Method of and apparatus for transmitting clandestine radio signals

• US 4,170,757 A
• Filed: 12/30/1977
• Issued: 10/09/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: De Santis, Charles M., Skudera, William J., Ikrath, deceased, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Birmiel, Howard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/865,826
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 325/32, 325/65, 325/473, 325/477, 325/125, 325/141, 325/40, 333/30 R
• US Class Current: 380/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/00 Secret communication

Abstract

Clandestine signals are transmitted by using a surface wave acoustic device to disperse the spectrum of a pulse-modulated CW carrier. The dispersed signal is itself modulated and then transmitted to a remote location, at low level. At the remote location, an acoustic device of conjugate characteristics is used to recover the dispersed signal from out of the background noise.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting clandestine signals from a first to a second location which comprises the following steps:

at said first location,

(a) amplitude modulating the output of a first continuous wave oscillator with a periodic pulse train;

(b) dispersing the frequency spectrum of said modulated output in a first acoustic surface wave device;

(c) pulse modulating the input to said acoustic surface wave device with the signal to be transmitted;

(d) transmitting said dispersed spectrum to said second location, and

at said second location,

(e) mixing the incoming signal from said first location with the output of a second continuous wave oscillator having the identical frequency as said first continuous wave oscillator;

(f) applying the resultant IF signal to a second acoustic surface wave device to contract and restore the pulse modulated signal spectrum, said spectrum includng noise and pulse levels above said noise;

(g) detecting the output pulses from said second acoustic surface wave device exceeding said noise levels to recover the clandestine signal from the noise; and

(h) applying the signal output to an output device.

2. The method according to claim 1 including the further steps of:

at said first location,

(j) applying the output of a low frequency, continuous-wave oscillator to the trigger input of the source of said periodic pulse train;

(k) modulating the output of said low frequency continuous wave oscillator; and

(l) transmitting said modulated low frequency signal to said second location over a separate transmission path; and

at said second location,

(m) applying the incoming low frequency signal to the input of a phase-lock loop circuit;

(n) filtering said detected output;

(o) applying said filtered output as a reference signal to said phase-lock loop circuit; and

(p) applying the output of said phase-lock loop circuit to said output device.

3. The method according to claim 1 including the further steps of, at said first location,

(j) pulse-position-modulating an incoming audio frequency signal;

and

(k) applying said pulse-position-modulated signal as a trigger signal to the source of said periodic pulse train.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said second acoustic surface wave device has a dispersion characteristic conjugate to that of said first acoustic surface wave device.

5. A clandestine transmitter which comprises:

a continuous wave oscillator;

a source of a periodic train of pulses;

means for amplitude modulating the output of said oscillator with the output of said pulse train source;

an acoustic surface wave device for dispersing the frequency spectrum of the output signal from said modulating means;

first means for transmitting the dispersed frequency spectrum to a second location;

a low frequency continuous wave source;

means for triggering said periodic pulse train source with the output of said low frequency continuous wave source; and

second means for transmitting said low frequency signal to said second location over a different transmission path than that used to transmit the output of said frequency dispersing means.

6. A clandestine transmitter which comprises:

a continuous wave oscillator;

a source of a periodic train of pulses;

means for amplitude modulating the output of said oscillator with the output of said pulse train source;

means for supplying an audio-frequency signal to be transmitted;

means for pulse-position-modulating said audio frequency signal;

means for triggering said periodic pulse train source with the output of said pulse-position-modulating means;

an acoustic surface wave device for dispersing the frequency spectrum of the output signal from said amplitude modulating means; and

means for transmitting the dispersed frequency spectrum to a second location.

7. A clandestine receiver, which comprises:

means for receiving a clandestine signal transmitted from a remote location;

a source of continuous wave oscillations;

means for mixing said continuous wave oscillations with said received signal thereby to generate an intermediate frequency signal;

an acoustic surface wave device for contracting the frequency spectrum of said intermediate frequency signal;

means for detecting the signal output from said frequency spectrum contracting device;

a threshold detector connected to the output of said detecting means for discriminating between said detected signal and the ambient noise;

output means connected to the output of said threshold detector;

means for receiving a low frequency signal transmitted from said remote location over a transmission path which differs from the transmission path used to transmit said clandestine signal; and

a phase-lock loop circuit having an input connected to said low frequency signal receiving means, an output connected to said output means, and a reference signal input connected to said detecting means.

8. Apparatus for transmitting clandestine signals from a first to a second location comprising:

a first continuous wave oscillator;

a pulse source generating a periodic pulse train;

means for amplitude modulating the output of said first oscillator with said periodic pulse train;

a first acoustic surface wave device dispersing the frequency spectrum of the amplitude modulated output;

means for pulse modulating the input to said acoustic surface wave device with the signal to be transmitted;

means for transmitting the dispersed spectrum to said second location;

a second continuous wave oscillator at said second location having the same frequency as said first oscillator;

means at said second location for mixing the incoming dispersed spectrum with the output of said second oscillator to provide an IF signal;

a second acoustic surface wave device receiving said IF signal and contracting and restoring the pulse modulated signal spectrum, said spectrum including noise and pulse levels above said noise; and

means for detecting the output pulses from said second acoustic surface wave device exceeding said noise levels to recover the clandestine signal from the noise.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said second acoustic surface wave device has a dispersion characteristic conjugate to that of said first acoustic surface wave device.