Coordination of electronic counter measures
First Claim
1. A method of producing jamming signals comprising:
- receiving a wireless time reference signal from an external resource,exchanging messages over a wireless data link, andgenerating at least one type of jamming signal based on the time reference signal and the messages, the at least one type of jamming signal being emitted from two or more stations physically separated from one another and associated with one another in a group of stations, wherein each station in the group is associated with at least one threat warning system, wherein the messages comprise data pertaining to a usage of at least one first electronic warfare resource in a first station in the group and at least one second electronic warfare resource in at least one second station in the group,coordinating the usage of the at least one first and second resources based on the messages and the time reference signal, such that a particular type of jamming signal is emitted alternately either from the at least one first resource or from the at least one second resource essentially without any overlaps or gaps in timespecifying, in each station, for each electronic warfare resource included in this station whether the resource is currently available or not for emitting jamming signals;
exchanging, repeatedly, status messages with the other stations in the group, each message reflecting a current availability of the electronic warfare resource included in the station from which the message is transmitted;
recording, based on any received status messages from the other stations in the group, a resource activation status for each resource of the electronic warfare resource included in the other stations in the group;
determining, based on an output from the at least one threat warning system and the resources activation statuses, in a first station in the group whether at least one particular threat is appropriate to combat by means of a first electronic warfare resource in this station in coordination with at least one second electronic warfare resource in at least one second station in the group; and
if such a coordination is found to be appropriate transmitting a request message from the first station to the at least one second station; and
waiting for at least one reply message to be returned from the at least one second station in response to the request message; and
if at least one of any received reply messages indicates a service accept emitting a jamming signal from the first electronic warfare resource in coordination with a jamming signal emitted from each of the at least one second electronic warfare resource in the at least one second station having replied with a message indicating a service accept.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic counter measures solution. Jamming signals are emitted towards a threat to improve chances of survival for at least two vehicles, which are physically separated from one another, however associated with one another in a group. Each of the at least two vehicles receives a wireless time reference signal from an external resource. The vehicles exchange messages over a wireless data link. The messages pertain to usage of at least one electronic warfare resource in each vehicle. Based on the messages and the time reference signal the usage of at least one first electronic warfare resource in a first vehicle is coordinated with the usage of at least one second electronic warfare resource in a second vehicle, such that a particular type of jamming signal is emitted alternately either from the at least one first resource or from the at least one second resource, essentially without any overlaps or gaps in time. Thereby, a false target is created between the vehicles with respect to a weapon which operates in a so-called Home-on-Jam mode.
21 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of producing jamming signals comprising:
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receiving a wireless time reference signal from an external resource, exchanging messages over a wireless data link, and generating at least one type of jamming signal based on the time reference signal and the messages, the at least one type of jamming signal being emitted from two or more stations physically separated from one another and associated with one another in a group of stations, wherein each station in the group is associated with at least one threat warning system, wherein the messages comprise data pertaining to a usage of at least one first electronic warfare resource in a first station in the group and at least one second electronic warfare resource in at least one second station in the group, coordinating the usage of the at least one first and second resources based on the messages and the time reference signal, such that a particular type of jamming signal is emitted alternately either from the at least one first resource or from the at least one second resource essentially without any overlaps or gaps in time specifying, in each station, for each electronic warfare resource included in this station whether the resource is currently available or not for emitting jamming signals; exchanging, repeatedly, status messages with the other stations in the group, each message reflecting a current availability of the electronic warfare resource included in the station from which the message is transmitted; recording, based on any received status messages from the other stations in the group, a resource activation status for each resource of the electronic warfare resource included in the other stations in the group; determining, based on an output from the at least one threat warning system and the resources activation statuses, in a first station in the group whether at least one particular threat is appropriate to combat by means of a first electronic warfare resource in this station in coordination with at least one second electronic warfare resource in at least one second station in the group; and
if such a coordination is found to be appropriate transmitting a request message from the first station to the at least one second station; andwaiting for at least one reply message to be returned from the at least one second station in response to the request message; and
