IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,150,356
Granted Patent B2
US 11,150,356 · App. 15/738,880 · Granted Oct 19, 2021

Method of testing a PNT configuration

Inventors: Timothy Christopher Whitworth (Nottingham, GB); Yeqiu Ying (Nottingham, GB); Mark Dumville (Nottingham, GB); John Pottle (Paignton, GB); Guy Buesnel (Paignton, GB)
Assignee: NOTTINGHAM SCIENTIFIC LIMITED
G01S19/23G01S19/015G01S19/21
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,150,356
App. No.
15/738,880
Granted
Oct 19, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for generating a test signal for a PNT configuration, and for testing a PNT configuration are disclosed. One such method comprises the steps of using one or more GNSS jamming signal detectors ( 100 ) to detect at least three different types of threat signal, each being an RF-based man-made GNSS jamming signal, and recording, to a database, information for the threat signals; receiving, from the database, information for at least one of the threat signals; generating a corresponding threat signal from the received information; and combining the corresponding threat signal with a PNT signal via a signal combiner to generate the test signal.

Claims (50)

1. A method of testing the performance of a position, navigation and timing (PNT) configuration comprising:

generating a test signal, comprising the steps of:

using one or more global navigation satellite system (GNSS) jamming signal detectors to detect at least three different types of real-world threat signals, each being a radio frequency (RF)-based man-made GNSS jamming signal, and recording, to a database, information for the threat signals;

receiving, from the database, information for at least one of the threat signals,

generating a corresponding threat signal from the received information;

combining the corresponding threat signal with a PNT signal via a signal combiner to generate the test signal:

transmitting the test signal to the PNT configuration;

receiving an output of the PNT configuration; and

analysing the output of the PNT configuration to provide an indication of performance of the PNT configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information for a threat signal received from the database includes a direct reproduction of the recorded signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving information originating from the recorded signal comprises receiving one or more characteristics derived from the recorded signal from the database.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of generating a corresponding threat signal from the information further comprises the steps of:

filtering the information based on a characteristic of the recorded signal, and

producing the corresponding signal from the filtered information.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the characteristic of the recorded signal concerns a parameter defining the variation of the signal in the time domain.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the characteristic concerns a parameter indicating the bandwidth of the recorded signal, and wherein

the information is filtered in the frequency domain based on the bandwidth of the detected signal.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the database comprises data for generating the test signal that simulates threats from at least one of the threats from the group consisting of:

a spoofing signal;

a signal affected or generated by solar weather; and

an evil waveform.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of receiving an input from a user, and wherein the step of generating the threat signal is performed using the input of the user.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one further test signal is generated in order to simulate different threats, or different simultaneous and independent threats.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the test signals so generated simulate over a first time period at least one threat representing a first scenario and simulates over a second different time period at least two different threats representing a second scenario such that the at least two threats representing the second scenario includes at least one threat not represented by the first scenario.

11. A method of generating a test signal for testing a PNT configuration, comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a database, information for a threat signal;

generating a corresponding threat signal from the received information; and

combining the corresponding threat signal with a PNT signal via a signal combiner to generate the test signal;

transmitting the test signal to the PNT configuration;

receiving an output of the PNT configuration; and

analysing the output of the PNT configuration to provide an indication of performance of the PNT configuration;

wherein the database includes data representing three or more different types of threat signals which data has been recorded on the database in the form of information for RF-based man-made GNSS jamming signals previously detected by one or more GNSS jamming signal detectors.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of saving the output of the PNT configuration to the database and wherein the data representing the different types of threat signals recorded on the database results from using one or more GNSS jamming signal detectors to detect at least three different types of threat signals, each being an RF-based man-made GNSS jamming signal.

13. A threat signal generator for testing the performance of a PNT configuration, comprising:

a first input for receiving information for a threat signal from a database of different types of threat signals, the database including data representing three or more different types of real-world threat signals which data has been recorded on the database in the form of information for RF-based man-made GNSS jamming signals previously detected by one or more GNSS jamming signal detectors; and

a signal processing device implemented by software that, when executed by a processor, the processor causes the signal processing device to:

generate a test signal for testing the PNT configuration from the information received at the first input;

combine the corresponding threat signal with a PNT signal using a signal combiner to generate the test signal;

transmit the test signal to the PNT configuration;

receive an output of the PNT configuration; and

analyze the output of the PNT configuration to provide an indication of performance of the PNT configuration.

14. The threat signal generator of claim 13 further including the database comprising the information for the at least three different types of threat signals.

15. A computer software product that when executed on a processor of a threat signal generator causes the threat signal generator to:

generate a test signal for testing a PNT configuration by combining a PNT signal and information received from a database of different types of threat signals, the database including data representing three or more different types of threat signals which data has been recorded on the database in the form of information for RF-based man-made GNSS jamming signals previously detected by one or more GNSS jamming signal detectors;

transmit the test signal to the PNT configuration;

receive an output of the PNT configuration; and

analyse the output of the PNT configuration to provide an indication of performance of the PNT configuration.

16. The computer software product of claim 15 further comprising the database, which includes the data representing the three or more different types of threat signals.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least three different types of threat signals each represent real-world threat signals.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 23, 2026
From: NOTTINGHAM SCIENTIFIC LIMITED
To: GMV NSL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 075053/0380 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 16, 2018
From: WHITWORTH, TIMOTHY CHRISTOPHER; YING, YEQIU; DUMVILLE, MARK; POTTLE, JOHN; BUESNEL, GUY
To: NOTTINGHAM SCIENTIFIC LIMITED
Reel/Frame 045553/0659 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 1511157 · Jun 24, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180188379A1 · Jul 5, 2018