# US 10,873,460 B2 · UAV authentication method and system

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- Number: US 10,873,460 B2
- Document ID: US10873460B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/003,799
- Filed: 2018-06-08
- Published: 2018-10-11
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-10
- Assignees: Sz Dji Technology Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Sz Dji Technology Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yongsen Chen; Ming Gong; Ming Chen; Zhun Ding
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873460B2

## CPC

- H04L 9/3228: {One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key}
- G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication
- G06F 21/73: by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
- G08G 5/21: located onboard the aircraft
- G08G 5/26: Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft and ground stations
- G08G 5/55: for a single aircraft
- G08G 5/57: for unmanned aircraft
- H04L 9/0822: {using key encryption key}
- H04L 9/0833: {involving conference or group key (network architectures or network communication protocols for key management in group communication in a packet data network H04L63/065)}
- H04L 9/3271: {using challenge-response}
- H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload}
- H04L 63/0869: {for achieving mutual authentication (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273)}
- H04L 63/123: {received data contents, e.g. message integrity}
- B64U 20/80: Arrangement of on-board electronics, e.g. avionics systems or wiring
- B64U 20/87: Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
- B64U 2101/20: for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

An authentication method includes that an authentication apparatus of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) generates a session key, the authentication apparatus receives a device identification (ID) of a device and a randomly generated random number from the device of the UAV, the authentication apparatus obtains a device key of the device according to the device ID of the device, the authentication apparatus encrypts the session key and the random number according to the device key of the device, and the authentication apparatus sends the encrypted session key and the encrypted random number to the device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An authentication method comprising:
generating, by an authentication apparatus of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a session key;
receiving, by the authentication apparatus from a device of the UAV, a device identification (ID) of the device and a randomly generated random number;
obtaining, by the authentication apparatus, a device key of the device according to the device ID of the device;
encrypting, by the authentication apparatus, the session key and the random number according to the device key of the device;
sending, by the authentication apparatus, the encrypted session key and the encrypted random number to the device; and
receiving, by the authentication apparatus from the device, a message command generated using a decrypted session key and a decrypted random number obtained by the device decrypting the encrypted session key and the encrypted random number.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, by the authentication apparatus, whether an authentication of the device is passed, according to the received message command.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the authentication of the device is passed includes:
checking the received message command through a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC);
determining the authentication of the device is failed, in response to an error being found; and
determining the authentication of the device is passed, in response to no error being found.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the authentication of the device is passed includes:
checking an integrity of the message command by comparing a first message digest of the received message command with a second message digest of the message command sent by the device;
determining the authentication of the device is passed, in response to the first message digest being consistent with the second message digest; and
determining the authentication of the device is failed, in response to the first message digest being inconsistent with the second message digest.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the authentication apparatus corresponds to an authentication key.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein:
the device key of the device is generated according to the device ID of the device and the authentication key.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining the device key of the device includes:
generating the device key of the device in real time.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the device belongs to one of a plurality of groups of devices; and
each of the groups corresponds to a device type having a device type ID identifying the device type.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein:
the device key of the device is generated according to the device ID of the device, the authentication key, and a device type key of the device type corresponding to the group to which the device belongs.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the device key of the device is pre-programmed in a storage chip of the UAV and/or solidified in firmware of the UAV.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining the device key of the device includes:
reading the device key of the device from the storage chip, according to the device ID of the device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
decrypting, by the device according to the device key of the device, the encrypted session key and the encrypted random number; and
determining, by the device according to the decrypted random number and the randomly generated random number, whether the device passes an authentication with the authentication apparatus, including:
determining the authentication with the authentication apparatus is passed in response to the decrypted random number being consistent with the randomly generated random number; and
determining the authentication with the authentication apparatus is failed in response to the decrypted random number being inconsistent with the randomly generated random number.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1,
wherein the device belongs to one of at least two groups including a first group of devices of the UAV and a second group of devices of the UAV;
the method further comprising:
prohibiting the UAV from starting, in response to that at least one of the first group of devices fails to pass the authentication with the authentication apparatus or at least one of the first group of devices fails to authenticate the authentication apparatus.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
instructing the device to perform a key exchange using feedback information, in response to the authentication apparatus being out of power.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating a command sequence number when the session key is generated;
encrypting the session key, the random number, and the command sequence number, according to the device key of the device; and
sending the encrypted session key, the encrypted random number, and the encrypted command sequence number to the device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein:
the command sequence number is automatically incremented by a preset value at a preset time interval or every time a command is sent.

### Claim 17

A secure communication method comprising:
obtaining, by a first device, a session key and a command sequence number;
generating, by the first device, a message request to communicate with a second device;
updating, by the first device, the command sequence number;
encrypting, by the first device, the message request and performing message authorization code (MAC) computation on the message request;
sending, by the first device, the encrypted and MAC-computed message request and the updated command sequence number to the second device;
receiving, by the second device, an MAC, the encrypted and MAC-computed message request, and the updated command sequence number that are sent by the first device;
changing, by the second device, a stored command sequence number stored in a storage apparatus to the updated command sequence number, in response to the updated command sequence number being greater than the stored command sequence number;
decrypting, by the second device, the encrypted and MAC-computed message request using the session key to generate a decrypted message request;
verifying, by the second device, the received MAC;
generating, by the second device in response to that a verification of the received MAC is passed, a response message based on the decrypted message request;
generating, by the second device, another MAC, according to the updated command sequence number, the received session key, and the response message;
encrypting, by the second device, the response message using the session key; and
sending, by the second device, the another MAC, the encrypted response message, and the updated command sequence number to the first device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further including:
receiving, by the first device, the another MAC generated based on the received command sequence number, the session key, and the response message, the encrypted response message, and the command sequence number sent by the second device;
verifying, by the first device, the received another MAC; and
decrypting, by the first device, the encrypted response message in response to that the verification of the received another MAC is passed.

### Claim 19

A flight controller of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the flight controller being configured to:
generate a session key;
receive a device ID of a functional assembly of the UAV and a random number;
obtain a device key of the functional assembly according to the device ID of the functional assembly;
encrypt the session key and the random number according to the device key of the functional assembly;
send the encrypted session key and the encrypted random number to the functional assembly; and
receive a message command generated using a decrypted session key and a decrypted random number obtained by the functional assembly decrypting the encrypted session key and the encrypted random number.