Method and apparatus for detecting a radio wave jammer

• US 20050090952A1
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LoJack Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Boomerang Tracking, Inc. (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Boulay, Andre Eric, Nelson, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/932,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090952A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2072 with means for preventing jamming or interference of a remote switch control signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• 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 3/88 related to allowing or preventing alarm transmission

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for detecting a jamming signal. The signal is detected by analyzing a spectrum of PCS, wireless network and pager wavebands (or, in other words, any wireless network) and by looking for unusual patterns. If unusual patterns are found, it is considered that a jammer is present. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system can be aboard a recovery vehicle, or be an integral part of an on-board unit on a vehicle.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. In an on-board unit for a vehicle, said on-board unit being adapted to detect a stolen vehicle condition or to receive an indication that the vehicle has been stolen, and adapted to communicate with a central location, a method for determining the presence of a jammer comprising the step of calculating an amount of time during which said on-board unit has been unable to communicate with said central location, and concluding to the presence of a jammer when said period of time exceeds a predetermined period of time.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said on-board unit further includes an engine kill, and wherein said method includes the step of activating said engine kill when the presence of a jammer has been detected.