The Boeing Company

Terabeam Corporation

Ian Gareth Angus

Travis Stephen Reid

Steven Craig Venema

Olga C Walker

Henry A Sowizral

Christopher Robin Payne

Alan Shelton Wagner

Patrick Neal Harris

Kermit Andreas Hollinger

Timothy McNally Mitchell

Greg A Kimberly

John D Skinner

Rodolfo Acuna Santiago

Terry Lee Davis

Vincent D Skahan, Jr

Leigh Wong Momii

Rosanne P Pahm

Vincent D Skahan

Rosanne P Pham

The present disclosure generally relates to one or more line replacement units ('LRUs') for an airplane including a method for provisioning a second line replacement unit ('LRU') using a first LRU in an airplane. The method includes providing, by the first LRU, a communication to the second LRU to request a certificate signing request (&#x201c;CSR&#x201d;) based on a public-private key pair generated by the second LRU; obtaining the CSR from the first LRU; providing the CSR and a certificate revocation request for a replaced LRU to a certificate authority (&#x201c;CA&#x201d;); obtaining a composite airline modifiable information (&#x201c;AMI&#x201d;) comprising a public key certificate associated with a private key generated by the first LRU; and providing the composite AMI to the first LRU.

Airplane identity management with redundant line replaceable units (LRUs) and composite airplane modifiable information (AMI)

The present invention generally relates to one or more line replacement units ('LRUs') for an airplane. The LRUs can include airline modifiable information ('AMI') that includes more than one public key certificates, wherein each of the more than one public key certificates uniquely identifies the airplane for ground communication based, at least in part, on a public key or a private key associated with the one or more public/private key pairs generated by a cryptographic key generator.

Described herein are methods, apparatuses, and systems for secure provisioning of devices for manufacturing and maintenance. A method includes provisioning a sensor device by storing identification data for the sensor device and information used to authenticate the identification data in the sensor device. A method includes storing subassembly data for the sensor device and information used to authenticate the subassembly data in the sensor device in response to the sensor device being received and installed in a subassembly unit. The sensor device is installed in response to validating authenticity of the identification data. A method includes connecting the sensor device to a wireless sensor network in response to validating authenticity of one or more of the identification data and the subassembly data. The sensor device is integrated into a larger unit comprising the wireless sensor network.

Secure provisioning of devices for manufacturing and maintenance

Techniques are disclosed for securing backup operational data (e.g., of an aircraft) maintained by a line-replaceable unit (LRU) in a removable storage media device. The LRU generates a first encryption key. The LRU encrypts the operational data using the first encryption key. The LRU generates a second encryption key based on key data of at least a second LRU. The LRU encrypts the first encryption key using the second encryption key.

Secure removable storage for aircraft systems

A method and apparatus of performing a task on a system on a platform. A task script is received by a data processing system on the platform. The task script identifies task steps for performing the task on the system. The task script is run by the data processing system to perform the task on the system.

Vehicle auditing and control of maintenance and diagnosis for vehicle systems

A vehicle includes at least one programmable computing device including a memory configured to store instructions that are executable by a processor. The vehicle also include a software loader configured to modify or replace the instructions based on a loadable software part. The vehicle includes a data interface and a loadable software part memory. The vehicle further includes a switch coupled to the data interface, to the loadable software part memory, and to software loader. While the switch is in a first position, a first data path between the data interface and the loadable software part memory is enabled and a second data path between the loadable software part memory and the software loader is disabled. While the switch is in a second position, the second data path is enabled and the first data path is disabled.

System and method for communication of software

A system and method of loading software parts on a vehicle. Information identifying a desired software configuration for active software parts on the vehicle is received by a processor unit. The processor unit identifies a current software configuration of the active software parts on the vehicle. The processor unit determines a dataload plan for loading the software parts on the vehicle based on a difference between the desired software configuration and the current software configuration. The dataload plan identifies an order for loading the software parts on the vehicle. The dataload plan is used for loading the software parts on the vehicle to make the software parts active on the vehicle.

Vehicle configuration driven loading of software parts

Disclosed herein is a method for enforcing policy compliance on a device that includes detecting a compliance action associated with an electronic device. The compliance action initiates verification that the electronic device is in compliance with a policy. The method also includes sending configuration information for the electronic device to a compliance authenticator in response to the compliance action. The compliance authenticator verifies that the configuration information complies with a policy. Further, the method includes receiving an authentication certificate in response to the compliance authenticator verifying the configuration information complies with the policy. The authentication certificate expires after a predetermined period of time.

Enforcing policy compliance on a device

A system and method of delivering vehicle data. Reference data is received by a data processing system. The reference data comprises a reference identifying the vehicle data stored in a repository that is located off of a vehicle and reference authentication data identifying a source of the reference data. The data processing system uses the reference authentication data to determine whether the reference data is from an approved source for the reference data. The reference is used to retrieve the vehicle data from the repository by the data processing system when the reference data is determined to be from the approved source for the reference data. The vehicle data comprises authentication data identifying a source of the vehicle data. The data processing system uses the authentication data to determine whether the vehicle data is from an approved source for the vehicle data.

Vehicle data delivery

Methods and apparatus for use in communicating between a vehicle and a remote application server. An application message is received from a vehicle. A computer system determines whether an uplink connection can be established between the computer system and a remote application server that provides a remote software application associated with the application message. The application message is redirected to a local software application executed by the computer system when an uplink connection cannot be established. Data may be subsequently synchronized between the local software application and the remote software application.

Methods and systems for communicating between a vehicle and a remote application server

A system and method for allowing access to an aircraft network data processing system on an aircraft. A data processing device receives an expected measurement of software on the data processing device. The expected measurement is generated by a device other than the data processing device. The data processing device identifies an actual measurement of the software on the data processing device. The data processing device is connected to the aircraft network data processing system on an aircraft. The expected measurement and the actual measurement are sent from the data processing device to the aircraft network data processing system to determine whether the data processing device is allowed to access the aircraft network data processing system. The data processing device accesses the aircraft network data processing system in response to a determination that the data processing device is allowed to access the aircraft network data processing system.

Verification of devices connected to aircraft data processing systems

A method and apparatus for verifying data for use on an aircraft. A plurality of digital certificates associated with the data is received by a processor unit. The processor unit verifies the data for use on the aircraft using a selected number of the plurality of digital certificates.

Use of multiple digital signatures and quorum rules to verify aircraft information

A self-configuring router for data transfer has a first storage device for storing historic performance and configuration data. A configuration device is coupled to the first storage device for configuring the router based on the performance and configuration data. A data collector is coupled to the configuration device for measuring operational data of the router. An analysis device is coupled to the data collector and the first storage device for analyzing the operational data.

Self-configuring mobile router for transferring data to a plurality of output ports based on location and history and method therefor

A system and method for controlling access to an aircraft network data processing system on an aircraft. A first operating environment on a data processing device is configured to access the aircraft network data processing system. A second operating environment on the data processing device is configured to request access to the aircraft network data processing system. A network access controller on the first operating environment is configured to control the access to the aircraft network data processing system by the second operating environment based on rules defining the access to the aircraft network data processing system.

Growing community of inventors

Mercer Island, WA, United States of America

Ian Gareth Angus