Patent ID: 7876259

Claim:
In an automatic secure dependent surveillance system (ADS-S) for protecting communications between a ground terminal connected to a terminal radar approach control (TRACON) control center and aircraft within an airspace controlled by the TRACON control center, said airspace hereinafter referred to as the TRACON, the improvement wherein: said ground terminal is an ADS-S radio frequency (RF) ground terminal including an antenna having a data rate capability in the range of megabits per second per beam for respectively transmitting ground-to-air messages and receiving air-to-ground messages between said ground terminal and said aircraft within the TRACON, and said ground terminal is connected to an encryption/decryption processor arranged such that each one of said ground-to-air and air-to-ground messages within the TRACON is individually encrypted by providing a unique code or code state for each aircraft to protect against unauthorized reading of the messages.