U.S. patent application number 11/352002 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-15 for system and method for secure communication of collected amphibious data.
This patent application is currently assigned to Honeywell International Inc.. Invention is credited to Richard A. Daigler, Jamal Haque, Edward R. Prado.
Application Number | 20090257475 11/352002 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41163945 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090257475 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Haque; Jamal ; et
al. |
October 15, 2009 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION OF COLLECTED AMPHIBIOUS
DATA
Abstract
system and method for secure communication of collected
amphibious data is disclosed, which uses direct-sequence, spread
spectrum, ultra wideband (DS-SS UWB) communications to enhance the
security of the collected amphibious data during transmission over
a wireless communication link. The UWB technique used transmits the
collected data using very short pulses with low duty cycles. Thus,
the power of the transmitted signals can be distributed evenly over
a large bandwidth, and buried within the environmental noise (below
the noise floor) to produce "stealth" transmissions. The
transmitted signals can also be encrypted, which provides a
wireless data communication transmission that is immune from
jamming and masked from eavesdropping attempts. As one example, a
system for secure communication of collected amphibious data is
disclosed, which includes a DS-SS UWB transmitter and receiver. The
DS-SS UWB transmitter includes a data input unit, a data encryption
unit, a UWB encoder unit, a DS spectrum spreader function unit, and
a power amplifier unit. The DS-SS UWB receiver includes a receiver
front end unit, a data decryption unit, a DS spectrum despreader
function unit, and a receiver filter unit. As another example, the
DS-SS UWB transmitter and receiver are combined to provide a DS-SS
UWB transceiver.
Inventors: |
Haque; Jamal; (Tampa,
FL) ; Daigler; Richard A.; (Tampa, FL) ;
Prado; Edward R.; (Palm Harbor, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.;PATENT SERVICES
101 COLUMBIA ROAD, P O BOX 2245
MORRISTOWN
NJ
07962-2245
US
|
Assignee: |
Honeywell International
Inc.
Morristown
NJ
|
Family ID: |
41163945 |
Appl. No.: |
11/352002 |
Filed: |
February 10, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
375/141 ;
340/850; 375/E1.002 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04K 3/25 20130101; H04L
9/00 20130101; H04K 3/827 20130101; H04B 13/02 20130101; H04B
1/71635 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
375/141 ;
340/850; 375/E01.002 |
International
Class: |
H04B 13/02 20060101
H04B013/02; H04B 1/707 20060101 H04B001/707 |
Claims
1. A system for secure communication of collected data, comprising:
a data dissemination subsystem, said data dissemination subsystem
operable to store and disseminate collected data; and a transmitter
subsystem coupled to said data dissemination subsystem, said
transmitter subsystem operable to encrypt said disseminated
collected data, encode said encrypted data to form a plurality of
ultra wideband signals, spectrum spread said plurality of ultra
wideband signals with a direct sequence spectrum spreading code,
and transmit said spread plurality of ultra wideband signals.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a receiver subsystem,
said receiver subsystem operable to receive said spread plurality
of ultra wideband signals, spectrum despread said received
plurality of ultra wideband signals with a direct sequence spectrum
despreading code associated with said direct sequence spectrum
spreading code, decode said despread plurality of ultra wideband
signals to form at least a portion of said encrypted collected
data, and decrypt said at least a portion of said encrypted
collected data.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said transmitter subsystem and
said receiver subsystem comprise an ultra wideband transceiver
subsystem.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said collected data comprises
collected amphibious data.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said data dissemination subsystem
comprises an underwater data collection platform.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter subsystem
comprises a data encryption unit, a UWB encoder unit, a direct
sequence spreader function unit, and a power amplifier unit.
7. The system of claim 2, wherein said receiver subsystem comprises
a receiver filter unit, a direct sequence despreader function unit,
a UWB decoder, and a data decryption unit.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter subsystem
includes means for encrypting said collected data.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter subsystem
includes means for spectrum spreading said collected data.
10. The system of claim 2, wherein said receiver subsystem includes
means for spectrum despreading said collected data.
11. The system of claim 2, wherein said receiver subsystem includes
means for decrypting said collected data.
12. A transmitter system for secure communication of collected
data, comprising: means for encrypting disseminated collected data;
means, coupled to said means for encrypting, for encoding said
encrypted data to form a plurality of ultra wideband signals;
means, coupled to said means for encoding, for direct sequence
spectrum spreading said plurality of ultra wideband signals; and
means, coupled to said means for direct sequence spectrum
spreading, for transmitting said direct sequence spread plurality
of ultra wideband signals.
