Signal classification methods for scanning receiver and other applications
First Claim
1. A method for classifying signals occurring in a frequency band, comprising:
- a. generating signal pulse data by computing spectral information representing the radio frequency energy and comparing the spectral information with a set of signal pulse characteristics that comprises ranges for center frequency, duration and bandwidth, to produce signal pulse data for pulses that meet the set of signal pulse characteristics;
b. accumulating over a time interval signal pulse data for signal pulses detected in the frequency band, wherein the accumulated signal pulse data comprises the start time, center frequency, bandwidth and duration for each detected signal pulse; and
c. executing against the signal pulse data a plurality of classification procedures to classify signals occurring in the frequency band, wherein each classification procedure is associated with a particular signal type.
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Abstract
Signal classification techniques for classifying signals occurring in a frequency band using a plurality of classifier procedures each dedicated to identify a particular signal or signal type. The classification procedures operate on spectrum activity data that may include pulse event data describing particular types of signal pulses occurring in the frequency band, power versus frequency data for sampling intervals of activity in a frequency band and/or raw analog-to-digital converter samples take of a received signal. The signal classification techniques are useful to identify wireless radio signals or other radio emissions occurring in an unlicensed radio frequency band. One type of classification procedure is a pulse timing template that is compared against accumulated signal pulse data to determine occurrence of a particular signal type. To enhance the pulse timing template signal classifier, techniques are provided to examine the center frequency distribution of signal pulses that match the timing template in order to confirm that certain signal pulses are associated with a particular frequency hopping signal type. This is particularly useful when the accumulated signal pulse data is obtained from a scanning radio receiver that is tuned to different portions/channels of the frequency band in which the frequency hopping signal is expected to hop.
248 Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method for classifying signals occurring in a frequency band, comprising:
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a. generating signal pulse data by computing spectral information representing the radio frequency energy and comparing the spectral information with a set of signal pulse characteristics that comprises ranges for center frequency, duration and bandwidth, to produce signal pulse data for pulses that meet the set of signal pulse characteristics; b. accumulating over a time interval signal pulse data for signal pulses detected in the frequency band, wherein the accumulated signal pulse data comprises the start time, center frequency, bandwidth and duration for each detected signal pulse; and c. executing against the signal pulse data a plurality of classification procedures to classify signals occurring in the frequency band, wherein each classification procedure is associated with a particular signal type. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for classifying signals occurring in a frequency band, comprising:
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a. generating data for one or more attributes of radio frequency energy received in the frequency band over time; b. executing against the data a plurality of classification procedures to classify signals occurring in the frequency band, wherein each classification procedure is associated with a particular signal type; and c. wherein the step of executing comprises executing a classification procedure that compares a power template describing power versus frequency characteristics against power versus frequency data derived from the received radio frequency energy to classify a signal occurring in the frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A processor readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to classify signals occurring in a frequency band, by:
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a. generating signal pulse data by computing spectral information representing the radio frequency energy and comparing the spectral information with a set of signal pulse characteristics that comprises ranges for center frequency, duration and bandwidth to produce signal pulse data for pulses that meet the set of signal pulse characteristics; b. accumulating over a time interval signal pulse data for signal pulses detected in the frequency band, wherein the accumulated signal pulse data comprises the start time, center frequency, bandwidth and duration for each detected signal pulse; and c. executing against the signal pulse data a plurality of classification procedures to classify signals occurring in the frequency band, wherein each classification procedure is associated with a particular signal type. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method for classifying signals occurring in a frequency band, comprising:
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a. comparing a pulse timing template defining a period between at least two signal pulses against data representing signal pulses detected in the frequency band and declaring that a particular signal is occurring when a percentage of matches to the pulse timing template occur over a first time interval exceed a first threshold; b. subsequent to said declaring, continuing to compare the pulse timing template against the data over a second time interval; and c. declaring termination of the particular signal when a percentage of matches to the pulse signature template over the second time interval do not exceed a second threshold, and otherwise continuing to maintain that the particular signal is occurring; d. wherein the first threshold is greater than the second threshold. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for classifying signals occurring in a radio frequency band comprising:
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a. accumulating over time signal pulse data for signal pulses detected in the frequency band, wherein the accumulated signal pulse data comprises the start time, center frequency, bandwidth and duration for each detected signal pulse; b. executing a classification procedure against the accumulated signal pulse data, wherein the classification procedure compares against the accumulated signal pulse data a timing template describing at least one time period between signal pulses that satisfy defined ranges for bandwidth, duration and center frequency, to determine whether a particular signal is occurring in the frequency band; and c. designating for one or more signal pulses in the accumulated signal pulse data an identifier associated with the classification procedure when a match is determined with respect to the one or more signal pulses, thereby tracking which signal pulses in the accumulated signal pulse data are associated with a match to the particular signal. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. A method for classifying signals occurring in a radio frequency band, comprising steps of:
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a. generating data derived from received radio frequency energy in a frequency band when a radio receiver is scanned across the radio frequency band and dwells for a period of time at portions of the frequency band; b. examining the data derived from received radio frequency energy; c. preliminarily determining occurrence of a particular signal type in the frequency band based on the data; and d. applying a classification procedure for the particular signal against data obtained when a radio receiver is tuned to only those portions of the radio frequency band in which the particular signal type is known to occur. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for classifying signals occurring in a radio frequency band, comprising steps of:
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a. generating power versus frequency data derived from received radio frequency energy in the radio frequency band; and b. comparing a power template describing power versus frequency characteristics for a particular signal against the power versus frequency data derived from the received radio frequency energy to determine whether the particular signal is occurring in the radio frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method for classifying signals occurring in a radio frequency band, comprising steps of:
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a. accumulating over time signal pulse data for signal pulses detected in the frequency band, wherein the accumulated signal pulse data comprises the start time, center frequency, bandwidth and duration for each detected signal pulse; and b. executing a classification procedure against the accumulated signal pulse data, wherein the classification procedure compares against the accumulated signal pulse data a timing template describing at least one time period between signal pulses that satisfy defined ranges of at least one or bandwidth, duration and center frequency, to determine whether multiple instances of the same signal type are occurring in the frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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Specification