Abstract:
A communication system includes a first wireless communication device for providing communication access for a mobile computer device in a first communication area. The first wireless communication device comprises an access control system for granting access based on authentication information known by the mobile computer device. A second communication device provides the authentication information for the mobile computer device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for granting access, executable by the communication system mentioned above, as well as to a maintenance system and/or an aircraft having such communication system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to German Patent Application No. 10 2013 105 746.2, filed on Jun. 4, 2013, the entire contents of German Patent Application No. 10 2013 105 746.2 are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a communication system having a first wireless communication device for providing communication access for a mobile computer device in a first communication area. The first wireless communication device has an access control system for granting access based on authentication information known by the mobile computer device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for granting access to such communication system, wherein authentication information is received from a mobile computer device, is checked and, if the authentication information will be correct, access is granted to the communication system. The invention also relates to an aircraft and/or a maintenance system having such communication system and/or for performing the method. 
         [0004]    2. Background Information 
         [0005]    External service units/computer device for the maintenance of mobile and immobile entities require connection to the system to be maintained. In this way, it is intended to ensure that access is authorised. Conventionally this is achieved by realising connection to the system which is to be maintained, in a protected and access-restricted area (basement, cockpit). On the one hand, use of wireless ambient communication (WLAN, ZigBee) simplifies connection of the external maintenance device, but on the other hand eliminates inherent combination of connection point and access restriction. 
         [0006]    WPA2 and the RADIUS Standard (802.1X) are for example known as an apparatus authentication method. Most of the authentication methods are based on the fact that secret authentication information is known by a wireless communication computer device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An object of the invention is to improve a communication system of the type mentioned above such that any authentication information may safely be transmitted to the computer device by the communication system. 
         [0008]    Thus, the disclosed embodiments provide a communication system which comprises a second communication device for providing the mobile computer device with authentication information. 
         [0009]    Such a communication system allows arrangement of the second communication device in a protected area such that authentication information is exclusively transmitted to a computer device having access to that protected area. No input of authentication information into the mobile computer device is required by the user of the mobile computer device, thereby reducing operating errors. 
         [0010]    The second communication device may be a wireless communication device, wherein the second communication device has a second communication area, which is smaller than the first communication area. It is advantageous for the transmitting power of the second communication device to be reduced with respect to the transmitting power of the first communication device. Therefore, for receiving the authentication information the mobile computer device is required to be located in a comparably narrow area. 
         [0011]    The second communication device may be wire-bound. Consequently, connecting the mobile computer device and receiving authentication information is only possible at a physical access location, which may easily be protected. 
         [0012]    The communication system may comprise an authentication information memory for recording valid authentication information, which is readable by the first and second communication device. The second communication device may thereby provide current authentication information, which is accepted by the first communication device or the access control system thereof, respectively. 
         [0013]    Advantageously, the second communication area will not exceed any protected access space. Consequently, physical presence of the mobile computer device in that space is required. In this way, it may easily be understood, which computer device will receive access authorization. 
         [0014]    The communication system may comprise a terminal for user identification. In this way, is it possible to perform a two-factor authentication, for example by requiring PIN input or an identification card in addition to the presence of the mobile computer device. 
         [0015]    Furthermore, certain disclosed embodiments include step of transmitting authentication information via a second communication device. 
         [0016]    Provision may be made for the second communication area of the second communication device to be set such that the second communication area is smaller than the first communication area. In this way, possibility of receiving the authentication information will be restricted to a physically limited area. 
         [0017]    Moreover, provision may be made for the authentication information to be transmitted not before verification of access authorization is transmitted via a terminal device. Access authorisation may be verified by entering a personnel identification code into the terminal device and/or reading data from an identification card by the terminal device. By way of such two-factor authentication safety of the communication system is increased. 
         [0018]    Certain disclosed embodiments provide an aircraft having such communication system as well as by a communication system for performing the above-mentioned method. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    In the following, the invention will be explained in detail by way of exemplary embodiments, which are schematically represented in the accompanying figures, wherein: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is an overview over a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is an overview over a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is an arrangement of the components of the second embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  represents a communication system  10  having a first communication device  12 . The first communication device  12  provides a network  14  with the wireless communication access. Different computer systems may be connected to the network  14 , which may fulfill different functions. 
