (DTCO). As a result of high security requirements, the data transfer between the data memory (13, 14) and the tachograph (DTCO) is extremely time-intensive. According to the invention, at the start of the data transfer a virtual reproduction (VI) of the data memory (13, 14) is created in the memory (DMEM) of the tachograph (DTCO) and the logic function modules (FM) first have read and write access to the virtual reproduction (VI) in the memory (DMEM). Data is then regularly written to the data memory (13, 14) of the data card (4, 5) by means of a write access to said memory, thus eliminating the differences between the virtual reproduction (VI) and the data memory (13, 14).