Automated close-loop electromagnetic (EM) datalink testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9467879-B2
Application number	US-201514613048-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2015
Priority date	Feb 3, 2015
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for automated close-loop electromagnetic (EM) datalink testing are disclosed. In some embodiments, the disclosed method involves routing, by a user simulator, at least one user input data and at least one user control command to a controller. The method further involves encrypting, by an encryption device(s), at least one user input data to generate at least one encrypted user input data. Also, the method involves transmitting, by a first radio, at least one encrypted user input data to a second radio via an EM signal(s); and receiving, by the second radio, at least one received encrypted user input data. Additionally, the method involves decrypting, by the encryption device(s), at least one received encrypted user input data to produce at least one received user input data. Further, the method involves processing, by the user simulator, at least one received user input data to generate a status report.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for automated close-loop electromagnetic (EM) datalink testing, the method comprising:
routing, by a user simulator, at least one user input data and at least one user control command to a controller;
processing and routing, by the controller, the at least one user input data and the at least one user control command to at least one encryption device;
encrypting, by the at least one encryption device, the at least one user input data to generate at least one encrypted user input data;
routing, by the controller, the at least one encrypted user input data to a first radio;
transmitting, by the first radio, the at least one encrypted user input data to a second radio via at least one EM signal;
receiving, by the second radio, at least one received encrypted user input data via the at least one EM signal;
decrypting, by the at least one encryption device, the at least one received encrypted user input data to produce at least one received user input data; and
processing, by the user simulator, the at least one received user input data to generate a status report based on results from the processing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing, by the user simulator, of the at least one received user input data to generate the status report comprises comparing a user interface display of the at least one received user input data with the at least one user input data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after processing and routing, by the controller, the at least one user input data and the at least one user control command to the at least one encryption device, the method further comprises:
processing and routing, by the controller, the at least one user control command to the first radio and the second radio.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after encrypting, by the at least one encryption device, the at least one user input data to generate the at least one encrypted user input data, the method further comprises:
routing, by the at least one encryption device, the at least one encrypted user input data to the controller.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after receiving, by the second radio, the at least one received encrypted user input data via the at least one EM signal, the method further comprises:
routing, by the second radio, the at least one received encrypted user input data to the controller.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises: routing, by the controller, the at least one received encrypted user input data to the at least one encryption device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after decrypting, by the at least one encryption device, the at least one received encrypted user input data to produce the at least one received user input data, the method further comprises:
routing, by the at least one encryption device, the at least one received user input data to the controller.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after processing, by the user simulator, the at least one received user input data to generate the status report based on the results from the processing, the method further comprises:
routing, by the user simulator, the status report to a user interface.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one EM signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the RF signal is one of a very high frequency (VHF) signal, an ultra high frequency (UHF) signal, and a high frequency (HF) signal.

11. A system for automated close-loop electromagnetic (EM) datalink testing, the system comprising:
a user simulator to route at least one user input data and at least one user control command to a controller, and to process at least one received user input data to generate a status report based on results from the processing;
the controller to process and to route the at least one user input data and the at least one user control command to at least one encryption device, and to route at least one encrypted user input data to a first radio;
the at least one encryption device to encrypt the at least one user input data to generate the at least one encrypted user input data, and to decrypt at least one received encrypted user input data to produce the at least one received user input data;
the first radio to transmit the at least one encrypted user input data to a second radio via at least one EM signal; and
the second radio to receive the at least one received encrypted user input data via the at least one EM signal.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the user simulator is further to compare a user interface display of the at least one received user input data with the at least one user input data.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system further comprises a data bus connected to the controller, the first radio, the second radio, and the user simulator.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system further comprises a discrete line connected to the controller, the first radio, the second radio, and the at least one encryption device.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system further comprises an audio line connected to the controller, the first radio, the second radio, and the at least one encryption device.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system further comprises an Ethernet line connected to the controller and the at least one encryption device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one EM signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the RF signal is one of a very high frequency (VHF) signal, an ultra high frequency (UHF) signal, and a high frequency (HF) signal.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one encryption device comprises a first channel and a second channel.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first channel is associated with the first radio, and the second channel is associated with the second radio.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Ho Hai D
• Nguyen Daniel D
• Schultz Brian
• Huber Robert F
• Le Phu
• Chihak Carl

Classifications

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• H04B17/00

  Monitoring; Testing (of line transmission systems H04B3/46; arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves H04B10/07) · CPC title

• H04W24/06 Primary

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using simulated traffic · CPC title

• H04W24/10

  Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} · CPC title

• H04B17/23

  Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means · CPC title