13. A receiver system for secure communication of collected data,
comprising: means for receiving said direct sequence spread
plurality of ultra wideband signals; means, coupled to said means
for receiving, for spectrum despreading said received plurality of
ultra wideband signals; means, coupled to said means for spectrum
despreading, for decoding said despread plurality of ultra wideband
signals to form at least a portion of said encrypted collected
data; and means, coupled to said means for decoding, for decrypting
said at least a portion of said encrypted collected data.
14. A method for secure communication of collected data, comprising
the steps of: encrypting collected data; encoding said encrypted
data to form a plurality of ultra wideband signals; direct sequence
spectrum spreading said plurality of ultra wideband signals; and
transmitting said spread plurality of ultra wideband signals.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein: the encrypting step is
performed by a processor executing software instructions
representing a data encryption algorithm; the encoding step is
performed by a UWB encoder; and the spreading step is performed by
a processor executing software instructions representing an
algorithm for a direct sequence spectrum spreading function.
16. A method for secure communication of collected data, comprising
the steps of: receiving a plurality of direct sequence spectrum
spread ultra wideband signals; direct sequence spectrum despreading
said received plurality of ultra wideband signals; decoding said
despread plurality of ultra wideband signals to form encrypted
collected data; and decrypting said encrypted collected data.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein: the receiving step is
performed by a receiver filter unit; the direct sequence spectrum
despreading step is performed by a processor executing software
instructions representing an algorithm for a direct sequence
spectrum despreading function; the decoding step is performed by a
UWB decoder; and the decrypting step is performed by a processor
executing software instructions representing a data decryption
algorithm.
18. A computer program product, comprising: a computer-usable
medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for
configuring a computer processor, the computer program product
comprising: a first executable computer-readable code configured to
cause a computer processor to encrypt disseminated collected data;
a second executable computer-readable code configured to cause a
computer processor to encode said encrypted data to form a
plurality of ultra wideband signals; a third executable
computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to
direct sequence spectrum spread said plurality of ultra wideband
signals; and a fourth executable computer-readable code configured
to cause a computer processor to transmit said direct sequence
spread plurality of ultra wideband signals.
19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising: a
fifth executable computer-readable code configured to cause a
computer processor to receive said direct sequence spread plurality
of ultra wideband signals; a sixth executable computer-readable
code configured to cause a computer processor to spectrum despread
said received plurality of ultra wideband signals; a seventh
executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer
processor to decode said despread plurality of ultra wideband
signals to form at least a portion of said encrypted collected
data; and an eighth executable computer-readable code configured to
cause a computer processor to decrypt said at least a portion of
said encrypted collected data.
20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said
disseminated collected data is received from an underwater data
collection platform.
21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the first
executable computer-readable code comprises code representing a
data encryption algorithm.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the data
communications field, and more specifically, but not exclusively,
to a system and method for secure communication of collected
amphibious data.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Amphibious or underwater data collection platforms (e.g.,
underwater sensors, submarines, diving craft, etc.) have to
transmit collected data (e.g., image data, sensor data, sonar data,
etc.) to remote locations having mission computer systems that
process and analyze the gathered data. A typical amphibious data
collection approach used is to continually gather and store data,
and periodically dump the stored data for transmission to the
mission computer system. In a non-hostile environment, the
collected data can be transmitted (encrypted or unencrypted) in the
open to a receiving station via a wireless data communications
link. As such, in a non-hostile environment, wireless data
communications provides a practical and effective data
communication medium. However, in a high threat level, hostile
environment (e.g., covert mission in an international setting), the
security of the collected data has to be assured, and the
transmission of the collected data has to be immune from
eavesdropping and/or the effects of electronic countermeasures
(e.g., jamming) that a hostile party may employ. A problem with the
existing wireless data communication systems is that the wireless
data transmission technologies available are not designed with
suitable security for covert or other hostile applications, and the
wireless data communication systems being used are operated in
crowded, unlicensed frequency bands. Consequently, today's wireless
data communication systems are highly susceptible to signal
interference (e.g., jamming) and eavesdropping. Therefore, a
pressing need exists for a system and method that can provide
secure communication of collected amphibious data, which is immune
from eavesdropping, jamming and other hostile communication or
electronic countermeasure techniques that a second party may
employ. As described in detail below, the present invention
provides such a system and method, which resolve the
above-described data communication security problems and other
related problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention provides a system and method for
secure communication of collected amphibious data, which uses
direct-sequence, spread spectrum, ultra wideband (DS-SS UWB)
communications to enhance the security of the collected amphibious
data during transmission over a wireless communication link. The
