REMOTE DIGITAL FIRING SYSTEM

1 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . A method for hiding the intent of an operator of a remote digital firing system for firing a remote mission payload, the method comprising:

generating a first encrypted heartbeat status request message containing a quantity of data that is the same as the quantity of data contained in encrypted arm, fire, and safe/disarm messages;

transmitting the first encrypted heartbeat status request message;

waiting for a randomly selected period of time;

generating a second encrypted heartbeat status request message containing a quantity of data that is the same as the quantity of data contained in encrypted arm, fire, and safe/disarm messages; and

transmitting the second encrypted heartbeat status request message.

28 - 34 . (canceled)

35 . A method of diagnosing a remote digital firing system remotely and securely, without revealing to an observer the status of the system, the method comprising:

providing a remote digital firing system comprising a firing circuit, a digital code plug, and a firing control panel to fire a remote mission payload communicatively coupled to the firing circuit;

generating and encrypting, at the firing circuit, a message comprising information about an error made by the firing circuit and a possible cause of the error;

transmitting the message to the firing control panel;

decrypting the message at the control panel; and

generating a parsable local message.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the parsable local message is displayed to a user.

37 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the parsable local message is recorded in a log.

38 . The method of claim 35 , further comprising:

providing a remote digital firing system further comprising first and second firing circuits, first and second digital code plugs, and a firing control panel to fire first and second remote digital payloads communicatively coupled to the first and second firing circuits, respectively;

generating and encrypting, at the second firing circuit, a second message comprising information about an error made by the second firing circuit and a possible cause of the error;

transmitting the second message to the firing control panel;

decrypting the second message at the control panel; and

generating a second parsable local message.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the second parsable local message is displayed to a user.

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the second parsable local message is recorded in a log.

41 . A method performed by a firing control panel, the method comprising:

generating a first encrypted command message, the first encrypted command message containing a first quantity of data, the first encrypted command message being an ARM, FIRE, or SAFE/DISARM command message;

transmitting the first encrypted command message to a firing circuit communicatively coupled to a remote mission payload;

generating a first encrypted heartbeat message, the first encrypted heartbeat message having a second quantity of data equal to the first quantity of data contained in the first encrypted command message, the first encrypted heartbeat message not containing a command to ARM, FIRE, or SAFE/DISARM the firing circuit; and

transmitting the first encrypted heartbeat message to the firing circuit.

42 . The method of claim 41 , wherein the first encrypted heart beat message is a status request message.

43 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising receiving a status message from the firing circuit.

44 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:

selecting a period of time;

waiting for the selected period of time;

generating a second encrypted heartbeat message, the second encrypted heartbeat message having a third quantity of data equal to the first quantity of data contained in the first encrypted command message; and

transmitting the second encrypted heartbeat message to the firing circuit.

45 . The method of claim 44 , wherein selecting the period of time comprises selecting the period of time randomly.

46 . The method of claim 41 , further comprising:

reading a first plurality of one-time random session variables and a first remote mission payload identifier from a first digital code plug integrated in communicative combination with the firing control panel;

receiving selection from a user of a first remote mission payload to be controlled by the firing control panel;

comparing the selection of the first remote mission payload with the first remote mission payload identifier read from the first digital code plug and determining a match between the first remote mission payload and the first remote mission payload identifier;

as a consequence of the user actuating an arming mechanism of the firing control panel, transmitting a first ARM command message to a first firing circuit communicatively coupled to the first remote mission payload, the first ARM command message embodying one of the first one-time random session variables read from the first digital code plug; and

as a consequence of the user actuating a firing mechanism of the firing control panel, transmitting a first FIRE command message to the first firing circuit, the FIRE command message embodying another one of the first one-time random session variables read from the first digital code plug.

47 . The method of claim 46 , further comprising:

reading a second plurality of one-time random session variables and a second remote mission payload identifier from a second digital code plug integrated in communicative combination with the firing control panel;

receiving selection from the user of a second remote mission payload to be controlled by the firing control panel;

comparing the selection of the second remote mission payload with the second remote mission payload identifier read from the second digital code plug and determining a match between the second remote mission payload and the second remote mission payload identifier;

as a consequence of the user actuating the arming mechanism of the firing control panel, transmitting a second ARM command message to a second firing circuit communicatively coupled to the second remote mission payload, the second ARM command message embodying one of the second one-time random session variables read from the second digital code plug; and

as a consequence of the user actuating the firing mechanism of the firing control panel, transmitting a second FIRE command message to the first firing circuit, the second FIRE command message embodying another one of the second one-time random session variables read from the second digital code plug.