Device, system and methods using angle of arrival measurements for ADS-B authentication and navigation

• US 9,476,962 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Murphy, Timothy Allen, Harris, William Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US13/875,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 342/417
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/04 providing carrier phase data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/215 issues related to spoofing
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/043 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/08 Position of single direction-finder fixed by determining direction of a plurality of spaced sources of known location

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a receiver for Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) verification of a target aircraft including a first input for receiving flight tracking information from a target aircraft that indicates positional information of the target aircraft. The receiver further includes a second input for receiving positional and heading information indicating the location and orientation of a multi-element array antenna configured to be attached to the receiver, and a processing module that generates a measured bearing derived from angle of arrival data, and an expected bearing of the target aircraft derived from the indicated positional information of the target aircraft and the positional and heading information defining the receiver location and orientation. A comparator compares the expected bearing to the measured bearing and verifies the ADS-B flight tracking information of the target aircraft and outputs an indication of authenticity based on the verification.

Claims

1. An aircraft receiver for Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) verification of a target aircraft, comprising:

a first input for receiving ADS-B flight tracking information from the target aircraft at the receiver, the ADS-B flight tracking information including indicated positional information of the target aircraft;

a second input for receiving positional information and heading information indicating a location and orientation of a multi-element array antenna configured to be attached to the receiver;

a processing module operative to;

generate a measured bearing derived from angle of arrival data, and

generate an expected bearing of the target aircraft derived from the indicated positional information of the target aircraft and the positional information and heading information defining the location and orientation;

a comparator for comparing the expected bearing to the measured bearing and verifying the ADS-B flight tracking information of the target aircraft; and

an output device for outputting an indication of authenticity based on verifying the ADS-B flight tracking information of the target aircraft.

2. The aircraft receiver according to claim 1, wherein the processing module being further operative to compute a vector from the location to the target aircraft based on the indicated positional information,

wherein computing the vector being based on receiving the positional information from a Global Navigation Surveillance System (GNSS) indicating the location of the multi-element array antenna.

3. The aircraft receiver according to claim 2, wherein the processing module being further operative to translate the vector from an earth reference frame to an airplane reference frame based the heading information including pitch, roll and heading data generated from an Inertial Reference Unit (IRU) indicating the orientation of the multi-element array antenna.

4. The aircraft receiver according to claim 1, wherein the processing module being further operative to generate the measured bearing based on measuring a relative phase of a carrier signal identified in the first input.

5. The aircraft receiver according to claim 1, further comprising an Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter for processing signals received on the first input,

wherein the A/D processing transmits a synchronizing signal to a commutating multiple-element array antenna that feeds the signals to the first input.

6. A receiver for Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) verification, comprising:

a processing module receiving an ADS-B signal from a target aircraft including indicated positional data, and operative to;

generate a measured bearing derived from detection of an angle of arrival of the ADS-B signal, and

generate an expected bearing of the target aircraft derived from the indicated positional data of the ADS-B signal, and positional and heading information of a location and orientation of a multi-element array antenna configured to be attached to the receiver;

a comparator for comparing the expected bearing to the measured bearing and for verifying the ADS-B indicated positional data of the target aircraft; and

an output device for outputting an indication of authenticity based on verifying the ADS-B indicated positional data of the target aircraft.

7. The receiver according to claim 6, wherein the processing module being further operative to compute a vector from the location to the target aircraft based on the indicated positional data,

wherein computing the vector being based on receiving the positional information from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) indicating the location of the multi-element array antenna.

8. The receiver according to claim 7, wherein the processing module being further operative to translate the vector from an earth reference frame to an airplane reference frame based the heading information including pitch, roll and heading data generated from an Inertial Reference Unit (IRU) indicating the orientation of the multi-element array antenna.

9. The receiver according to claim 6, wherein the processing module being further operative to generate the measured bearing based on measuring a relative phase of a carrier signal of the ADS-B signal from the target aircraft.

10. The receiver according to claim 6, further comprising an Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter processing ADS-B signals received from the target aircraft,

wherein the A/D processing is synchronized to a commutating multiple-element array antenna feeding the ADS-B signals to the receiver.

11. A system for automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) verification, comprising:

an antenna array assembly having a multiple-element antenna array for receiving ADS-B signals from a target aircraft, the ADS-B signals including indicated positional data; and

a receiver configured to receive the ADS-B signals from the antenna array assembly and to measure an angle of arrival of the ADS-B signals relative to an orientation of the antenna array assembly, wherein the receiver comprises;

a first input for receiving ADS-B flight tracking information from the target aircraft at the receiver, the ADS-B flight tracking information including indicated positional information of the target aircraft;

a second input for receiving positional information and heading information indicating a location and orientation of the receiver;

a processing module operative to;

generate a measured bearing derived from angle of arrival data, and

generate an expected bearing of the target aircraft derived from the indicated positional information of the target aircraft and the positional information and heading information defining the location and orientation; and

a comparator for comparing the expected bearing to the measured bearing and verifying the ADS-B flight tracking information of the target aircraft; and

an output device for outputting an indication of authenticity based on verifying the ADS-B flight tracking information of the target aircraft.

12. The system according to claim 11, where the antenna array assembly further comprises a commutating solid state switch that cycles between each antenna element of a multi-element array antenna.

13. The system according to claim 12, where the receiver further comprises an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter that receives the ADS-B signals and controls cycling of the commutating solid state switch with a synchronization signal.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the processing module being further operative to decode the indicated positional data from a target transmitter from one discrete digital data stream for a single antenna element of the multiple-element antenna array via an ADS-B signal demodulation process;

and

determine an expected AOA of the target transmitter derived from the decoded indicated positional data from the target transmitter, and positional information defining the location of the receiver and heading information defining the orientation of the antenna array assembly.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the processing module being further operative to compare the expected AOA to the measured AOA to verify the indicated positional data from the target transmitter in the received ADS-B signal;

and

provide an indication of authenticity based on verifying the indicated positional data from the target transmitter.