UWB technique used transmits the collected data using very short
pulses with low duty cycles. Thus, the power of the transmitted
signals can be distributed evenly over a very large bandwidth, and
buried within the environmental noise (below the noise floor) to
produce "stealth" transmissions. The transmitted signals can also
be encrypted, which provides a wireless data communication
transmission that is immune from jamming and masked from
eavesdropping attempts. In accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the present invention, a system for secure communication of
collected amphibious data is provided, which includes a DS-SS UWB
transmitter and receiver. The DS-SS UWB transmitter includes a data
input unit, a data encryption unit, a UWB encoder unit, a DS
spectrum spreader function unit, and a power amplifier unit. The
DS-SS UWB receiver includes a receiver front end unit, a data
decryption unit, a DS spectrum despreader function unit, and a
receiver filter unit. In a second embodiment, the DS-SS UWB
transmitter and receiver are combined to provide a DS-SS UWB
transceiver.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] The novel features believed characteristic of the invention
are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself,
however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and
advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the
following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when
read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0005] FIG. 1 depicts a pictorial representation of an example
amphibious data collection and transmission system, which can be
used to implement a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
data transmitter system, which can be used to implement the DS-SS
UWB transmitter in FIG. 1;
[0007] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
data receiver system, which can be used to implement the DS-SS UWB
receiver in FIG. 1; and
[0008] FIG. 4 depicts a graphical diagram that illustrates examples
of the security features of UWB signals for wireless communications
of collected amphibious data, in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0009] With reference now to the figures, FIG. 1 depicts a
pictorial representation of an example amphibious data collection
and transmission system 100, which can be used to implement a
preferred embodiment of the present invention. For this example
embodiment, system 100 includes an underwater platform (e.g.,
submarine) 102 that can be used to collect and disseminate
amphibious data. However, although a submarine is shown in FIG. 1
as an underwater platform for the collection and dissemination of
data, the present invention is not intended to be so limited and
can include any suitable medium (e.g., underwater sensor system,
diving system, diver, etc.) that is capable of collecting, storing
and disseminating collected amphibious data. As shown, the
underwater platform (e.g., submarine) 102 is coupled by a wired
data communication link 104 to a DS-SS UWB transmitter 106 located
at or near the water's surface. For example, data communication
link 104 can be an anti-tamper type of data communications cable,
which is tethered to underwater platform 102 at one end, and to a
flotation device attached to DS-SS UWB transmitter 106 at the other
end. Thus, the underwater platform 102 can release the flotation
device including DS-SS UWB transmitter 106 when transmission and
dissemination of the collected data is to occur. Transmitter 106
transmits the collected data within an encrypted, encoded DS-SS UWB
signal (e.g., indicated by the wavy line 108), which is received,
decrypted and decoded by a DS-SS UWB receiver 110 for processing
and analysis of the collected data at a remote site.
[0010] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
data transmitter system 200, which can be used to implement DS-SS
UWB transmitter 106 in FIG. 1. For this example embodiment, data
transmitter system 200 includes a data input unit 202 coupled to an
input of a data encryption unit 204. In the example context of FIG.
1, data input unit 202 can be connected to wired data communication
link 104, and receives a serial, binary bit-stream of collected,
dumped data from the underwater collection and/or distribution
platform involved (e.g., platform 102). Data input unit 202
temporarily stores the received data in a suitable input buffer or
register, converts the received data from a serial format to a
suitable parallel format for digital processing, and couples the
converted data to the input of data encryption unit 204. Data
encryption unit 204 executes an appropriate data encryption
algorithm (e.g., implemented in software and executed by a digital
processor), which encrypts the collected data in accordance with
the level of security required by the user of data transmitter
system 200. For example, a suitable data encryption algorithm that
can be used by data encryption unit 204 is a cryptographic
encryption algorithm formulated in accordance with the Data
Encryption Standard (DES), the PGP data encryption algorithm,
etc.
[0011] For this example embodiment, data transmitter system 200
also includes a UWB encoder unit 206 coupled to data encryption
unit 204. Essentially, a UWB transmission has a very large
bandwidth (e.g., which lies within the radio frequency spectrum
between 3.1 GHz and 10.6 GHz) and is composed of a plurality of
high frequency (e.g., 1 GHz wide) wavelets or low energy pulses of
approximately one nanosecond in duration. Essentially, UWB encoder
206 encodes the encrypted digital data received from data
encryption unit 204 into a plurality of multi-phase or
shape-modulated wavelets. For example, UWB encoder 206 can encode
each wavelet to convey one bit of the encrypted data received from
data encryption unit 204. As another example, UWB encoder 206 can
encode each wavelet to convey a plurality of bits of the encrypted
data received. Thus, UWB encoder 206 can generate a wavelet having
a shape that conveys one bit of data, or a plurality of wavelets
having shapes that convey multiple bits of data. In this regard,
data transmitter system 200 also includes a DS spreading function
unit 208 coupled to UWB encoder 206. Notably, for this example
embodiment, UWB encoder 206 and DS spreading function unit 208
cooperatively generate each wavelet to represent a chip in a code
sequence, and the code sequence is used to communicate one or more
bits of the encrypted data received from data encryption unit
204.