         [0024]    The first communication device  12 , which is formed as a WLAN access, comprises a first communication area  16 , where a mobile computer device  18 ,  20  may communicate with it. In the case under consideration, the first communication area  16  is limited by the transmitting and receiving power of the first communication device  12  as well as of the mobile computer device  18 ,  20 . 
         [0025]    The first communication device  12  comprises an access control system (not shown) making decision whether access to the first communication device  12  is granted to a mobile computer device  18 ,  20 . Such access control system may be implemented in different ways. In the case under consideration, an authentication information, which is for the encryption of data transfer between the mobile computer device  18 ,  20  and the first communication device  12 , is required to be known by the mobile computer device  18 ,  20 . In the context of encrypting WPA2, this authentication information is a certificate or a password. 
         [0026]    If the certificate or the password is not known by the mobile computer device  18 ,  20 , then it is not able to transmit to or receive correctly encrypted data from the first communication device  12 . In this way, access to the first communication device  12  is effectively refused. 
         [0027]    There is a plurality of other methods for authentication, which each are based on the fact that an authentication information is known by the mobile computer device  18 ,  20 , if it is authorised to access. 
         [0028]    The communication system  10  comprises an authentication information memory  22  for recording valid authentication information. Communication devices  12 , which are connected, may access the authentication information memory  22  via the network  14  and in this way may determine, which authentication information will be valid. 
         [0029]    In specific situations, permanent access to the first communication device  12  is not intended to be granted to a mobile computer device  18 ,  20 . This for example applies to maintenance systems, in which access is intended to be granted to mobile diagnostic apparatuses solely for the maintenance time, since it is intended that they are used for the maintenance of different systems. For such a maintenance time temporary authentication information is generated which is transmitted to the mobile computer device  18 ,  20 . For the generation of this temporary authentication information the communication system  10  comprises an authentication information generating device  30 . The authentication information generating device  30  generates authentication information, which for example is to be deposited in the authentication information memory  22 . 
         [0030]    For transmitting temporary authentication information the communication system  10  comprises a second communication device  24  having a second communication area  26 . If the mobile computer device  18 ,  20  is in the second communication area  26 , then it may request authentication information from the second communication device  24  in order to access the first communication device  12 . 
         [0031]    In order to transmit this temporary authentication information solely to the mobile computer device  18 ,  20 , which actually is involved in maintenance, the second communication area  26  is smaller than the first communication area  16  and is arranged in a secure area  28 , which is only accessible for authorised persons, especially for maintenance personnel. In an aircraft, a suitable area  28  would be the cockpit. 
         [0032]    Since the mobile computer device  20  is in the secured area  28 , and is also in the second communication area  26 , it is assumed that access to the first communication device  12  is also granted to the computer device  20 . The mobile computer device  18 , which is not in the second communication area  26 , is not able to request authentication information, since it is not able to receive messages from the second communication device  24 . 
         [0033]    In addition to the requirement to have access to the secured area  28  release of the authentication information is linked to activation by a terminal device  32 . The terminal device  32  requests additional identification, for example a pincode or personnel identification badge. For this purpose the terminal device  32  may have a keyboard and/or a card reader. Authentication information will not be transmitted to the mobile computer device  20  before having successfully completed this additional identification. 
         [0034]    However, release of the authentication information by the terminal device  32  is not essential, so that the terminal device  32  is substantially not required. 
         [0035]    Wireless systems are used in aerospace industry, but due to safety requirements (protection from unauthorised intervention), they are mostly realised merely as a reading access to measuring systems (tire pressure, high lift torque limiter). In building services engineering, such systems are also used as mere reading systems, for example for reading electricity and heating costs. 
         [0036]    Maintenance and repair of mobile and immobile entities (e.g. airplane, car, train, houses) may be simplified by the use of wireless equipment.  FIG. 2  represents this fact for the maintenance of an airplane  50 . The airplane  50  is provided with a first communication device in the form of a wireless connection point  12  and a maintenance technician may perform status queries or maintenance functions with the help of a wireless device in the form of a mobile computer device  18 —from any position at or in the airplane  50 . 
