Method and system for collecting and surveying radio communications from a specific protected area of operations in or around a compound
First Claim
1. A directional electronic signal geolocation and identification system, comprising:
- a wideband signal collection front end subsystem, comprising;
a wideband receiver for receiving RF signals transmitted by an RF signal transmitter across a broad spectrum said receiver comprising first, second and third antennae means for receiving RF signals simultaneously, said antennae means in geographically spaced relation;
a digitizer for creating an individual continuous stream of digitized data representing each said antennae means'"'"'received RF signals;
a digital data conversion means for converting said individual digitized data stream into FFT frequency bins by individual stream;
direction determination means for determining a direction from each said antennae means to said RF transmitter; and
apparent location determination means for determining an apparent location of said RF signal transmitter from said determined directions;
a signal evaluation logic module, comprising;
a comparing means for comparing each said frequency bin to configurable preset lockout frequency bins;
a peak detection means for evaluating and calculating the amplitude value for each bin by using a configurable number of data point samples for each of those bins;
a windowing means for evaluating and calculating the amplitude value for each bin by using a configurable number of data point samples for each of those bins; and
geographical location correction means for determining a corrected geolocation of said RF transmitter, said geographical location correction means comprising correction means for comparing said apparent location to a calibrated apparent location to determine a corrected geolocation of said RF transmitter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sensitive operations areas need accurate, efficient, and effective tools to monitor any suspicious transmissions from specified sub-areas. These specific areas to be monitored can be as small as an individual room in a building. A fundamental change in RF detection and monitoring efficiency is needed for the modem organization to achieve and maintain this level of precision for electronic security in its area of operations. It is an object of the present invention to provide just such a method to automatically detect communications signals in near real time, from any selectable sub-area of a compound. Such a system would greatly enhance the operational capabilities of the twenty-first century organization by providing a real-time capability to secure radio communications in and around a compound. The system should have real time direction-finding methods, such as those espoused by the invention of application Ser. No. 10/912,976. The system has all the abilities of the system described in the '"'"'976 application, but is further able to automatically detect the direction of the incoming signals (relative to two or more collector subsystems in communication with each other), and thereafter to add that information to the surveillance decision logic such that the actual geographical location, as adjusted by the calibration information for the particular compound surveillance decision logic. The system automatically detects communications signals in near real time, from any selectable sub-area of a compound. The system employs the real time direction-finding methods of the system disclosed in application Ser. No. 10/912,976, by the same inventor. The system has all the abilities of the system described in the '"'"'976 application, but is further able to automatically detect the direction of the incoming signals (relative to two or more collector subsystems in communication with each other), and thereafter to add that information to the surveillance decision logic such that the actual geographical location, as adjusted by the calibration information for the particular compound surveillance decision logic. Secondly, the system has the capability of being calibrated such that the particular RF environment of the compound in question is uniquely mapped. The calibration tables maintained by each network-attached directional collection node of the system invention in order to provide a more robust and accurate signal geolocation system. Thirdly, the system is able to automatically pinpoint the geographic area of the source of the incoming signals and add that information to the monitoring decision logic. Finally, the system provides a user interface to operators so they can easily select areas to monitor, and easily calibrate the system for maximum precision.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A directional electronic signal geolocation and identification system, comprising:
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a wideband signal collection front end subsystem, comprising;
a wideband receiver for receiving RF signals transmitted by an RF signal transmitter across a broad spectrum said receiver comprising first, second and third antennae means for receiving RF signals simultaneously, said antennae means in geographically spaced relation;
a digitizer for creating an individual continuous stream of digitized data representing each said antennae means'"'"'received RF signals;
a digital data conversion means for converting said individual digitized data stream into FFT frequency bins by individual stream;
direction determination means for determining a direction from each said antennae means to said RF transmitter; and
apparent location determination means for determining an apparent location of said RF signal transmitter from said determined directions;
a signal evaluation logic module, comprising;
a comparing means for comparing each said frequency bin to configurable preset lockout frequency bins;
a peak detection means for evaluating and calculating the amplitude value for each bin by using a configurable number of data point samples for each of those bins;
a windowing means for evaluating and calculating the amplitude value for each bin by using a configurable number of data point samples for each of those bins; and
geographical location correction means for determining a corrected geolocation of said RF transmitter, said geographical location correction means comprising correction means for comparing said apparent location to a calibrated apparent location to determine a corrected geolocation of said RF transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for geolocating RF signal transmissions, comprising the steps of:
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creating a calibration table, said calibration table including apparent transmitter location, actual transmitter location and transmitter frequency;
detecting an analog RF signal transmission emanating from a signal transmitter at a wideband signal collection front end system, each said detected RF signal transmission first having been received by first, second and third antennae means associated with said said wideband signal collection front end system, said antennae means located in geographically spaced relation to the other antennae means associated with that said system;
digitizing each said detected RF signal transmission into first, second and third digitized signals;
converting said each digitized signals into first, second and third frequency bins;
analyzing phase characteristics of each said digitized signal;
determining a detected apparent geographical location of said signal transmitter responsive to said analyzing; and
comparing said detected apparent geographical location to said apparent transmitter location data of said calibration table to arrive at a corrected location responsive to said comparing and said calibration table actual transmitter location data;
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification