Wireless Detonator Hardwired Key Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless detonator systems fail to prevent inadvertent initiation due to the potential alteration of software-based or program-included keys, which can compromise the security and reliability of the detonation process.
Innovation Solution
A wireless detonator assembly with a hardwired key stored on a printed circuit board, where the key is encoded and transmitted to the detonator assemblies, ensuring that only matching keys can initiate the detonation process, thereby preventing unauthorized activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a software-based key is used in the detonator assembly, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because the key can be altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces software-based key storage with a hardwired key embedded in the printed circuit board during manufacturing. This substitution of physical hardwiring for software storage eliminates the vulnerability of software keys being altered, while maintaining the simplicity of integrated circuit board implementation.
2Reliability
If a hardwired key is embedded in the printed circuit board during manufacture, then the reliability is improved by preventing key alteration, but the device complexity increases and ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The key is hardwired into the printed circuit board during the manufacturing stage rather than being implemented as software that could be modified later. This preliminary action of embedding the key during manufacturing ensures its integrity cannot be compromised during field operations, while the manufacturing process itself remains standard PCB fabrication.
3Reliability
If the key is stored in the control device and transmitted to detonator assemblies, then the security is improved by centralizing key management, but the loss of information increases if the key is transmitted in plaintext
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces software-based key storage with a hardwired key embedded in the printed circuit board during manufacturing. This substitution of physical hardwiring for software storage eliminates the vulnerability of software keys being altered, while maintaining the simplicity of integrated circuit board implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The encoder component acts as an intermediary that transforms the hardwired key into a transmittable signal format. The encoder ensures that the key is not transmitted in a vulnerable plaintext form but rather in an encoded manner that maintains security during wireless transmission from the control device to the detonator assemblies.
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 solution significantly reduces the risk of inadvertent detonation by ensuring that only the correct key can arm and fire the detonators, enhancing operational safety and reliability by maintaining the integrity of the key throughout the manufacturing and operational stages.
Implementation Method 1
The transmitter 30 can operate at a radio frequency or it can transmit magnetic signals through the ground
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A wireless detonator assembly which includes a detonator, a receiver, a printed circuit board with a stored key which is hardwired onto the board during manufacture of the detonator assembly and control logic which allows the detonator to be fired only if the control logic extracts from a signal, received by the receiver, a reference key which is identical to the stored key.