Adaptive Channel Scanning For Detection And Classification Of RF Signals

• US 20100184395A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bandspeed, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Ben, Bagge, Nils
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/161.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An approach and apparatus for adaptive scanning for detection and classification of an RF signal. Time-domain and frequency-domain information are acquired and processed over a broad band of frequencies segmented into channels to produce signal features. The signal features are classified using a signal classifier into signal discriminants, from which a signal of interest is located and identified. Subsequent channel scans then place an increased relative or absolute dwell time on the channel believed to contain the signal of interest.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring communications channels, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining performance data for a plurality of communications channels during a first monitoring period, wherein a particular communications channel from the plurality of communications channels is monitored for a first amount of time during the first monitoring period;

determining, based upon the performance data, that the particular communications channel includes a signal of interest;

in response to determining, based upon the performance data, that the particular communications channel includes the signal of interest, determining a second amount of time for monitoring the particular communications channel, wherein the second amount of time is greater than the first amount of time; and

during a second monitoring period that occurs after the first monitoring period, monitoring the particular communications channel for the second amount of time.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each monitoring period corresponds to the total amount of time in which all channels selected to be monitored are monitored in a selected sequence.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising determining, based upon the performance data, the duration of the second monitoring period.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising determining, based upon the performance data, the selected sequence of monitoring channels during the second monitoring period.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining based upon the performance data includes performing one or more fast Fourier transformations upon the performance data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based upon the performance data, a classification of the signal of interest.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the classification of the signal of interest is based upon one or more of the following types of performance data:

duration, time-domain power, timestamp, correlation, pulse-repetition interval, pulse count, bandwidth, center frequency, peak magnitude frequency, and power spectral density.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second amount of time comprises at least two non-contiguous time intervals during the second monitoring period.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second monitoring period is longer than the first monitoring period.

10. An adaptive channel scanner, comprising:

an RF module, wherein the RF module receives an input RF signal and one or more control signals, and wherein under direction of the one or more control signals, the RF module converts the input RF signal to channel data for a plurality of communications channels;

a signal processor that processes the channel data and determines performance data including signal features;

a signal classifier that receives the signal features and determines one or more signal discriminants from the signal features; and

a logic module that receives the signal discriminants, wherein the logic module determines a signal of interest, and wherein the logic module additionally determines the one or more control signals used to control the RF module.

11. The adaptive channel scanner of claim 10, wherein the one or more control signals direct the RF module to monitor channel data from a particular communications channel from the plurality of communications channels for a first amount of time during a first monitoring period.

12. The adaptive channel scanner of claim 11, wherein the logic module determines the signal of interest lies in the particular communications channel, and sends one or more updated control signals to the RF module to monitor the particular communications channel for a second amount of time during a second monitoring period, wherein the second amount of time is greater than the first amount of time.

13. The adaptive channel scanner of claim 12, wherein the logic module determines a sequence of monitoring communications channels to performed by the RF module during the second monitoring period.

14. The adaptive channel scanner of claim 12, wherein the second amount of time comprises at least two non-contiguous time intervals during the second monitoring period.

15. The adaptive channel scanner of claim 10, wherein the signal processor performs one or more fast Fourier transformations.

16. The adaptive channel scanner of claim 10, wherein the signal discriminants are based upon one or more of the following types of performance data:

duration, time-domain power, timestamp, correlation, pulse-repetition interval, pulse count, bandwidth, center frequency, peak magnitude frequency, and power spectral density.