Intercept receiver for double-side-band, noise-like signals

• US 4,169,993 A
• Filed: 01/04/1967
• Issued: 10/02/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Inventors: Taylor, Richard L., Gregory, administrator, by Luther W., Drosd, deceased, Ralph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Birmiel, Howard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/607,604
• Time in Patent Office: 4,654 Days
• Field of Search: 325/430, 325/431, 325/433, 325/434, 325/438, 325/453, 325/473, 325/332, 325/333, 325/335, 325/329, 325/470, 325/469, 331/19, 331/30, 331/31
• US Class Current: 380/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/20 where the scanning is accomplished by varying the electrical characteristics of a non-mechanically adjustable element H03J7/183 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 including jamming detection and monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"

Abstract

A receiver for detecting a double side-band noise like signal, in which the receiver is swept over a defined RF spectrum of interest, a phase inversion of the double side band signal is provided and multiplied with the received double side-band noise-like signal to produce an IF signal, and correlation circuitry is provided to produce an output whereby the presence of the double side-band noise like signal is detected, and controls the stopping of the sweep at said detection.

Claims

1. An intercept receiver system for double-side-band, noise-like radio frequency signals comprising:

wide-band antenna means for collecting the radio frequency signals;

voltage tunable wide-band radio frequency amplification means cooperating with the said antenna means for amplifying the said double side-band noise-like radio frequency signals;

controllable sweep voltage generating means providing a sweep voltage;

connecting means cooperating with the said controllable sweep generation means and the radio frequency amplification means for sweeping the said wide-band radio frequency amplification means through a defined radio frequency spectrum providing an instantaneous wide-band center frequency designated as f_o ;

voltage controllable local oscillator means for providing a signal designated as f₁ that is greater in frequency than f_o ;

connecting means cooperating with the said sweep generator means and the said voltage controllable local oscillator means for sweeping the said local oscillator at twice the frequency rate that said bandwidth in the radio frequency amplifiers is swept;

radio frequency mixing means cooperating with the said local oscillator means and the said radio frequency amplification means providing a signal having a spectrum inversion of the said double-side-band, noise-like, radio frequency signal;

multiplying means cooperating with the said mixing means and the said radio frequency amplifying means for providing a product signal at an intermediate frequency designated f₂, having the relationship 2f_o -f₁ =f₂ ;

narrow band intermediate frequency amplification means, centered about the frequency f₂, for integrating the said product signal and providing a correlation output of the said double-side-band noise-like signal and the said signal having a spectrum inversion of the double-side-band noise-like signal;

decision and signal analysis means responsive to the said correlation output of the intermediate amplification means for providing a signal information output; and

sweep control means responsive to the said output of the intermediate frequency amplifier and the said decision and signal analysis means for controlling the said sweep generator means and providing an information output indicating the radio frequency being searched by the said intercept receiver.

2. In an intercept receiver for detecting a double-side-band noise-like signal in a defined portion of the radio frequency spectrum, the said receiver comprising:

means for sweeping the said receiver over the said defined radio frequency spectrum;

means for providing a signal having a phase inversion of the said double side-band noise-like signal;

means for multiplying the said signal having a phase inversion and the said double-like-band noise-like signal for providing an intermediate frequency signal;

narrow band intermediate frequency amplifying means cooperating with the said multiplying means for providing a correlation output signal of the said double-side-band signal and phase inverted signal whereby the presence of a double-side-band noise-like signal is detected; and

means cooperating with the said intermediate frequency amplifying means and the said sweeping means for stopping the sweep when a signal is detected.