IP Library › Granted Patent US 12687641
Granted Patent B1
US 12687641 · App. 18/200,990 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Operational disruption of vehicle containing GNSS receiver based on jamming sequence, environmental measurements, and geographical position information

Inventors: Cynthia Louise Archer (Sherwood, OR); Jacob Ryan Sullivan (Hood River, OR)
Assignee: Flex Force Enterprises, LLC
G01S19/015G01S19/215H04K3/90
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687641
App. No.
18/200,990
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

Several examples of a navigation disruption device and methods of using the same are described herein that use real-time, low-cost computation to generate conflicting/competing signals to actual Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. For example, the novel, hand-held navigation disruption devices described herein (1) generate signals from a simulated satellite constellation, wherein the signals from the simulated satellite constellation conflict/compete with signals from one or more actual satellite constellations, and (2) transmit the signals from the simulated satellite constellation(s) towards an unmanned vehicle. The signals from the simulated satellite constellation(s) cause the unmanned vehicle to compute an incorrect position, which in turn disrupts its ability to navigate and operate effectively.

Claims (44)

1 . A hand-held navigation disruption device comprising:

a controller to:

select one or more satellites of an actual satellite constellation to simulate, based at least partially on a position of a vehicle containing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, and

generate a first set of simulated signals that correspond with the selected one or more satellites, wherein the first set of simulated signals comprise GNSS information that is different than GNSS information contained in a first set of signals transmitted from the actual satellite constellation;

an interface to receive, from a user, input regarding a jamming sequence to be utilized to disrupt operation of the vehicle, the jamming sequence indicating an order in which jamming via GNSS simulation and one or more of the following types of jamming are performed: jamming via noise, jamming a command and control (C2) link of the vehicle, jamming telemetry signals transmitted from the vehicle, and jamming video signals transmitted from the vehicle;

a transmitter to transmit, in accordance with the jamming sequence:

the first set of simulated signals to disrupt operation of the vehicle via GNSS simulation, and

jamming signals associated with one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence, the first set of simulated signals transmitted before the jamming signals associated with the one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence; and

a housing to house the controller and the transmitter, the housing having a weight and dimensions suitable for a single user to hold and operate the hand-held navigation disruption device.

2 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 1 , wherein the interface is a user interface.

3 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 1 , wherein the interface is a communication interface.

4 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 1 , wherein the input regarding the jamming sequence includes a command indicating when to switch from one type of jamming to another type of jamming.

5 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 1 , wherein the controller determines when to switch from one type of jamming to another type of jamming.

6 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter transmits the first set of simulated signals concurrently with the jamming signals associated with the one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence.

7 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitter transmits the first set of simulated signals after the jamming signals associated with the one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence.

8 . A hand-held navigation disruption device comprising:

a controller to:

select one or more satellites of an actual satellite constellation to simulate, based at least partially on a position of a vehicle containing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver,

generate a first set of simulated signals that correspond with the selected one or more satellites, wherein the first set of simulated signals comprise GNSS information that is different than GNSS information contained in a first set of signals transmitted from the actual satellite constellation,

receive, via a communication interface, environmental measurement information from an environmental sensor, and

adjust the first set of simulated signals, based at least partially on the received environmental measurement information;

a transmitter to transmit the adjusted first set of simulated signals towards the vehicle; and

a housing to house the controller and the transmitter, the housing having a weight and dimensions suitable for a single user to hold and operate the hand-held navigation disruption device.

9 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 8 , wherein the environmental sensor is an anemometer.

10 . The hand-held navigation disruption device of claim 8 , wherein the environmental sensor is a water flow meter.

11 . A method comprising:

selecting, at a hand-held navigation disruption device, one or more satellites of an actual satellite constellation to simulate, based at least partially on a position of a vehicle containing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver;

generating, at the hand-held navigation disruption device, a first set of simulated signals that correspond with the selected one or more satellites, wherein the first set of simulated signals comprise GNSS information that is different than GNSS information contained in a first set of signals transmitted from the actual satellite constellation;

receiving, from a user, input regarding a jamming sequence to be utilized to disrupt operation of the vehicle, the jamming sequence indicating an order in which jamming via GNSS simulation and one or more of the following types of jamming are performed: jamming via noise, jamming a command and control (C2) link of the vehicle, jamming telemetry signals transmitted from the vehicle, and jamming video signals transmitted from the vehicle; and

transmitting, from the hand-held navigation disruption device, in accordance with the jamming sequence:

the first set of simulated signals towards the vehicle to disrupt operation of the vehicle via GNSS simulation, and

jamming signals associated with one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence, the first set of simulated signals transmitted before the jamming signals associated with the one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving input comprises receiving a command indicating when to switch from one type of jamming to another type of jamming.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting further comprises transmitting the first set of simulated signals concurrently with the jamming signals associated with the one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting further comprises transmitting the first set of simulated signals after the jamming signals associated with the one or more additional types of jamming included in the jamming sequence.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving geographical position information associated with the position of the vehicle,

wherein selecting comprises selecting one or more satellites of the actual satellite constellation to simulate, based at least partially on the received geographical position information.

16 . A method comprising:

selecting, at a hand-held navigation disruption device, one or more satellites of an actual satellite constellation to simulate, based at least partially on a position of a vehicle containing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver;

generating, at the hand-held navigation disruption device, a first set of simulated signals that correspond with the selected one or more satellites, wherein the first set of simulated signals comprise GNSS information that is different than GNSS information contained in a first set of signals transmitted from the actual satellite constellation;

receiving environmental measurement information from an environmental sensor;

adjusting the first set of simulated signals, based at least partially on the received environmental measurement information; and

transmitting, from the hand-held navigation disruption device, the adjusted first set of simulated signals towards the vehicle.