Secure localization in wireless networks

1. A method of data transmission, performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

determining a first value for a localization tone;

inserting the first value of the localization tone into a data packet;

generating a modified localization tone such that, after whitening and encrypting, the modified localization tone returns to the first value;

inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet at an application layer of a communication protocol stack, the modified localization tone preceding data of a payload of the data packet and having a last bit immediately preceding a first bit of the data of the payload, wherein the inserting the modified localization tone in the data packet comprises replacing the first value of the localization tone in the data packet with the modified localization tone;

whitening the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

encrypting the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet; and

transmitting the data packet after the whitening and the encrypting the data packet.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating the modified localization tone comprises, for each bit of the localization tone:

performing an exclusive-OR operation of a constant value and an estimated output of a linear feedback shift register based on a respective bit of the localization tone being considered and a position of that respective bit of the localization tone in the data packet.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating the modified localization tone comprises performing Decrypt_AES(IV,SK,array(bit_i)), wherein Decrypt_AES is an established algorithm according to the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protocol, IV is an initialization vector, SK is a session key, and bit_i is the localization tone.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein before transmitting the data packet the method further comprises:

appending a header to the encrypted data packet, the header preceding the modified localization tone;

generating a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code; and

appending the CRC code to an end of the data packet, wherein the whitening the data packet comprises performing a summation of each bit of the data packet with an output of a linear feedback shift register having an initial seed value.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the transmitting the data packet comprises transmitting the data packet on an advertising channel, and wherein the initial seed value is based on the advertising channel.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the data packet comprises transmitting the data packet to a receiving device, and wherein the localization tone is used by the receiving device to determine an angle of arrival.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encrypting the data packet is based on an encryption process, and wherein the method further comprises setting a length of the localization tone to be equal to a multiple of a block size of the encryption process.

8. A method of data transmission, performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

determining a first value for a localization tone;

generating a modified localization tone such that, after whitening and encrypting, the modified localization tone returns to the first value;

inserting the modified localization tone into a data packet at an application layer of a communication protocol stack, the modified localization tone preceding data of a payload of the data packet and having a last bit immediately preceding a first bit of the data of the payload;

whitening the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

encrypting the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet; and

transmitting the data packet after the whitening and the encrypting the data packet, wherein the generating the modified localization tone comprises:

performing Decrypt_AES(IV,SK,array(bit_i)), wherein Decrypt_AES is an established algorithm according to the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protocol, IV is an initialization vector, SK is a session key, and bit_i is the localization tone, and

for each bit of the modified localization tone:

estimating an output of a linear feedback shift register; and

performing an exclusive-OR operation of a constant value and the estimated output of the linear feedback shift register based on a respective bit of the modified localization tone being considered and a position of that respective bit of the modified localization tone in the data packet.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory memory storing application instructions; and

a processor coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to execute the application instructions to cause the processor to:

determine a first value for a localization tone;

insert the first value of the localization tone into a data packet;

generate a modified localization tone such that, after whitening and encrypting, the modified localization tone returns to the first value;

insert the modified localization tone into the data packet at an application layer of a communication protocol stack, the modified localization tone preceding data of a payload of the data packet and having a last bit immediately preceding a first bit of the data of the payload, wherein to insert the modified localization tone in the data packet, the processor is configured to replace the first value of the localization tone in the data packet with the modified localization tone;

whiten the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

encrypt the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet; and

transmit the data packet after the whitening and the encrypting the data packet.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein to generate the modified localization tone, for each bit of the localization tone, the processor is further configured to:

perform an exclusive-OR operation of a constant value and an estimated output of a linear feedback shift register based on a respective bit of the localization tone being considered and a position of that respective bit of the localization tone in the data packet.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein to generate the modified localization tone, the processor is further configured to perform a Decrypt_AES(IV,SK,array(bit_i)) process, wherein Decrypt_AES is an established algorithm according to the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protocol, IV is an initialization vector, SK is a session key, and bit_i is the localization tone.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein, before transmitting the data packet, executing the application instructions further configures the processor to:

append a header to the encrypted data packet, the header preceding the modified localization tone;

