Secure terminal data loader apparatus and method for a mobile platform

1. In a mobile communication system having an information content delivery system for delivering information to users aboard a mobile platform, a terminal data loading device semi-permanently installed on the mobile platform, said terminal data loading device comprising:

a media unit operatively connectable to a transportable media element containing media data, a predetermined portion of the media data being encrypted, the media unit being capable of reading the media data from the media element and outputting an encrypted media signal;

a security processor unit receiving the encrypted media signal from the media unit and outputting an unencrypted media signal based on one or more predetermined cryptographic keys utilizing a predetermined cryptographic algorithm;

a physical key unit for receiving a physical key, the physical key unit and physical key determining at least one cryptographic key for the security processor unit;

a control processor unit for receiving the unencrypted media signal from the security processor unit and parsing the unencrypted media signal into blocks of information of a predetermined size;

a wireless communication unit for receiving an information signal from the control processor unit and sending an output signal to a receiving wireless communication unit using a low-bandwidth cellular channel; and

a wireline communication unit for receiving the blocks of information and outputting a wireline signal to a network on the mobile platform.

2. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the wireline communication unit can receive a wireline signal from a network on a mobile platform and output an information signal,

wherein the control processor unit can receive an information signal from the wireline communication unit and output a media signal, and

wherein the media unit can receive a media signal from the control processor unit and write the media signal to a transportable media element, the media unit being operatively connectable to the transportable media element.

3. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 , wherein the low-bandwidth cellular channel is a tri-band cellular data link.

4. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the media element is a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) and the media unit is a DVD drive.

5. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the media element is a Compact Disc (CD) and the media unit is a CD drive.

6. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the media element is a solid-state memory stick and the media unit is a memory stick interface for reading and writing the memory stick.

7. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the media element is a Advanced Intelligent Tape (AIT) and the media unit is an AIT drive.

8. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the media element can be safely used on the mobile platform without requiring a mobile platform precertification of the media element against harmful interactions with the mobile platform.

9. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the wireline communication unit can receive a wireline signal from a network on a mobile platform and output an information signal,

wherein the control processor unit can receive the information signal from the wireline communication unit and output an unencrypted media signal,

wherein the security processor unit can receive the unencrypted media signal and output an encrypted media signal, and

wherein the media unit can receive an encrypted media signal from the security processor unit and write the encrypted media signal to a transportable media element, the media unit being operatively connectable to the transportable media element.

10. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the predetermined cryptographic algorithm is a symmetric key algorithm.

11. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the predetermined cryptographic algorithm is an asymmetric key algorithm and the physical key unit determines at least one cryptographic key pair comprising a public and private key.

12. The terminal data loading device of claim 10 ,

wherein the symmetric key algorithm is the digital encryption standard (DES), the triple-DES (3DES) protocol, or the advanced encryption standard (AES).

13. A method of on-loading content for use with a terminal data loader device on a mobile platform, comprising:

connecting a transportable media element to a media unit, the media element containing media data, a predetermined portion of the media data being encrypted;

reading the transportable media element containing media data with the media unit to produce a media signal;

sending the media signal from the media unit to a security processor for outputting an unencrypted media signal based on one or more predetermined cryptographic keys utilizing a predetermined cryptographic algorithm;

sending the unencrypted media signal from the security processor to a control processor unit;

the control processor unit parsing the media signal into blocks of information of a predetermined size;

sending the blocks of information to a wireline communication unit;

translating the blocks of information with the wireline communication unit to produce a wireline signal;

sending an information signal to a wireless communication unit;

translating the information signal with the wireless communication unit to produce an output signal;

outputting the output signal from the wireless communication unit to a web-based content management system using a low-bandwidth cellular channel; and

outputting the wireline signal from the wireline communication unit to a network on a mobile platform.

14. The method of on-loading content of claim 13 , wherein the output signal is output from the wireless communication unit using a tri-band cellular data link.

15. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the wireline communication unit is an ethernet device, a fiber channel device, a token ring device, or a universal-serial-bus device.

16. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the wireline communication unit is a serial communication device that conforms to an accepted standard.

17. The terminal data loading device of claim 1 ,

wherein the wireline communication unit is a local area wireless connection that can only communicate within the network on the mobile platform.