if at least one of any received reply messages indicates a service accept emitting a jamming signal from the first electronic warfare resource in coordination with a jamming signal emitted from each of the at least one second electronic warfare resource in the at least one second station having replied with a message indicating a service accept. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer readable medium; and computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium and executable by a processor for producing jamming signals, wherein the computer program instructions for carrying out a method comprising; receiving a wireless time reference signal from an external resource, exchanging messages over a wireless data link, and generating at least one type of jamming signal based on the time reference signal and the messages, the at least one type of jamming signal being emitted from two or more stations physically separated from one another and associated with one another in a group of stations, wherein each station in the group is associated with at least one threat warning system, wherein the messages comprising data pertaining to a usage of at least one first electronic warfare resource in a first station in the group and at least one second electronic warfare resource in at least one second station in the group, coordinating the usage of the at least one first and second resources based on the messages and the time reference signal, such that a particular type of jamming signal is emitted alternately either from the at least one first resource or from the at least one second resource essentially without any overlaps or gaps in time coordinating the usage of the at least one first and second resources based on the messages and the time reference signal, such that a particular type of jamming signal is emitted alternately either from the at least one first resource or from the at least one second resource essentially without any overlaps or gaps in time, specifying, in each station, for each electronic warfare resource included in this station whether the resource is currently available or not for emitting jamming signals, exchanging, repeatedly, status messages with the other stations in the group, each message reflecting a current availability of the electronic warfare resource included in the station from which the message is transmitted, recording, based on any received status messages from the other stations in the group, a resource activation status for each resource of the electronic warfare resource included in the other stations in the group, determining, based on an output from the at least one threat warning system and the resources activation statuses, in a first station in the group whether at least one particular threat is appropriate to combat by means of a first electronic warfare resource in this station in coordination with at least one second electronic warfare resource in at least one second station in the group; and
if such a coordination is found to be appropriate transmitting a request message from the first station to the at least one second station, andwaiting for at least one reply message to be returned from the at least one second station in response to the request message; and
if at least one of any received reply messages indicates a service accept emitting a jamming signal from the first electronic warfare resource in coordination with a jamming signal emitted from each of the at least one second electronic warfare resource in the at least one second station having replied with a message indicating a service accept.
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7. An electronic counter measures station for radiating jamming signals, comprising:
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a receiver unit adapted to receive a wireless time reference signal from an external resource; a communication unit adapted to exchange messages over a wireless data link; and at least one electronic warfare resource adapted to generate and emit at least one type of jamming signal based on the time reference signal and the messages, wherein the communication unit is adapted to exchange the messages with at least one other electronic counter measures station which is physically separated from the station and is associated with the station to form a group of stations; the messages comprise data pertaining to a usage of the at least one first electronic warfare resource and at least one corresponding second electronic warfare resource in at least one other electronic counter measures station in the group; and the station comprises a resource handling unit adapted to, based on the messages and the time reference signal, coordinate the usage of the at least one first and second resources, such that a particular type of jamming signal is emitted alternately either from the at least one first resource or from the at least one second resource essentially without any overlaps or gaps in time, wherein the station is associated with at least one threat warning system, wherein the resource handling unit is adapted to repeatedly control the communication unit to exchange status messages with the other stations in the group, each message reflecting a current availability of the electronic warfare resource included in the station from which the message is transmitted, wherein the resource handling unit comprises a local resource listing which for each electronic warfare resource included in the station specifies whether the resource is currently available or not for emitting jamming signals, wherein the resource handling unit further comprises a group resource listing which specifies an activation status for each electronic warfare resource included in the at least one other station of the group, wherein the resource handling unit is adapted to update the group resource listing with a current resource activation status for each resource of the electronic warfare resource included in the other stations in the group based on any received status messages from the other stations in the group, wherein the resource handling unit is adapted to determine, based on an output from the least one threat warning system and the resources activation statuses, whether at least one particular threat is appropriate to combat by means of a first electronic warfare resource in this station in coordination with at least one second electronic warfare resource in at least one second station in the group, and if such a coordination is found to be appropriate control the communication unit to transmit a request message from the first station to the at least one second station, wherein the resource handling unit is adapted to control the communication unit to wait for at least one reply message being returned from the at least one second station in response to the request message, and if the least one reply message indicates a service accept emitting a jamming signal from the first electronic warfare resource in coordination with a jamming signal emitted from each of the at least one second electronic warfare resource in the at least one second station having replied with a message indicating a service accept. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification