Low probability of detection emergency signaling system and method

• US 7,944,351 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Eric K., Giallorenzi, Thomas R., Russon, Marc J., Pulsipher, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US12/350,096
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/539.14, 340/539.21, 340/539.24, 370/468, 370/478, 375/130, 375/132
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/014 Alarm signalling to a central station with two-way communication, e.g. with signalling back
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/28 by changing the gain of an amplifier

Abstract

An emergency locating system can include emergency transceivers and rescue transceivers. The emergency transceivers can be capable of repeat transmission of a distress message using a variable power level and variable spreading factor. A receive transceiver can be capable of receiving the distress messages and sending a confirmation message to the emergency transceiver. The emergency transceiver can be capable of receiving the confirmation message and terminating transmission of the distress message.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting an emergency distress signal while maintaining a low probability of detection profile, the method comprising:

detecting an emergency indication at an emergency transmitter;

transmitting a first low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal using a first power level and a first spreading factor selected to provide a local communications range, the transmitting being from the emergency transmitter in response to the emergency indication;

waiting a time interval for reception of a confirmation message at the emergency transmitter in response to the first low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal;

transmitting a second low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal using a second power level wherein the second power level is greater than the first power level to provide an extended communications range if no response signal was received at the emergency transceiver during the time interval, the extended communications range being greater than the local communications range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local communications range corresponds to ground-to-ground communications within a distance of about 5 km and the extended communications range corresponds to ground-to-air communications within a distance of about 500 km.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the transmitting a first low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal a plurality of times.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein between the repeating the transmitting a first low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal the waiting a time interval for reception of a confirmation message uses a variable time interval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the variable time interval is varied psuedorandomly.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

waiting a time interval for reception of a confirmation message at the emergency transmitter in response to the second low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal;

transmitting a third low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal using the second power level and a second spreading factor, wherein the second spreading factor is greater than the first spreading factor to provide a global communications range, wherein the global communications range is greater than the extended communications range.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the local communications range corresponds to ground-to-ground communications within a distance of about 5 km, the extended communications range corresponds to ground to air communications within a distance of about 500 km, and the global communications range corresponds to ground to space communications within a distance of about 50,000 km.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising repeating the transmitting a second low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal a plurality of times each separated by a different time interval.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising repeating the transmitting a third low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal until a response is received, the repeating the transmitting being separated by a varying time interval.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first spreading factor comprises a first chipping rate and a first data rate and the second spreading factor comprises the first chipping rate and a second data rate wherein the second data rate is less than the first data rate.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein

the transmitting a first low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal comprises performing a direct sequence layered spreading operation;

and

the transmitting a second low probability of detection encoded radio frequency spread-spectrum signal comprises performing a direct sequence layered spreading operation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting an emergency indication at an emergency transmitter comprises operating an actuator according to a predefined authorization sequence.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting an emergency indication comprises a method selected from the group consisting of activating a push button, activating multiple push buttons simultaneously, activating a watch stem, rotating a watch bezel, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a human-perceivable indication at the emergency transceiver when the response is received.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing a human-perceivable indication comprises providing a indication selected from the group consisting of an audible indication, a visible indication, a haptic indication, and combinations thereof.

16. A portable emergency transceiver for search and rescue operations in a hostile environment, the transceiver comprising:

a wearable device;

a transmitter disposed in the wearable device and capable of repeated transmission of a unique unit identification using a low probability of detection radio frequency waveform with a variable power level and a variable spreading factor;

an actuator disposed in the wearable device and operatively coupled to the transceiver to enable transmission from the transmitter when the actuator is operated according to a predefined authorization methodology; and

a receiver disposed in the wearable device and operatively coupled to the transmitter and capable of receiving confirmation messages via a radio frequency link, wherein the receiver controls the variable power level and variable spreading factor based on reception and non-reception of confirmation messages.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the receiver is configured to initiate the transmitter at intervals while increasing the variable power level until a confirmation message is received or a maximum power level is reached.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein once the maximum power level is reached the receiver is further configured to initiate the transmitter at intervals while increasing the variable spreading factor until a confirmation message is received or a maximum spreading factor is reached.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the receiver is configured to increase at least one of the power level and the spreading factor after a predetermined number of transmissions occurs and no confirmation message is received to successively expand a communication range of the transmitter from a local range, to an extended range, and to a global range.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the local communications range corresponds to ground-to-ground communications within a distance of about 5 km, the extended communications range corresponds to ground-to-air communications within a distance of about 500 km, and the global communications range corresponds to ground-to-space communications within a distance of about 50,000 km.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the transmitter is configured to repeat transmissions using a variable time interval.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the transmitter comprises a direct-sequence layered spreader.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein the unique unit identification is determined based on the predefined authorization methodology.

24. The device of claim 16, wherein the transmitter and receiver operate on a same carrier frequency.

25. The device of claim 16, wherein the actuator comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a push button, a watch stem, a watch bezel, and combinations thereof.

26. The device of claim 16, further comprising a power source selected from the group consisting of a solar panel, a battery, a fuel cell, a kinetic energy converter, and combinations thereof.

27. The device of claim 16, wherein the wearable device comprises an enclosure selected from the group consisting of a pendant, a watch, and combinations thereof.

28. A search and rescue system comprising:

(a) a plurality of emergency transceiver units, each emergency transceiver unit comprising;

(i) a transmitter configured to transmit a distress message comprising a unique unit identification using a low probability of detection radio frequency waveform with a variable power level and a variable spreading factor when actuated; and

(ii) a receiver operatively coupled to the transmitter and configured to control the transmitter power level and spreading factor based on the reception and non-reception of confirmation messages in response to the transmitted unique unit identification;

(b) a plurality of rescue transceiver units, each rescue transceiver unit comprising;

(i) a receiver configured to receive a distress message from any one of the plurality of emergency transceiver units; and

(ii) a transmitter operatively coupled to the receiver and configured to transmit a confirmation message in response to the reception of a distress message.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the plurality of rescue transceiver units comprises:

at least one rescue unit disposed on a ground vehicle; and

at least one rescue unit disposed on an airborne vehicle.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein at least one of the plurality of rescue transceiver units is configured to receive the distress message via a satellite.