Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for terrestrial data transmission between aircrafts and external networks connected to gates at airports. This type of data transmission is performed through an electrical power cable that includes multiple conductors interconnecting electrical components of an aircraft and a gate. Each conductor may be used to establish a separate broadband over power line (BPL) communication channel using its own frequency range that does not overlap with frequency ranges of other channels. As such, no radio frequency (RF) shielding is needed in the cable and any standard multi-conductor cable may be used. A channel management unit is used to control allocation of data domains among different communication channels depending on characteristics of the data domains, characteristics of the channels, and other factors. For example, one channel may be designated for secure data transfer of specific data domains, such as aircraft control data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing identification devices on an aircraft. An occurrence of an event is identified using information for a plurality of identification devices. Each of the plurality of identification devices is associated with a plurality of components on the aircraft. The information for the plurality of identification devices comprises data received from the plurality of identification devices and specification data for the plurality of identification devices. In response to identifying the occurrence of the event, a number of operations for the plurality of identification devices are initiated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing parts. Location information is displayed for a part on an aircraft on a mobile device. A determination is made as to whether the part is present in a location using a sensor system in the mobile device when the mobile device is in a zone including the location. A presence of the part in the location is indicated in response to the part being present in the location.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying and/or geolocating network nodes in a network in attenuated environments for cyber and network security applications are disclosed. The system involves an origination network node, a destination network node, and at least one router network node. The origination network node is configured for transmitting a data packet downstream to the destination network node through at least one router network node. The data packet contains a header portion and a payload data portion. At least one of the network nodes is an enabled network node. The enabled network node(s) is configured to verify any of the network nodes that are located upstream from the enabled network node(s) by analyzing the header portion and/or the payload data portion of the data packet.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are described for communication in a tactical network. A gateway is communicatively couplable to one or more tactical nodes and to one or more other gateways. The gateway is programmed to transmit information to and/or receive information from other gateways. Information exchanged includes gateway attributes, link attributes, service availability, and/or data availability. The gateway optionally provides quality of service, distributed persistence, load balancing, and/or transformation services. Services are provided in a modular, service-oriented architecture (SOA) to accommodate the addition of services and/or applications.

Abstract: A system for data synchronization of intermittently connected sensors may include an RFID system and an information management system. The system may also include an application to insure integrity of data retrieved or posted between the RFID system and the information management system.

Abstract: A server includes a memory device configured to store a plurality of computer-executable instructions, and a processor coupled to the memory device. When the processor executes the plurality of computer-executable instructions, the processor is programmed to determine an available spectrum of frequencies within a location over time, and receive a request from a wireless device to access the available spectrum for a predefined duration. The processor is also programmed to select a frequency band within the spectrum that is available to be used by the wireless device for the predefined duration, and transmit an authorization message to the wireless device to use the selected frequency band.

Abstract: A method and associated wireless monitor and data analysis system are provided. The method includes installing one or more of a plurality of wireless monitors at respective locations onboard a complex system on which a wireless system of interest is installed or planned for installation. The method may then include by the plurality of wireless monitors, emulating the wireless system of interest, and recording data related to performance of the wireless system of interest at one or more recorded times over a plurality of operating conditions of the complex system. The method may also include by the plurality of wireless monitors, collecting data including the respective locations of the wireless monitors correlated with respective recorded data and recorded times. In this regard, the collected data for the plurality of wireless monitors may be retrievable for analysis of the wireless system of interest based thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a structure including a cavity that, when excited with electromagnetic energy, produces an electric field having randomized distribution of field amplitude and polarity. The apparatus further comprises a sensor within the cavity. The sensor has a plurality of antennas for wirelessly harvesting operating power along different paths within the cavity.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in identifying cyber-security threats for an aircraft are provided. The method includes storing parts information relating to each hardware and software component used on the aircraft in an aircraft parts database, receiving, by a computing device, a cyber-security threat, and determining, by the computing device, a threat is relevant to the aircraft by comparing the received threats to the stored parts information.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying and/or geolocating network nodes in a network in attenuated environments for cyber and network security applications are disclosed. The system involves an origination network node, a destination network node, and at least one router network node. The origination network node is configured for transmitting a data packet downstream to the destination network node through at least one router network node. The data packet contains a header portion and a payload data portion. At least one of the network nodes is an enabled network node. The enabled network node(s) is configured to verify any of the network nodes that are located upstream from the enabled network node(s) by analyzing the header portion and/or the payload data portion of the data packet.

