IP Library Granted Patent US 11,047,987
Granted Patent B2
US 11,047,987 · App. 16/035,997 · Granted Jun 29, 2021

Method, system, and computer program product for GNSS receiver signal health and security analysis

Inventor: Cort Dougan (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Finite State Machine Labs Inc.
G01S19/23G01S19/015G01S19/03G01S19/215
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,047,987
App. No.
16/035,997
Granted
Jun 29, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for analyzing a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. The method includes receiving electronic diagnostic information from the GNSS receiver, the diagnostic information including observations at different times of signal strength of one or more satellites at each point in a visible sky. The method includes building a flat map of the visible sky including a track of the one or more satellites. The method includes calculating, for each point in the visible sky of the flat map, an aggregated signal strength of the one or more satellites over a predetermined interval. The method includes generating a heat map over the flat map of the visible sky and displaying a visualization of a flat heat map.

Claims (42)

1. A computer-implemented method for detecting a spoof attempt of a satellite signal, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a first set of electronic diagnostic information from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, wherein the first set of electronic diagnostic information comprises time, position, and signal strength data of a satellite over a first period of time;

determining, by the computer, a first aggregate signal strength of the satellite over the first period of time based on the first set of electronic diagnostic information;

building, by the computer, a first flat map of the visible sky using the determined first aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

generating, by the computer, a first heat map over the first flat map of the visible sky using the determined first aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

receiving, by the computer, a second set of electronic diagnostic information from the GNSS receiver, wherein the second set of electronic diagnostic information comprises time, position, and signal strength data of the satellite over a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is different than the first period of time;

determining, by the computer, a second aggregate signal strength of the satellite over the second period of time based on the second set of electronic diagnostic information;

building, by the computer, a second flat map of the visible sky using the determined second aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

generating, by the computer, a second heat map over the second flat map of the visible sky using the determined second aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

comparing, by the computer, the first heat map over the first flat map and the second heat map over the second flat map; and

detecting, by the computer, whether a signal received at the GNSS receiver is a spoof attempt or is generated by the satellite based on a variation between the first heat map over the first flat map and the second heat map over the second flat map.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises:

determining, by the computer, that the signal received at the GNSS receiver is a spoof attempt when the variation between the first heat map over the first flat map and the second heat map over the second flat map exceeds a threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying, by the computer, a visualization of at least one of a first flat heat map or a second flat heat map on a graphical user interface of a display device, the first flat heat map comprising the generated first heat map over the first flat map of the visible sky and the second flat heat map comprising the generated second heat map over the second flat map of the visible sky.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the computer, a physical location of a spoof attempt using at least one of the first flat heat map or the second flat heat map.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining the physical location of the spoof attempt further comprises:

associating, by the computer, one or more points in the visible sky of at least one of the first or second flat heat map with a geophysical mapping database.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises:

determining, by the computer, that the variation between the first heat map over the first flat map and the second heat map over the second flat map indicates a signal received at the GNSS receiver has changed by a uniform amount; and

determining, by the computer, that the signal received at the GNSS receiver is a spoof attempt.

7. A system for detecting a spoof attempt of a satellite signal comprising:

a GNSS receiver analysis computer comprising a processor, a data storage unit, a network interface, and a display device in electronic communication with the network, wherein the processor is configured to cause the computer to:

receive a first set of electronic diagnostic information from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, wherein the first set of electronic diagnostic information comprises time, position, and signal strength data of a satellite over a first period of time;

determine a first aggregate signal strength of the satellite over the first period of time based on the first set of electronic diagnostic information;

build a first flat map of the visible sky using the determined first aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

generate a first heat map over the first flat map of the visible sky using the determined first aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

receive a second set of electronic diagnostic information from the GNSS receiver, wherein the second set of electronic diagnostic information comprises time, position, and signal strength data of the satellite over a second period of time, wherein the second period of time is different than the first period of time;

determine a second aggregate signal strength of the satellite over the second period of time based on the second set of electronic diagnostic information;

build a second flat map of the visible sky using the determined second aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

generate a second heat map over the second flat map of the visible sky using the determined second aggregate signal strength of the satellite;

compare the first heat map over the first flat map and the second heat map over the second flat map; and

detect whether a signal received at the GNSS receiver is a spoof attempt or is generated by the satellite based on a variation between the first heat map over the first flat map and the second heat map over the second flat map.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the computer to:

generate a heat map over the flat map of the visible sky using the determined first and second aggregate signal strengths of the satellite; and,

display a visualization of at least one of a first flat heat map or a second flat heat map on a graphical user interface of the display device, the first flat heat map comprising the first generated heat map over the first flat map of the visible sky and the second flat heat map comprising the generated second heat map over the second flat map of the visible sky.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the computer to:

determine a physical location of a spoof attempt using at least one of the first flat heat map or the second flat heat map.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the computer to:

determine the physical location of the spoof attempt by associating one or more points in the visible sky of at least one of the first or second flat heat map with a geophysical mapping database.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions configured to cause a computer to perform the method of claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
MERGER Recorded Feb 27, 2019
From: FINITE STATE RESEARCH, LLC
To: FINITE STATE MACHINE LABS INC.
Reel/Frame 048452/0530 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15156725 · May 17, 2016
Provisional Application 62164418 · May 20, 2015
Related Publication 20180329070A1 · Nov 15, 2018