National Timing Grid Monitoring Service
Security and resiliency of Critical Infrastructure have become focus of companies and governments recently, due to geopolitical issues around the world. Since time and its distribution are key components that underpin Critical Infrastructure’s systems, companies and governments are looking for systems that can introduce a level of resiliency for time and its distribution.
Our product offers a complete monitoring and alert system that observes fundamental time and timing distribution components and provides near real time tracking of the time distribution system performance and stability. The system, called National Timing Grid Monitoring Service (NTG or NTGMS), had been deployed in Ireland as a cooperation between multiple entities: Timing Solutions Ltd, National Standards Authority of Ireland National Metrology Lab (NSAI NML), Data Edge Ltd, Vodafone, Eir, Irish Rail, ESB Networks, and Microchip (Cork Laboratory).
Improving performance of legacy GNSS based timing sources
Legacy timing devices equipped with single frequency Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers meeting PRTC-A requirements can be upgraded to meet PRTC-B requirements through a software update. Since there is no need to change equipment and antenna installations, this allows to minimise risks, costs, and base station down time, for example.
For device manufacturers it means savings on bill of materials as single band receivers are significantly cheaper to dual band ones.
Our solution can be enabled locally (on a PRTC-A equipment platform) or as a remote service: Timing as a Service. Since the solution mechanism is very simple and self- contained it is very easy to integrate it to host platform.
Maintaining performance throughout GNSS jamming incidents
Multi-band GNSS receivers are essential for meeting PRTC-B (or tighter) requirements. In case of accidental or intentional jamming of one of the two frequencies (or both), dual-band GNSS receivers would no longer be able to meet the PRTC-B requirements.
One of the findings of STRIKE3 project, which was focused on monitoring of GNSS interference across different sites, was that there is an upward trend in the number of reported interference events throughout the course of the campaign. Note that with proliferation of personal GNSS devices we could expect proliferation of personal jamming devices. Therefore it is important that GNSS based timing devices, which would be installed near locations with higher density of jamming incidents (major roads, and highways, etc.) are equipped with jamming mitigation methods.
Our innovative approach, which relies on distribution of GNSS measurements from a reference site to clients, helps client GNSS receivers to maintain PRTC-B or better performance throughout single band jamming incidents. Note that single band jamming incidents on L1 frequency are six times more likely than jamming on other GNSS frequencies (L2, or L5), for details on that see here.