Resilient antenna disturbance detector

• US 9,148,796 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ninve JR. Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ninve JR. Inc.
• Inventors: Leveille, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/713,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20140170983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 455/63.1, 455/66.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/77, 455/550.1, 455/570, 455/562.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/103 Reflected power, e.g. return loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition

Abstract

A resilient antenna disturbance detector is provided. A signal generator generates an unclonable integrity test signal. The antenna reflects a signal in response to the integrity test signal. A comparator determines whether the reflected signal matches the integrity test signal and a controller signals the disturbance of the antenna to a monitoring device if the energy level of the reflected signal is greater than a predetermined threshold and the reflected signal matches the integrity test signal. The detector provides the advantage of preventing an external receiver and transmitter from predicting and transmitting the integrity test signal to the antenna to interfere with disturbance detection. Also provided is a security system with resilient antenna disturbance detection.

Claims

1. An antenna disturbance detector for signaling a disturbance of an RF communication antenna to a monitoring device, said antenna for internally reflecting a signal in response to an unclonable integrity test signal having unpredictable detectable characteristics, said antenna disturbance detector comprising:

a signal generator for generating said unclonable integrity test signal;

said antenna being configured to simultaneously receive an external signal, said received external signal being added into said reflected signal;

a comparator for determining whether said reflected signal including said received external signal matches said integrity test signal; and

a controller for signaling said disturbance of said antenna to said monitoring device if the energy level of said reflected signal is greater than a predetermined threshold and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal.

2. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 1 wherein said signal generator comprises an energy encoder for setting the energy level of said unclonable integrity test signal, said unpredictable detectable characteristics comprises said energy level, said comparator comprises an energy decoder for determining the energy level of said reflected signal, and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal if said energy level of said reflected signal matches said energy level of said unclonable integrity test signal.

3. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 1 wherein said signal generator comprises a frequency encoder for setting the frequency of said integrity test signal, said unpredictable detectable characteristics comprises said frequency, said comparator comprises a frequency decoder for determining the frequency of said reflected signal, and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal if said frequency of said reflected signal matches said frequency of said unclonable integrity test signal.

4. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 1 wherein said signal generator comprises an amplitude encoder for setting the amplitude of said unclonable integrity test signal, said unpredictable detectable characteristics comprises said amplitude, said comparator comprises an amplitude decoder for determining the amplitude of said reflected signal, and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal if said amplitude of said reflected signal matches said amplitude of said unclonable integrity test signal.

5. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 1, wherein said monitoring device is a security system control panel and said monitoring device switches to one of:

an alarm state, and a trouble state, upon said controller signaling said disturbance of said antenna.

6. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 1 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger one of:

an alarm state, and a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.

7. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 2 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.

8. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 3 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.

9. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 4 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.

10. An antenna disturbance detector for signaling a disturbance of an antenna to a monitoring device, said antenna for reflecting a signal in response to an unclonable integrity test signal having unpredictable detectable characteristics, said antenna disturbance detector comprising:

a signal generator for generating said unclonable integrity test signal, said signal generator including a binary encoder for encoding a binary sequence onto said unclonable integrity test signal, said unpredictable detectable characteristics comprise said binary sequence;

a comparator for determining whether said reflected signal matches said integrity test signal, said comparator including a binary decoder for retrieving a binary sequence from said reflected signal, said comparator being configured to determine that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal if said retrieved binary sequence matches said encoded binary sequence; and

a controller for signaling said disturbance of said antenna to said monitoring device if the energy level of said reflected signal is greater than a predetermined threshold and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal.

11. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 10 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.

12. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 10, wherein said signal generator comprises an energy encoder for setting an energy level of said unclonable integrity test signal, said unpredictable detectable characteristics comprise said energy level, said comparator comprises an energy decoder for determining an energy level of said reflected signal, and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal if said energy level of said reflected signal matches said energy level of said unclonable integrity test signal.

13. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 10, wherein said signal generator comprises a frequency encoder for setting a frequency of said unclonable integrity test signal, said unpredictable detectable characteristics comprise said frequency, said comparator comprises a frequency decoder for determining a frequency of said reflected signal, and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal if said frequency of said reflected signal matches said frequency of said unclonable integrity test signal.

14. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 10, wherein said signal generator comprises an amplitude encoder for setting an amplitude of said unclonable integrity test signal, said unpredictable detectable characteristics comprise said amplitude, said comparator comprises an amplitude decoder for determining an amplitude of said reflected signal, and said comparator determines that said reflected signal matches said unclonable integrity test signal if said amplitude of said reflected signal matches said amplitude of said unclonable integrity test signal.

15. The antenna disturbance detector of claim 10, wherein said monitoring device comprises a security system control panel and said monitoring device switches to a trouble state upon said controller signaling said disturbance of said antenna.

16. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 12 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.

17. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 13 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.

18. A security system control panel having a wireless transceiver and an antenna for RF communication with at least one wireless security system intrusion detector, the control panel having an antenna disturbance detector as defined in claim 14 for detecting disturbance of said antenna and acting as a monitoring device configured to trigger a trouble state when a disturbance of said antenna is detected.