Validity check of vehicle position information

• US 8,610,619 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab AB
• Original Assignee: Saab AB
• Inventors: Andersson, Svante, Persson, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US13/000,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 342/36
• US Class Current: 342/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/933 of aircraft or spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/003 for aircraft positioning relative to the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/04 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

A method for validating received positional data in vehicle surveillance applications wherein vehicles transmit positional data indicating their own position to surrounding vehicles. A a radio direction finding antenna arrangement of a receiving unit receives a signal carrying positional data indicating an alleged position of a vehicle, transmitted from a radio source. The bearing from the receiving unit to the radio source is estimated utilizing the radio direction finding antenna arrangement and the received signal. The distance between the receiving unit and the radio source is estimated based on the time of flight for a signal travelling there between at known speed. An estimated position of the radio source is calculated based on the estimated bearing and the estimated distance. A deviation value indicating the deviation/coincidence between the alleged position of a vehicle is determined according to the received positional data and the estimated position of the radio source.

Claims

1. A method for validating received positional data in vehicle surveillance applications, wherein vehicles transmit positional data indicating their own position to surrounding vehicles, the method comprising:

receiving, with a radio direction finding antenna arrangement of a receiving unit, a signal carrying positional data indicating an alleged position of a vehicle, transmitted from a radio source;

estimating a bearing from the receiving unit to said radio source utilizing said radio direction finding antenna arrangement and a received signal;

estimating a distance between the receiving unit and the radio source based on a time of flight for a signal travelling between the radio source and the receiving unit at a known speed;

calculating an estimated position of the radio source based on the estimated bearing and the estimated distance, and

determining a deviation value indicating a deviation or coincidence between the alleged position of the vehicle according to the received positional data and the estimated position of the radio source,

wherein the signal carrying the positional data further comprises transmission time information indicating a point in time at which the signal was transmitted, and wherein estimating the time of flight comprises establishing the point in time at which the signal was transmitted based on the transmission time information, and determining a time elapsed between transmission and reception of the signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said deviation value is used as an indicator of a reliability of the received positional data.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmission time information indicates one of a plurality of opportunities within a frame at which said signal was transmitted.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signal is an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast message conforming to a universal access transceiver format.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said transmission time information is a message start opportunity indicating a precise transmission time of the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast message conforming to the universal access transceiver format.

6. A vehicle surveillance system for vehicle surveillance applications, wherein vehicles transmit positional data indicating their own position to surrounding vehicles, the vehicle surveillance system comprising:

a bearing-estimator configured to receive a signal carrying positional data indicating an alleged position of a vehicle, transmitted from a radio source, said bearing-estimator further being configured to estimate a bearing to said radio source using said received signal;

a distance-estimator configured to estimate a distance to the radio source based on a time of flight for a signal received therefrom, which signal travels at known speed;

a calculating unit configured to calculate an estimated position of the radio source based on the estimated bearing and the estimated distance; and

a comparing unit adapted to determine a deviation value indicating deviation or coincidence between the alleged position of a vehicle according to the received positional data and the estimated position of the radio source,

wherein the signal carrying the positional data further comprises transmission time information indicating a point in time at which the signal was transmitted, and wherein the distance-estimator is configured to estimate the time of flight by establishing the point in time at which the signal was transmitted based on the transmission time information, and to determine an time elapsed between transmission and reception of the signal.

7. The vehicle surveillance system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a discriminator unit connected to at least one of an information module for informing a system user of surrounding vehicle traffic and to a decision and manoeuvring unit for controlling a vehicle in which the system is included, said discriminator unit being adapted to discard positional data indicating an alleged position of a vehicle which, according to the deviation value determined by the comparing unit, deviates substantially from the estimated position of the radio source from which the positional data was received.

8. The vehicle surveillance system according to claim 6, wherein said bearing-estimator comprises at least one directional antenna for receiving the signals carrying the positional data and a transceiver circuitry connected to said directional antenna for estimating the bearing to the radio sources from which the signals are received.

9. The vehicle surveillance system according to claim 6, wherein said signal is an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast message.

10. The vehicle surveillance system according claim 6, wherein said vehicle surveillance system is located in an aircraft and used in an aircraft surveillance system for at least one of separation provision and collision avoidance applications.

11. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle surveillance system for vehicle surveillance applications, wherein vehicles transmit positional data indicating their own position to surrounding vehicles, the vehicle surveillance system comprising;

a bearing-estimator configured to receive a signal carrying positional data indicating an alleged position of a vehicle, transmitted from a radio source, said bearing-estimator further being configured to estimate a bearing to said radio source using said received signal;

a distance-estimator configured to estimate a distance to the radio source based on a time of flight for a signal received therefrom, which signal travels at known speed;

a calculating unit configured to calculate an estimated position of the radio source based on the estimated bearing and the estimated distance; and

a comparing unit configured to determine a deviation value indicating a deviation or coincidence between the alleged position of a vehicle according to the received positional data and the estimated position of the radio source,

wherein the signal carrying the positional data further comprises transmission time information indicating a point in time at which the signal was transmitted, and wherein the distance-estimator is configured to estimate the time of flight by establishing the point in time at which the signal was transmitted based on the transmission time information, and to determine an time elapsed between transmission and reception of the signal.

12. A ground-based air traffic control station for air traffic surveillance, the air traffic control station comprising:

a vehicle surveillance system for vehicle surveillance applications, wherein vehicles transmit positional data indicating their own position to surrounding vehicles, the vehicle surveillance system comprising;

a bearing-estimator configured to receive a signal carrying positional data indicating an alleged position of a vehicle, transmitted from a radio source, said bearing-estimator further being configured to estimate a bearing to said radio source using said received signal;

a distance-estimator configured to estimate a distance to the radio source based on a time of flight for a signal received therefrom, which signal travels at known speed;

a calculating unit configured to calculate an estimated position of the radio source based on the estimated bearing and the estimated distance; and

a comparing unit configured to determine a deviation value indicating a deviation or coincidence between the alleged position of a vehicle according to the received positional data and the estimated position of the radio source,

wherein the signal carrying the positional data further comprises transmission time information indicating a point in time at which the signal was transmitted, and wherein the distance-estimator is configured to estimate the time of flight by establishing the point in time at which the signal was transmitted based on the transmission time information, and to determine an time elapsed between transmission and reception of the signal.