Detector of commercial jammer

• US 20040005858A1
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Newtrax Technologies Inc. (Sandvik AB)
• Original Assignee: Newtrax Technologies Inc. (Sandvik AB)
• Inventors: Gauvreau, Jean-Louis, Cervinka, Alexandre
• Application Number:
  US10/613,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20040005858A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/18 for wireless local area networks or WLAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/222 wherein jamming detection includes detecting the absence or impossibility of intelligible communication on at least one channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of a communication equipment normally receiving an intelligible signal. As a first operation, an absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment is detected. A discrimination of the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from at least one other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment is then conducted. A communication-interfering jammer is finally detected in the proximity of the communication equipment when the discrimination indicates that there exists no other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment.

Claims

1. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of a communication equipment normally receiving an intelligible signal, comprising:

means for detecting an absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment;

means for discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from at least one other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment; and

means for detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment when the discriminating means indicates that there exists no other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment.

2. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of a communication equipment normally receiving an intelligible signal, comprising:

detecting an absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment;

discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from at least one other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment; and

detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment when the discrimination indicates that there exists no other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment.

3. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 2, wherein discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer comprises:

discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from an out-of-coverage situation.

4. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 2, wherein discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer comprises:

discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from a situation of interference.

5. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 2, wherein the communication equipment comprises at least one common control channel and wherein discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer comprises:

discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from a situation of interference on said at least one common control channel.

6. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 3, wherein the communication equipment comprises at least one common control channel, and wherein discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from an out-of-coverage situation comprises:

comparing an average power level on the common control channel of the communication equipment with a predicted noise floor.

7. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 6, wherein discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from an out-of-coverage situation comprises:

detecting an out-of-coverage situation when the comparison between the average power level and the predicted noise floor indicates that a difference between said average power level and said predicted noise floor is lower than a given threshold.

8. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 6, wherein, when the comparison between the average power level and the predicted noise floor indicates that a difference between said average power level and said predicted noise floor is higher than a given threshold, discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from an out-of-coverage situation comprises:

detecting either a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment or a situation of interference on the common control channel.

9. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 6, wherein, when the comparison of the average power level with the predicted noise floor indicates that the difference between said average power level and said predicted noise floor is approximately equal to a given threshold, discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from an out-of-coverage situation comprises:

waiting for a short period of time;

after said short period of time has elapsed, detecting whether there is still an absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment; and

in the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment, repeating said comparison of the average power level on the common control channel of the communication equipment with the predicted noise floor.

10. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 3, wherein the communication equipment comprises a set of channels, and wherein discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from a situation of interference comprises:

comparing to each other power levels of at least a portion of the channels of said set.

11. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 10, wherein discriminating the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from a situation of interference further comprises:

detecting a situation of interference when the comparison of the power levels indicate that the power levels of said at least a portion of the channels are different from each other.

12. A method for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 10, wherein detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment comprises:

detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment when the comparison of the power levels indicate that the power levels of said at least a portion of the channels are similar to each other.

13. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of a communication equipment normally receiving an intelligible signal, comprising:

a detector of an absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment;

a discriminator of the detection of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment from at least one other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment; and

a detector of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment when the discrimination means indicates that there exists no other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment.

14. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 13, wherein the discriminator comprises:

a detector of an out-of-coverage situation, the out-of-coverage situation constituting said at least one other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment.

15. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 13, wherein the discriminator comprises:

a detector of a situation of interference, said situation of interference constituting said at least one other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment.

16. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 13, wherein the communication equipment comprises at least one common control channel and wherein the discriminator comprises:

a detector of a situation of interference on the common control channel, said situation of interference on the common control channel constituting said at least one other cause for the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment.

17. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 14, wherein the communication equipment comprises at least one common control channel, and wherein the discriminator further comprises:

a comparator of an average power level on the common control channel of the communication equipment with a predicted noise floor.

18. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 17, wherein the detector an out-of-coverage situation comprises:

means for detecting an out-of coverage situation when the comparison between the average power level and the predicted noise floor indicates that a difference between said average power level and said predicted noise floor is lower than a given threshold.

19. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 17, wherein the discriminator comprises means for detecting, when the comparison between the average power level and the predicted noise floor indicates that a difference between said average power level and said predicted noise floor is higher than a given threshold, either a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment or a situation of interference on the common control channel.

20. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 17, wherein the discriminator comprises, when the comparison between the average power level and the predicted noise floor indicates that the difference between said average power level and said predicted noise floor is approximately equal to a given threshold:

a timer for generating a short period of time;

the detector of an absence of reception comprises means for detecting, after said short period of time has elapsed, whether there is still an absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment; and

the comparator comprises means for repeating, in the absence of reception of the intelligible signal by the communication equipment, the comparison of the average power level on the common control channel of the communication equipment with the predicted noise floor.

21. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 15, wherein the communication equipment comprises a set of channels, and wherein the discriminator comprises:

a comparator of power levels of at least a portion of the channels of said set to each other.

22. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 21, wherein the discriminator comprises:

a detector of a situation of interference when the comparison of the power levels indicate that the power levels of said at least a portion of the channels are different from each other.

23. A device for detecting a communication-interfering jammer as defined in claim 21, wherein the detector of a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment comprises:

means for detecting a communication-interfering jammer in the proximity of the communication equipment when the comparison of the power levels indicate that the power levels of said at least a portion of the channels are similar to each other.