         [0037]    Consequently he no longer depends on direct reading the status from the source (e.g. gear in wing) or to synchronize with additional personnel in the cockpit for gear turning off and on.  FIG. 2  represents access of a wireless device  18  to the wireless connection point  12  of the airplane  50  e.g. via IEEE802.11. 
         [0038]    Conventionally, exclusive and safe utilisation of status queries and maintenance functions is achieved in that connection to the system to be maintained is performed in a wire-bound manner in a protected and access-restricted area of the maintenance object (connection of a plug in the basement, under the hood or in the driver cabin). However, use of wireless devices  18  eliminates inherent combination of connection point and access restriction. 
         [0039]    The use of wireless devices  18  therefore requires solely wireless devices  18  to be allowed to connect to the wireless connection point  12  in order to access status information and maintenance functions of the maintenance objects. It is essential that this will only be allowed for a limited period of time (maintenance session). 
         [0040]    The present invention resides in that use is made of the presence of an access-restricted area  28  in order to, at that location, authorize wireless devices  18  at a second communication device in the form of an authorization point  24  having wireless near-field communication (e.g. NFC, RFID, infrared) and to grant access to them to the wireless connection point  12  for a maintenance session. 
         [0041]    In an airplane, the access-limited area may e.g. be the cockpit  28  or the cargo area. In  FIG. 3 , the cockpit  28  is represented by an access-limited area having wireless authorization point  24 . 
         [0042]    The mobile computer device  18  constitutes an external maintenance device, which is provided with two types of wireless interfaces, as is the system to be maintained. An interface for the near-field (for example NFC, RFID) and one (or more) wireless interfaces for the wireless ambient communication (for example WLAN). The near-field interface exclusively is located in a protected and access-restricted area  28  (cockpit, enclosed basement compartment, car interior). First, the session code (“session key”) is transmitted via the near-field interface, which then enables the external maintenance device  18  to contact the maintenance system via the wireless ambient communication. 
         [0043]    Before the wireless device  18  may become connected to the wireless connection point  12  it must get knowledge of the key for the maintenance session via the authorisation point  24  in the access-restricted area  28 . After completion of the maintenance session, the wireless connection point  12  invalidates the key and terminates connection to the wireless device  18 . The wireless device  18  may not access control data and maintenance functions of the maintenance object before new authorisation and receipt of a new key. 
         [0044]    The advantages of the present invention comprise the fact that the external maintenance device  18  will no longer be localized. In this way, a service technician will be able to perform operations (for example starting a heater pump) and simultaneously will be able to watch the effect at the remote heater. Moreover, no elaborate configuration of the access authorisation of the ambient communication will be required. 
         [0045]    The system safety may be re-established via the near-field interface by a software update of the external maintenance device  18 . In the secured area there may be provided an additional safety device, for example in the form of a terminal device  32 , for example in the form of an input device for a PIN code or of a card reader for a company ID. 
         [0046]    The second communication area  26  may thereby be reduced such that a transmitting power of the second communication device is reduced. Moreover, it will be enabled for the second communication area  26  to be modified such that an antenna of the second communication device  24  will have a specified form or such that screening devices, limiting a transmission and/or receiving area of the second communication device  24 , will be provided. 
         [0047]    The first communication device  12  may not only be based on IEEE802.11 (WLAN), but on any wireless standard (for example ZigBee or Bluetooth). 
         [0048]    The authentication information memory  22  as well as the authentication information generating device  30  are shown as separate devices connected via the networks  24  to the communication devices  12 ,  24 . It is also possible to provide the authentication information memory  22  and/or the authentication information generating device  30  as a shared device. Moreover, the authentication information memory  22  and/or the authentication information generating device  30  may be integrated into one of the communication devices  12 ,  24 . 
         [0049]    In the present exemplary embodiment the communication devices  12 ,  24  are formed separately, but they may as well be integrated into a single communication device. The second communication device  24  may be arranged exterior of the first communication area  16 . 
         [0050]    The authentication information memory  22  may provide for authentication information to become invalid or to be deleted after a specified period of time has elapsed. Moreover, the authentication information memory  22  may provide for temporary authentication information generated for a maintenance to be able to be deleted on request at the end of a maintenance. 
         [0051]    The present invention enables access control to a wireless network in an easy and simple manner, the access control being simultaneously both easily operable and reliable.