Weapon Authorization System Using Remote Substring Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
In warfare, captured weapons can be used against their original owners or others, leading to unintended consequences such as loss of life and terror attacks, highlighting the need for effective weapons security to prevent misuse.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for remotely authorizing or de-authorizing weapons using an authorization string stored in the weapon, which receives a substring from an authorization message and compares it to a stored substring to determine the weapon's operational state, ensuring it remains authorized only when the substrings match.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If weapons are distributed to multiple parties, then weapon availability and operational capability are improved, but the risk of captured weapons being used against the original owner increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by embedding authorization mechanisms and identification codes in weapons before distribution. The authorization center pre-configures each weapon with unique identifiers and authorization levels, enabling remote control capabilities to be established in advance. This allows the original owner to maintain control and remotely disable weapons if captured, thus preventing counter-use while maintaining wide distribution.
2Reliability
If remote authorization systems are implemented, then weapons security and control are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an authorization center as an intermediary between weapon distributors and end users. This centralized intermediary manages all authorization requests, validates identification codes, and controls weapon activation/deactivation. By concentrating control functions in a single intermediary system, the patent simplifies the overall architecture while maintaining robust security, avoiding the need for complex distributed authorization mechanisms in each weapon system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by implementing identification codes and authorization data that can be replicated across multiple weapons. The authorization center stores master copies of authorization information and distributes validated copies to individual weapons. This copying mechanism enables scalable weapon distribution with centralized control, reducing system complexity by using simple reproducible authentication data rather than complex unique cryptographic systems in each weapon.
3Reliability
If authorization verification is performed, then unauthorized use is prevented, but operational time delays increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring authorization data and identification codes in weapons before deployment. The authorization center pre-validates weapon identifiers and stores authorization information in advance. When a weapon is activated, the verification process simply compares the pre-configured identification code against stored records, significantly reducing verification time while maintaining strict authorization control.
Data Source
AI summary
A weapon, a method of authorizing the weapon and weapon security system are disclosed. An authorization string is stored at the weapon. An authorization message may be received at the weapon from an authorization center. A processor at the weapon may obtain a first substring from the authorization message, the first substring being obtained from a copy of the authorization string. The processor compares the first substring to a second substring and authorizes the weapon when the first substring matches the second substring.