generate a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code; and

append the CRC code to an end of the data packet, wherein to perform the whitening, the processor is configured to perform a summation of each bit of the data packet with an output of a linear feedback shift register having an initial seed value.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the data packet comprises transmitting the data packet on an advertising channel, and wherein the initial seed value is based on the advertising channel.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory memory storing application instructions; and

a processor coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to execute the application instructions to cause the processor to:

determine a first value for a localization tone;

generate a modified localization tone such that, after whitening and encrypting, the modified localization tone returns to the first value;

insert the modified localization tone into a data packet at an application layer of a communication protocol stack, the modified localization tone preceding data of a payload of the data packet and having a last bit immediately preceding a first bit of the data of the payload;

whiten the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

encrypt the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet; and

transmit the data packet after the whitening and the encrypting the data packet, wherein to generate the modified localization tone comprises, the processor is further configured to:

perform a Decrypt_AES(IV,SK,array(bit_i)) process, wherein Decrypt_AES is an established algorithm according to the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protocol, IV is an initialization vector, SK is a session key, and bit_i is the localization tone, and

for each bit of the modified localization tone,

estimate an output of a linear feedback shift register, and

perform an exclusive-OR operation of a constant value and the estimated output of the linear feedback shift register based on a respective bit of the modified localization tone being considered and a position of that respective bit of the modified localization tone in the data packet.

15. A method, comprising:

determining a first value for a localization tone;

generating a modified localization tone such that, after whitening and encrypting, the modified localization tone returns to the first value;

inserting the modified localization tone into a data packet at an application layer of a communication protocol stack, the modified localization tone preceding data of a payload of the data packet and having a last bit immediately preceding a first bit of the data of the payload;

whitening the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

encrypting the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

communicating characteristics of transmission of the data packet with a receiving device for the data packet to pre-arrange the characteristics of transmission with the receiving device; and

transmitting the data packet to the receiving device after the whitening and the encrypting the data packet, wherein the generating the modified localization tone comprises:

performing Decrypt_AES(IV,SK,array(bit_i)), wherein Decrypt_AES is an established algorithm according to the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protocol, IV is an initialization vector, SK is a session key, and bit_i is the localization tone, and

for each bit of the modified localization tone:

estimating an output of a linear feedback shift register, and

performing an exclusive-OR operation of a constant value and the estimated output of the linear feedback shift register based on a respective bit of the modified localization tone being considered and a position of that respective bit of the modified localization tone in the data packet.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

appending a header to the encrypted data packet, the header preceding the modified localization tone;

generating a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code; and

appending the CRC code to an end of the data packet, wherein the whitening the data packet comprises performing a summation of each bit of the data packet with an output of the linear feedback shift register having an initial seed value.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the transmitting the data packet comprises transmitting the data packet on an advertising channel, and wherein the initial seed value is based on the advertising channel.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the encrypting the data packet is based on an encryption process, and wherein the method further comprises setting a length of the localization tone to be equal to a multiple of a block size of the encryption process.

19. A method of data transmission, performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

determining a first value for a localization tone;

generating a modified localization tone such that, after whitening and encrypting, the modified localization tone returns to the first value;

inserting the modified localization tone into a data packet at an application layer of a communication protocol stack, the modified localization tone preceding data of a payload of the data packet and having a last bit immediately preceding a first bit of the data of the payload;

whitening the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

encrypting the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet; and

transmitting the data packet after the whitening and the encrypting the data packet, wherein the encrypting the data packet is based on an encryption process, and wherein the method further comprises setting a length of the localization tone to be equal to a multiple of a block size of the encryption process.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory memory storing application instructions; and

a processor coupled to the non-transitory memory and configured to execute the application instructions to cause the processor to:

determine a first value for a localization tone;

generate a modified localization tone such that, after whitening and encrypting, the modified localization tone returns to the first value;

insert the modified localization tone into a data packet at an application layer of a communication protocol stack, the modified localization tone preceding data of a payload of the data packet and having a last bit immediately preceding a first bit of the data of the payload;

whiten the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet;

encrypt the data packet after inserting the modified localization tone into the data packet; and

transmit the data packet after the whitening and the encrypting the data packet, wherein executing the application instructions configures the processor to:

encrypt the data packet using an encryption process, and

set a length of the localization tone to be equal to a multiple of a block size of the encryption process.