Abstract: System, methods, and devices for a self-sustaining differential corrections network that employs roving reference devices (RRDs) as reference stations for improving positioning, navigation, and timing (PN&T) solutions for other enabled local roving and/or stationary receiving devices (RDs) are disclosed herein. The disclosed differential correction system enhancement leverages RRDs enabled for a non-global positioning system (non-GPS), secondary PN&T signal to characterize local errors. These local errors are then used by local RDs in combination with a signal to calculate an improved PN&T estimate for the RDs.

Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for analyzing the health of a structure by measuring the value of preload on each of a plurality of fasteners installed on the structure and correlating the measured values of preload with a set of specifications. A report is generated for each of the fasteners representing the results of the correlations. Groups of the fastener reports are used to infer the health of the structure.

Abstract: A system for tracking objects that include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated therewith. The system including a structure substantially defining an enclosure, a reflective interior of the enclosure configured for the reflection of radio signals, at least one conveyor belt that transports the objects through the structure, at least one RFID reader panel inside the structure, wherein the at least one RFID reader panel transmits a radio signal into the interior of the structure such that the radio signal will reflect off of the interior of the structure to increase a probability that the RFID tags associated with the objects that enter the structure are read, and an operator terminal that receives and stores information regarding read RFID tags from the at least one reader panel.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for contextual-based virtual data boundaries are disclosed herein. In particular, the present disclosure relates to improvements in access control that work to restrict the accessibility of data based on assigning contextual data thresholds that create a virtual boundary. Specifically, the disclosed method involves assigning at least one threshold to at least one contextual criterion. The method further involves determining whether contextual information from the claimant meets at least one threshold to at least one contextual criterion. Also, the method involves authenticating the claimant, if the contextual information from the claimant meets at least one of the thresholds to at least one contextual criterion. Further, the method involves allowing the claimant access to the data, if the claimant is authenticated.

Abstract: A method is described for routing data from a first node to a second node via a gateway. The second node is detected at the gateway, which determines a local identifier of the second node. A name and a global address are associated with the second node. The name and the global address are published to a name service, such that the first node can retrieve the global address based on the name. The gateway receives data from the first node that is addressed to the global address and transmits the data to the second node using the local identifier. The gateway includes software implementing a service-oriented architecture (SOA). Any number of additional services may be added to process messages passing through the gateway.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for secure routing based on a degree of trust are disclosed herein. The disclosed method involves assigning a level of trust to at least one network node, and utilizing the level of trust to determine a degree of security of the network node(s). The level of trust of the network node(s) is related to an amount of certainty of the physical location of the network node(s). The amount of certainty is attained from the network node(s) being located in a known secure location, and/or from verification of the physical location of the network node(s) by using satellite geolocation techniques or by using network ping ranging measurements. The method further involves utilizing the level of trust of the network node(s) to determine a degree of trust of at least one path for routing the data, where the path(s) includes at least one of the network nodes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing parts. Location information is displayed for a part on an aircraft on a mobile device. A determination is made as to whether the part is present in a location using a sensor system in the mobile device when the mobile device is in a zone including the location. A presence of the part in the location is indicated in response to the part being present in the location.

Abstract: A software based wireless infrastructure system is provided. The system has a driver that communicates with the network stack and a network interface card (NIC), a station server in communication with the station driver and an 802.1X supplicant or an 802.1X authenticator. Each NIC provides station and/or access point functionality support. The driver drops packets that have been received if the packet has not been authenticated and associated. Packets that have been fragmented or encrypted are unfragmented and decrypted. An association manager is used in conjunction with a configuration table manager to associate stations and access points via management packets. A manager receives 802.1X data packets from the packet processor and sends them up to a station server that communicates with user mode applications and an 802.1X supplicant or an 802.1X authenticator that are used to authenticate and deauthenticate stations and access points. APIs are provided to enable communication between the components.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in identifying abnormal behavior in a control system. Operating events associated with a control system are received, and an actual behavior of the control system is determined based on the received operating events. The actual behavior is compared to expected behavior to determine whether the actual behavior differs from the expected behavior. The expected behavior includes a correlation between a plurality of operating events associated with the control system. The expected behavior is updated based on an indication of whether the actual behavior is abnormal from a user.