System and method for suppressing radio frequency transmissions

• US 7,391,356 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pegasus Global Strategic Solutions LLC (Pegasus Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pegasus Global Strategic Solutions LLC (Pegasus Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brumley, Robert Haywood III, Reedy, Michael J., Brumley, Robert Haywood II
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B.
• Application Number:
  US11/228,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 342 13- 19, 455/1
• US Class Current: 342/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/38 Jamming means, e.g. producing false echoes
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/24 for communication related to weapons
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/92 related to allowing or preventing remote control

Abstract

A system and method for suppressing radio frequency (“RF”) transmissions includes a transmitter for transmitting electronic signals that suppresses (e.g., prevents, disrupts, jams, interferes with or otherwise disables) RF transmissions. Some embodiments of the invention include a transmitter that suppresses one or more signals transmitted from a target transmitter in an RF transmission system to a target receiver in a wireless device operating in the RF transmission system to prevent, disrupt, jam, interfere with or otherwise disable an RF transmission between the target transmitter and the target receiver in the wireless device (i.e., target wireless device). These systems and methods may be used to interrupt communication, command and control of non-friendly combatant. These systems and methods may also be used to suppress RF transmissions to prevent the detonation of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.

Claims

1. A system for suppressing radio frequency transmissions, the system comprising:

a ruggedized case configured to be removably mounted on a mobile platform;

a transmitter operable to generate a suppressing signal within at least one predetermined frequency band, the transmitter being removably housed within the case during operation such that the case provides impact protection for the transmitter during operation;

an antenna port disposed on the case that enables an antenna mounted on the mobile platform to be removably connected to the transmitter, the antenna being operable, in response to, receiving the suppressing signal from the transmitter, to broadcast the suppressing signal to a volume of influence surrounding the antenna to suppress radio frequency transmissions within a volume of influence surrounding the antenna; and

a power source port disposed on the case that enables a power source mounted on the mobile platform to be removably connected to the transmitter, the power source providing power to the transmitter;

wherein the removable connections between the transmitter and each of the antenna and the power source, and the removable mount of the ruggedized case enables the ruggedized case and the transmitter to be dismounted and removed from the mobile platform without dismounting and removing the antenna and the power source from the mobile platform.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display port disposed on the case that enables a display mounted on the mobile platform to be removably connected to the transmitter, the display being operable to indicate a status of the transmitter, wherein the removable connection between the transmitter and the display enables the ruggedized case the transmitter to be dismounted and removed from the mobile platform without dismounting and removing the.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the status of the transmitter comprises at least one of a power on/off status, a transmitter on/off status, a power level at which the suppressing signal is being transmitted, a fault status, or a high temperature status.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile platform is a vehicle, and wherein the display is mounted to the vehicle so as to be observable from a cockpit of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform comprises body armor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the case is removably mounted to a first piece of body armor and one or both of the antenna and the power source are mounted to a second piece of body armor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is an omni-directional antenna.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a directional antenna.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform is a vehicle, and wherein the power source is recharged by the operation of an engine that propels the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is controlled to generate the suppression signal at a signal strength that corresponds to a volume of influence large enough to inhibit radio frequency transmissions to an explosive device when the mobile platform is inside of a kill zone of the explosive device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wherein the signal strength that corresponds to a volume of influence large enough to inhibit radio frequency transmissions to an explosive device with the mobile platform is inside of a kill zone of the explosive device is determined based at least in part on a speed of the mobile platform.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the speed of the mobile platform is an actual speed of the mobile platform.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the speed of the mobile platform is an expected speed of the mobile platform.

14. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle comprises a military vehicle.

15. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle comprises an armored civilian vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform is a vehicle, and wherein the antenna is mounted to the roof of the vehicle such that the roof of the vehicle acts as a ground plane and signal reflector for the antenna.

17. A system for suppressing radio frequency transmissions, the system comprising:

a transmitter that generates a suppressing signal within at least one predetermined frequency band at a signal strength, the suppressing signal being broadcast from the transmitter to a volume of influence surrounding the antenna that corresponds to the signal strength, the suppressing signal having the effect of suppressing radio frequency transmissions within a volume of influence surrounding the antenna; and

a mounting member that mounts the transmitter to a mobile platform,

wherein the transmitter is controlled to generate the suppressing signal at a signal strength determined based at least in part on a speed of the mobile platform.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the mounting member is provided on the transmitter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the mounting member is provided on the mobile platform.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the mobile platform comprises body armor.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising an antenna that broadcasts the suppressing signal.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an antenna mounting member, separate from the mounting member, that mounts the antenna to the mobile platform.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile platform comprises body armor, and wherein the antenna mounting member mounts the antenna to a first piece of body armor and the mounting member mounts the transmitter to a second piece of body armor.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the first piece of body armor comprises a helmet and the second piece of body armor comprises a protective vest.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the wherein the speed of the mobile platform is an actual speed of the mobile platform.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the speed of the mobile platform is an expected speed.

26. A system for screening potentially hostile parties, the system comprising:

a transmitter that generates a suppressing signal within at least one predetermined frequency band, the suppressing signal being broadcast from the transmitter to a volume of influence surrounding the antenna, the suppressing signal having the effect of suppressing radio frequency transmissions within a volume of influence surrounding the antenna; and

a screening module that screens potentially hostile parties for explosives,

wherein the transmitter and the screening module are arranged such that the screening module is positioned within the volume of influence during operation to inhibit an explosive device from being remotely detonated while the screening module is being used to search for explosives, and

wherein the transmitter and the screening module are configured and operated such that the effectiveness of the transmitter is not substantially impeded by the screening module and the effectiveness of the screening module is not substantially impeded by the transmitter.