Method and Apparatus for Generating and Securely Distributing Long-Term Satellite Tracking Information

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating and distributing satellite tracking data to a remote receiver is disclosed. The method for includes extracting from memory at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data, generating formatted data from the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data, the formatting data being in a format supported by the remote receiver, applying security to the formatted data to prevent unauthorized access to and/or tampering with the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data; and transmitting the formatted data to the remote receiver.

1 . A method for distributing long term satellite tracking data to a remote receiver comprising:
 extracting from memory at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data;   generating formatted data from the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data, the formatting data being in a format supported by the remote receiver;   applying security to the formatted data to prevent unauthorized access to the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data; and   transmitting the formatted data to the remote receiver.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying security to the formatted data comprises encrypting the formatted data to prevent unauthorized access to the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying security to the formatted data operates to ensure to the remote receiver that the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data is unadulterated. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the long-term-satellite-tracking data comprises at least one of: a plurality of satellite positions with respect to time for a period of time into the future, and a plurality of satellite clock offsets with respect to time for a period of time into the future. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the long-term-satellite-tracking data comprises at least one of: data representative of satellite positions, velocities or acceleration; data representative of satellite clock offsets, drift or drift rates. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the long-term-satellite-tracking data is valid for a first period of time, wherein the at least a portion of the long term satellite tracking data is valid for a second period of time, and wherein the first period is longer than the second period. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying security to the formatted data comprises applying any of cryptosecurity, transmission security, emission security, and traffic-flow security to prevent unauthorized access to the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying security to the formatted data comprises applying a security protocol and a communication protocol to the formatted data, wherein the security protocol is combined with a communication protocol. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the remote receiver a request for security credentials for removing the security from the formatted data; and   sending to the remote receiver the security credentials.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: ensuring that, prior to sending the security credentials, payment for the remote receiver to obtain the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data is accounted for. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the payment for the remote receiver to obtain the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data is a fee arrangement. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 sending to the remote receiver a request for information to substantiate that the remote receiver authorized to access the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data; and   receiving from the remote receiver the information to substantiate that the remote receiver authorized to access the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: ensuring that, prior to sending the security credentials, payment for the remote receiver to obtain the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data is accounted for, wherein the information to substantiate that the remote receiver authorized to access the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data comprises information to validate the payment for the remoter receiver to obtain the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the formatted data comprises: transmitting the formatted data over a wireless communications link. 
   
   
       15 . A method for obtaining at a remote receiver long-term-satellite-tracking data distributed over a communications link, the method comprising:
 receiving at the remote receiver formatted data, wherein the formatted data comprises at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data that is extracted from memory of a device remote from the remote receiver, formatted in a format supported by the remote receiver, and applied with security to prevent unauthorized access to the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data; and   removing the security from the formatted data.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the security comprises encryption, and wherein removing the security comprises decrypting the encryption to access the formatted data. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein removing the security from the formatted data comprises ensuring that the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data is unadulterated. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein removing the security from the formatted data comprises removing any of cryptosecurity, transmission security, emission security, and traffic-flow security used to prevent unauthorized access to the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sending from the remote receiver a request for security credentials for removing the security from the formatted data; and   receiving at the remote receiver the security credentials, wherein removing the security from the formatted data comprises substantiating the security credentials to remove the security from the formatted data.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising: supplying, in response to a request for information to substantiate that the remote receiver authorized to access the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data, payment for the remote receiver to obtain the at least a portion of long-term-satellite-tracking data is accounted for.