Portable tester for LAAS ground facility

• US 6,809,683 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wolanin, Gary J., Strangeland, Rodney L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mull, Fred H
• Application Number:
  US10/298,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20040095271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357-1-3
• US Class Current: 342/357.29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/08 providing integrity information, e.g. health of satellites or quality of ephemeris data

Abstract

A portable tester verifies the operational status of a satellite-based navigation ground facility. The portable tester includes a receiver and a computer. In a preferred embodiment, the receiver obtains Global Position System (GPS) signals from a plurality of satellites and Very High Frequency (VHF) broadcasts from the ground facility. The computer compares the data obtained from the receiver with expected results and determines if the ground facility is operational if not operational, the computer determines a subsection of the ground facility causing the failure. If the ground facility is not operating properly, it may not transmit the proper differential corrections and glidepath information to an aircraft. As a result, a pilot may not receive accurate information regarding the aircraft'"'"'s position. This may result in landings that do not closely follow a prescribed glidepath, which could be disastrous. By using the portable tester, the ground facility can be tested to ensure proper data will be sent to the aircraft.

Claims

1. A portable tester for testing a satellite-based navigation system ground facility, comprising in combination:

a receiver operable to receive signals from a plurality of satellites and broadcasts from a ground facility; and

a computer operable to determine whether the ground facility is operational by comparing the satellite signals and the broadcasts obtained by the receiver with a test standard, wherein the computer determines a subsection of the around facility causing a test failure if the ground facility is not operational.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable tester is assembled into an integrated package.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is an integrated data link and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcasts are Very High Frequency (VHF) broadcasts.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver and the computer communicate using digital communication standard ARINC 429.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is operable to tune the receiver.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is operable to select a glidepath.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer simulates avionics in an aircraft.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer displays information selected from a group consisting of differential mode, differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) position versus known position, Very High Frequency (VHF) data messages, and VHF error rates.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable tester compares test signals selected from the group consisting of frequency, data integrity, power, satellites tracked, accuracy, position integrity, and glidepath with the test standard.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the test standard includes a specific range of acceptable data for each of the test signals.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable tester provides results selected from the group consisting of tests performed, test results, type of failure, and location of failure.

14. A portable tester for testing a satellite-based navigation system ground facility, comprising in combination:

a data link operable to receive broadcasts from a ground facility;

a receiver operable to receive data from a plurality of satellites; and

a computer operable to determine whether the ground facility is operational by comparing test signals selected from the group consisting of frequency, data integrity, power, satellites tracked, accuracy, position integrity, and glidepath with a test standard, wherein the computer determines a subsection of the around facility causing a test failure if the around facility is not operational.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the portable tester is assembled into an integrated package.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the broadcasts are Very High Frequency (VHF) broadcasts.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the data link, the receiver, and the computer communicate using digital communication standard ARINC 429.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer is operable to tune the receiver.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer is operable to select a glidepath.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer simulates avionics in an aircraft.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer displays information selected from a group consisting of differential mode, differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) position versus known position, Very High Frequency (VHF) data messages, and VHF error rates.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the test standard includes a specific range of acceptable data for each of the test signals.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the portable tester provides results selected from the group consisting of tests performed, test results, type of failure, and location of failure.

25. A method of testing a satellite-based navigation system ground facility using a portable tester, comprising in combination:

receiving data from a plurality of satellites into the portable tester;

receiving data from a ground facility into the portable tester;

verifying the ground facility is operational by comparing the data from the plurality of satellites and the ground facility with a test standard, wherein the comparison is performed by the portable tester; and

determining a subsection of the around facility causing a test failure if the ground facility is not operational.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein verifying that the ground facility is operational includes comparing test signals selected from the group consisting of frequency, data integrity, power, satellites tracked, accuracy, position integrity, and glidepath with the test standard.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the test standard includes a specific range of acceptable data for each of the test signals.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing test results selected from the group consisting of tests performed, test results, type of failure, and location of failure.