Patent ID: 9160543
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for verifying data for use on an aircraft, comprising: receiving, by a processor unit, a plurality of digital certificates associated with the data; verifying, for each digital certificate in the plurality of digital certificates, an issuer of the digital certificate as being in a list of acceptable certificate authorities, in a processing system on the aircraft; determining, by the processor unit, whether one of the plurality of digital certificates is compromised; selecting, by the processor unit, a selected number of the plurality of digital certificates in response to the determination that the one of the plurality of digital certificates is compromised, the selected number being determined based upon a quorum rule selected from quorum rules that are based upon a number of aircraft systems on which the data will be used and a location of the aircraft when the data is loaded; verifying, by the processor unit, the data for use on the aircraft using the selected number of the plurality of digital certificates; wherein verifying the data for use on the aircraft using the selected number of the plurality of digital certificates comprises determining whether at least a specified number of the selected number of the plurality of digital certificates is valid; and wherein the specified number is defined by the quorum rule, the quorum rule being composed of one, or more, of: a quorum rule for an operator of an aircraft; a quorum rule for an aircraft maintenance entity; a quorum rule for an aircraft type; a quorum rule for an aircraft system on which data will be used; a quorum rule for the number of aircraft systems on which data will be used; and a quorum rule for use when a certificate authority is known to be, or suspected of being compromised.