AIS spoofing and dark-target detection methodology

• US 10,330,794 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spire Global Subsidiary, Inc. (Spire Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spire Global, Inc.
• Inventors: Platzer, Peter, Vaujour, Pierre-Damien
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US15/090,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20170285178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 34235725, 34235728, 34235735, 34235759, 342451, 701468, 701474
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/215 issues related to spoofing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0264 at least one of the systems being a non-radio wave positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80

Abstract

Methods and systems detect physical locations of vessels. A first satellite includes a first image sensor. A second satellite includes a second image sensor. The processor receives a first image of a target area from the first image sensor, and a second image of the target area from the second image sensor. Both images are taken within a predetermined time frame. The processor performs image recognition to identify a vessel that appears in both the first image and the second image. The processor receives the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the first image is taken and the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the second image is taken. Each satellite'"'"'s location and orientation are determined by the satellite'"'"'s geographic determination module. The processor determines the vessel'"'"'s location by performing triangulation based on the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation and the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation. The processor outputs data representative of the vessel'"'"'s determined location. The vessel'"'"'s speed and bearing are also determined by the processor.

Claims

1. A system for determining a vessel'"'"'s location in a target area, comprising:

a first image sensor on a first satellite;

a first geographic determination module on the first satellite including a first receiver for determining location of the first satellite;

a second image sensor on a second satellite;

a second geographic determination module on the second satellite including a second receiver for determining location of the second satellite; and

a processor in communication with the first image sensor and the second image sensor, the processor configured to;

output data indicating a target area to the first satellite and the second satellite;

receive a first image of the target area from the first image sensor, and a second image of the target area from the second image sensor, both images being taken within a predetermined time frame;

perform image recognition to identify a vessel that appears in both the first image and the second image;

receive the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the first image is taken, the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation being determined by the first geographic determination module;

receive the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the second image is taken, the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation being determined by the second geographic determination module;

determine the vessel'"'"'s location by performing triangulation based on the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation and the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation; and

output data representative of the vessel'"'"'s determined location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines the vessel'"'"'s speed and bearing by performing triangulation based on the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation and the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first satellite and the second satellite are small form factor satellites.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver on the first satellite and a second AIS receiver on the second satellite, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine if at least one of the first AIS receiver and the second AIS receiver receives an AIS signal associated with the identified vessel;

determine a reported location as revealed by the AIS signal;

determine any discrepancy between the vessel'"'"'s determined location and the reported location as revealed by the AIS signal; and

output the discrepancy.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first radio frequency (RF) receiver on the first satellite and a second RF receiver on the second satellite.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to determine at least one of the vessel'"'"'s location, speed and bearing based on signals received by the first RF receiver and the second RF receiver.

7. A method for determining a vessel'"'"'s location in a target area, comprising:

outputting, by a processor, data indicating a target area to a first satellite and a second satellite;

receiving, by the processor, a first image of the target area from a first image sensor on the first satellite, and a second image of the target area from a second image sensor on the second satellite, both images being taken within a predetermined time frame;

performing, by the processor, image recognition to identify a vessel that appears in both the first image and the second image;

receiving, by the processor, the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the first image is taken, the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation being determined by a first geographic determination module on the first satellite;

receiving by the processor, the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the second image is taken, the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation being determined by a second geographic determination module on the second satellite;

determining, by the processor, the vessel'"'"'s location by performing triangulation based on the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation and the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation; and

outputting, by the processor, data representative of the vessel'"'"'s determined location.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, by the processor, the vessel'"'"'s speed and bearing by performing triangulation based on the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation and the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, if at least one of a first AIS receiver on the first satellite and a second AIS receiver on the second satellite receives an AIS signal associated with the identified vessel;

determining, by the processor, a reported location as revealed by the AIS signal;

determining, by the processor, any discrepancy between the vessel'"'"'s determined location and the reported location as revealed by the AIS signal; and

outputting, by the processor, the discrepancy.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining, by the processor, at least one of the vessel'"'"'s location, speed and bearing based on signals received by a first RF receiver on the first satellite and a second RF receiver on the second satellite.

11. A system for determining a vessel'"'"'s location in a target area, comprising:

a first image sensor on a first satellite;

a first geographic determination module on the first satellite for determining location of the first satellite;

a second image sensor on a second satellite;

a second geographic determination module on the second satellite for determining location of the second satellite;

a first Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver on the first satellite;

a second AIS receiver on the second satellite; and

a processor in communication with the first image sensor and the second image sensor, the processor configured to;

output data indicating a target area to the first satellite and the second satellite;

receive a first image of the target area from the first image sensor, and a second image of the target area from the second image sensor, both images being taken within a predetermined time frame;

perform image recognition to identify a vessel that appears in both the first image and the second image;

receive the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the first image is taken, the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation being determined by the first geographic determination module;

receive the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation when the second image is taken, the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation being determined by the second geographic determination module;

determine the vessel'"'"'s location by performing triangulation based on the first satellite'"'"'s location and orientation and the second satellite'"'"'s location and orientation;

determine if at least one of the first AIS receiver and the second AIS receiver receives an AIS signal associated with the vessel;

determine a reported location as revealed by the AIS signal;

determine a discrepancy between the vessel'"'"'s determined location and the reported location as revealed by the AIS signal; and

output the discrepancy to notify a surrounding vessel or a relevant authority that the vessel is suspicious.