# US 2022/0286278 A1 · Methods and apparatus to broadcast data packets in a process control environment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0286278 A1 - Document ID: US20220286278A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/751,458 - Filed: 2022-05-23 - Published: 2022-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-08 - Assignees: Fisher Controls International LLC - Applicants: Fisher Controls International LLC - Inventors: Kenneth William Junk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220286278A1 ## CPC - H04L 9/088: {Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms (network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068)} - H04L 63/061: {for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838)} - G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) - H04W 12/033: of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic - H04W 12/106: Packet or message integrity - G05B 2219/25205: Encrypt communication - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract An example method to obtain process data associated with a process control system received from a field device includes identifying, at a computing device, associated data and a payload included in the data packet, the associated data including a source bit, determining, at the computing device, a type of connection between the field device and the computing device based on the source bit, determining, at the computing device, an encryption key identifier and an initialization vector based on an auxiliary data packet received prior to the data packet, generating, at the computing device, a nonce value based on the source bit and the initialization vector, the nonce value indicative of an input to a data encryption algorithm used by the field device to encrypt the payload, and extracting, at the computing device, the process data associated with the process control system from the payload. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method to obtain process data associated with a process control system received from a field device, the method comprising: in response to receiving a data packet, identifying, at a computing device, associated data and a payload included in the data packet, the associated data including a source bit; determining, at the computing device, a type of connection between the field device and the computing device based on the source bit; determining, at the computing device, an encryption key identifier and an initialization vector based on an auxiliary data packet received prior to the data packet; generating, at the computing device, a nonce value based on the source bit and the initialization vector, the nonce value indicative of an input to a data encryption algorithm used by the field device to encrypt the payload; and extracting, at the computing device, the process data associated with the process control system from the payload using the data encryption algorithm based on the encryption key identifier and the nonce value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet further includes a message integrity check (MIC), the computing device to decrypt the MIC to generate a message authentication code (MAC) for the payload and the associated data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further including determining whether the payload or the associated data has been altered based on the MAC. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the associated data further includes a direction bit to indicate a direction of transmission of the data packet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein generating the nonce value is further based on the direction bit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the associated data further includes a counter used to generate the nonce value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: adding, at the computing device, a protocol address to the payload corresponding to an industrial communication protocol; and generating, at the computing device, a message including the payload and the protocol address, the message corresponding to a data packet formatted according to the industrial communication protocol. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further including transmitting the message to a host application running on the computing device. ### Claim 9 A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to obtain process data associated with a process control system received from a field device, the computing device to at least: in response to receiving a data packet, identify associated data and a payload included in the data packet, the associated data including a source bit; determine a type of connection between the field device and the computing device based on the source bit; determine an encryption key identifier and an initialization vector based on an auxiliary data packet received prior to the data packet; generate a nonce value based on the source bit and the initialization vector, the nonce value indicative of an input to a data encryption algorithm used by the field device to encrypt the payload; and extract the process data associated with the process control system from the payload using the data encryption algorithm based on the encryption key identifier and the nonce value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the data packet further includes a message integrity check (MIC) and the instructions further cause the computing device to decrypt the MIC to generate a message authentication code (MAC) for the payload and the associated data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to determine whether the payload or the associated data has been altered based on the MAC. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the associated data further includes a direction bit to indicate a direction of transmission of the data packet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computing device generates the nonce value based additionally on the direction bit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to: add a protocol address to the payload corresponding to an industrial communication protocol; and generate a message including the payload and the protocol address, the message corresponding to a data packet formatted according to the industrial communication protocol. ### Claim 15 A system to obtain process data associated with a process control system received from a field device, the system comprising: a field device to broadcast a data packet including a payload and associated data, the payload including process data associated with a process control system, the associated data including a source bit; and a computing device to: in response to receiving the data packet, identify the source bit and the payload included in the data packet; determine a type of connection between the field device and the computing device based on the source bit; determine an encryption key identifier and an initialization vector based on an auxiliary data packet received prior to the data packet; generate a nonce value based on the source bit and the initialization vector, the nonce value indicative of an input to a data encryption algorithm used by the field device to encrypt the payload; and extract the process data associated with the process control system from the payload using the data encryption algorithm based on the encryption key identifier and the nonce value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the data packet further includes a message integrity check (MIC) and the computing device is further to decrypt the MIC to generate a MAC for the payload and the associated data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device is further to determine whether the payload or the associated data has been altered based on the MAC. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the associated data further includes a direction bit to indicate a direction of transmission of the data packet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the computing device generates the nonce value based additionally on the direction bit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is further to: add a protocol address to the payload corresponding to an industrial communication protocol; and generate a message including the payload and the protocol address, the message corresponding to a data packet formatted according to the industrial communication protocol.