[0012] More precisely, for this example embodiment, DS spreading
function unit 208 includes a pseudo-noise (PN) code sequence
generator (not shown), which is coupled to a modulator section (not
shown) of UWB encoder unit 206. The PN code sequence generator
generates a PN code sequence, which is modulated by the modulator
section onto the encrypted data received from data encryption unit
204. The PN code sequence modulated signal is applied to a wave
shaper of UWB encoder unit 206, which generates suitable DS-SS
wavelets for transmission. The wavelets generated by UWB encoder
206 and DS spreading function unit 208 are coupled to a power
amplifier unit 210, which suitably amplifies the wavelets for UWB
transmission from a transmit antenna unit 212.
[0013] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
data receiver system 300, which can be used to implement DS-SS UWB
receiver 110 in FIG. 1. For this example embodiment, data receiver
system 300 includes a receiver antenna unit 312 coupled to a
receiver filter unit 310. As such, filter unit 310 functions
primarily as a wave shaping filter to condition the (wavelets)
signals received via receiver antenna unit 312, and detect the
encrypted, UWB encoded data from the received wavelets. For
example, filter unit 310 also includes an envelope detector circuit
to detect the received signals using a carrier having the same
frequency as the transmitted signals. The envelope detector circuit
thus produces a base-band pulse sequence representing the
encrypted, UWB encoded data received.
[0014] For this example embodiment, receiver system 300 also
includes a DS despreader function unit 308 coupled to filter unit
310. The DS despreader function unit 308 multiples the received
signal by the same spreading pattern that was used for the
spreading sequence of the transmitted wavelets involved. The output
of DS despreader function unit 308 is a plurality of pulses, which
are coupled to a UWB decoder unit 306. The UWB decoder unit 306
includes a pulse processing circuit (not shown), which determines
the appropriate decoded signals that will result in data symbols
that are the same as the data symbols that were communicated in the
UWB transmission. The decoded symbols from UWB decoder unit 306 are
coupled to a data decryption unit 304, which executes a suitable
decryption algorithm that decrypts the received encrypted data to
produce the raw collected amphibious data. For example, a suitable
data decryption algorithm that can be used by data decryption unit
304 is a cryptographic decryption algorithm formulated in
accordance with the Data Encryption Standard (DES), the PGP data
encryption algorithm, etc. Obviously, the data decryption algorithm
used for data decryption unit 304 should be associated with the
encryption algorithm used for data encryption unit 204 shown in
FIG. 2. The decrypted data from data decryption unit 304 is coupled
to a receiver data unit 302, which conditions the received data for
storage, analysis and/or display to a user.
[0015] FIG. 4 depicts a graphical diagram 400 that illustrates
example security features of UWB signals for wireless
communications of collected amphibious data, in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention. For this example,
diagram 400 plots power versus frequency for typical wireless
communication services signals and UWB signals. As shown, a
plurality of typical communication services signals (e.g.,
indicated generally as 402) are shown at their respective center
frequencies within a 3.1 GHz--10.0 GHz band. All of these signals
have power levels that are well above the noise floor (e.g.,
indicated generally as 404). Notably, however, a UWB signal 406 is
shown spread across the entire 3.1 GHz--10.0 GHZ band, but its
maximum power level is well below the noise floor. Thus, in
accordance with principles of the present invention, encrypted
transmissions of amphibious data using wireless UWB communications
can be buried as secure "stealth" transmissions well within the
noise environment. Consequently, the resulting encrypted UWB
transmissions are highly immune to jamming and masked from
eavesdropping attempts that may occur.
[0016] It is important to note that while the present invention has
been described in the context of a fully functioning system for
secure communication of collected amphibious data, those of
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the
present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a
computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and
that the present invention applies equally regardless of the
particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out
the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include
recordable-type media, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a
RAM, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and transmission-type media, such as
digital and analog communications links, wired or wireless
communications links using transmission forms, such as, for
example, radio frequency and light wave transmissions. The computer
readable media may take the form of coded formats that are decoded
for actual use in a particular system for secure communication of
collected amphibious data.
[0017] The description of the present invention has been presented
for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended
to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed.
Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art. These embodiments were chosen and
described in order to best explain the principles of the invention,
the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill
in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with
various modifications as are suited to the particular use
contemplated.
* * * * *