SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GEO-LOCATING AND DETECTING SOURCE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC EMISSIONS

• US 20130229310A1
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokomis Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nokomis Inc.
• Inventors: Keller, Walter J. III, Parks, Brandon Scott, Hsu, Jennting Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 9,658,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/417
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/21 Interference related issues ; Issues related to cross-correlation, spoofing or other methods of denial of service
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/24 Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system synchronisation aspects of direct sequence spread spectrum modulation H04B1/7073
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/46 using antennas spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02213 Receivers arranged in a network for determining the position of a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders

Abstract

A system for identifying a real-world geographic location of an emission source emitting electromagnetic energy includes a platform configured for movement and an apparatus disposed on the platform and configured to collect and process, in a passive manner and during movement of the platform, at least a pair of successive samples of the electromagnetic energy emission and define angular and spatial coordinates of the emission source. The apparatus includes at least a pair of antennas, a receiver coupled to antennas and a processor executing a predetermined logic.

Claims

1. A system for determining a real-world geographic location of an emission source emitting electromagnetic energy, said system comprising:

(a) a platform configured for movement; and

(b) an apparatus disposed on said platform and configured to collect and process, in a passive manner and during movement of said platform, at least a pair of successive samples of the electromagnetic energy emission and define angular and spatial coordinates of the emission source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least a pair of successive samples is two pair of successive samples and wherein said apparatus includes:

(a) a first antenna mounted on or within said platform and configured to collect a plurality of first samples of the electromagnetic energy emission;

(b) a second antenna positioned in a spaced apart relationship with said first antenna, said second antenna configured to collect a plurality of second samples of the electromagnetic energy emission;

(c) a receiver means mounted on or within said platform and operatively coupled to each of said first and second antennas; and

(d) a processing means operatively coupled to said receiver means, said processing means operable to process, during movement of said platform, said at least two pair of emission signature samples of the electromagnetic energy emission in accordance with a predetermined logic, said predetermined logic defining said angular and spatial coordinates of the emission source, wherein one sample in each pair is collected at said first antenna and wherein other sample in said each pair is collected at said second antenna.

3. A system for determining a real-world geographic location of a source emitting electromagnetic energy, said system comprising:

(a) a platform configured for movement;

(b) means for determining position of said platform at least prior to movement thereof;

(c) at least a pair of antennas positioned in a spaced apart relationship with each other, each of said at least pair of antennas configured to collect electromagnetic energy emitted by the source, wherein at least one of said at least pair of antennas is mounted on or within said platform;

(d) a receiver means mounted on or within said platform and operatively coupled to said each of said at least pair of antennas; and

(e) a processing means operatively coupled to said receiver means, said processing means configured to process, during movement of said platform, at least a pair of successive samples of the electromagnetic energy emission from each of said at least pair of antennas in accordance with a predetermined logic, said predetermined logic defining angular and spatial coordinates of the emission source.

4. The system, according to claim 3, wherein the emission source is a stationary emission source.

5. The system, according to claim 3, wherein the emission source is a plurality of stationary emission sources.

6. The system, according to claim 3, wherein said electromagnetic emission is one of intentional or unintentional.

7. The system, according to claim 3, wherein said platform is a vehicle having motive power or being connected to a vehicle having motive power.

8. The system, according to claim 3, wherein said each of said pair of antennas is an antenna array.

9. The system, according to claim 8, wherein said antenna array is a beam-steer antenna array.

10. The system, according to claim 3, wherein said each of said at least pair of antennas is mounted on said platform.

11. The system, according to claim 3, wherein said angular and spatial coordinates define distance from said platform to the emission source.

12. The system, according to claim 3, wherein said angular and spatial coordinates define one of an altitude of the emission source and approach or departure of said platform relative to the emission source.

13. A method of geo-locating an emission source emitting electromagnetic energy, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an apparatus including a platform configured for movement, at least a pair of antennas positioned in a spaced apart relationship with each other, each of said at least pair of antennas configured to collect the electromagnetic energy emission, wherein at least one of said at least pair of antennas is mounted on or within said platform, a receiver means mounted on or within said platform and operatively coupled to said each of said at least pair of antennas, and a processing means operatively coupled to said receiver means;

(b) moving said apparatus toward to or away from said emission source;

(c) collecting, with each of said at least pair of antennas, at least a pair of successive samples of electromagnetic energy emitted by said emission source;

(d) receiving, at said receiver, said at least pair of successive samples; and

(e) defining, with said processing means in accordance to a predetermined logic, angular and spatial coordinates of said emission source.

14. The method, according to claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of independently decomposing wavelets from each emission signature sample collected at each antenna.

15. The method of claim 14, further including the step of extracting phase information from said each emission signature sample.

16. The method, according to claim 15, further including the step of determining phase differences between elements of said plurality of emission signature samples collected individually at said each of said at least pair of antennas.

17. The method of claim of claim 16, further including the step of determining a travel direction of said platform.

18. The method of claim 13, further including the step of determining at least one of a position and orientation of said platform at least prior to movement thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (e) includes the step of filtering said at least one of position and orientation.

20. The system, according to claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of performing cluster analysis on phase data extracted from plurality of emission signature samples.

21. The system, according to claim 20, wherein said method includes the step of performing cluster analysis and the step of correlating results of said cluster analysis to at least one of path, trajectory and velocity of said moving platform.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of performing wavelet denoising.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of performing triangulation analysis.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of employing Neural Networks.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of filtering relative position of said platform.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of reducing uncertainty on mean measurement values.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said step of reducing uncertainty on mean measurement values includes the step of performing bootstrap statistical analysis.

28. The method of claim 13, wherein said step (e) includes the step of filtering relative position of said platform.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said step of filtering includes the step of applying Kalman filter.

30. A network for identifying a real-world geographic location of an emission source emitting electromagnetic energy, said network comprising:

(a) at least a pair of platforms disposed in a spaced apart relationship with each other and configured for movement independently from each other; and

(b) at least pair of apparatuses, each disposed on one of said at least pair of platforms and configured to at least collect, in a passive manner and during movement of said platform, at least one sample of the electromagnetic energy emission.

31. The network of claim 30, wherein at least one of said at least pair of apparatuses is configured to define angular and spatial coordinates of the emission source.

32. A system for determining at least one of a direction and a real-world geographic location of a Cognitive Radio transceiver transmitting electromagnetic energy, said system comprising:

(a) a platform;

(b) means for determining position of said platform;

(c) at least a pair of antennas positioned in a spaced apart relationship with each other, each of said at least pair of antennas configured to collect electromagnetic energy emitted by the source, wherein at least one of said at least pair of antennas is mounted on or within said platform;

(d) a receiver means mounted on or within said platform and operatively coupled to said each of said at least pair of antennas; and

(e) a processing means operatively coupled to said receiver means, said processing means configured to process at least a pair of successive samples of the electromagnetic energy transmission from each of said at least pair of antennas in accordance with a predetermined logic, said predetermined logic defining a direction of the Cognitive Radio transceiver.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said platform is configured for movement, wherein said means for determining position of said platform is configured to determine position of said platform at least prior to movement thereof, wherein said processing means configured to process said at least pair of successive samples of the electromagnetic energy transmission during movement of said platform and wherein said predetermined logic is further configured to define spatial coordinates of the Cognitive Radio transceiver.