Transmit-reference methods in software defined radio platforms for communication in harsh propagation environments and systems thereof

• US 9,537,604 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Dowla, Farid, Nekoogar, Faranak
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US14/612,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20150270923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/00 Circuits for generating electric pulses; Monostable, bistable or multistable circuits H03K4/00 takes precedence; for digital function generators in computers G06F1/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/00 Jamming of communication; Countermeasures
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/44 characterized by the control of the jamming waveform or modulation type
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A method for adaptive Radio Frequency (RF) jamming according to one embodiment includes dynamically monitoring a RF spectrum; detecting any undesired signals in real time from the RF spectrum; and sending a directional countermeasure signal to jam the undesired signals. A method for adaptive Radio Frequency (RF) communications according to another embodiment includes transmitting a data pulse in a RF spectrum; and transmitting a reference pulse separated by a predetermined period of time from the data pulse; wherein the data pulse is modulated with data, wherein the reference pulse is unmodulated. A method for adaptive Radio Frequency (RF) communications according to yet another embodiment includes receiving a data pulse in a RF spectrum; and receiving a reference pulse separated in time from the data pulse, wherein the data pulse is modulated with data, wherein the reference pulse is unmodulated; and demodulating the pulses.

Claims

1. A method for adaptive Radio Frequency (RF) communications, the method comprising:

transmitting a data pulse in a RF spectrum, wherein the data pulse is modulated with data; and

after transmitting the data pulse, transmitting a reference pulse separated by a predetermined period of time from the data pulse, wherein the reference pulse is unmodulated but otherwise identical to the data pulse, wherein the reference pulse is configured to serve as a correlation template for the data pulse;

dynamically monitoring the RF spectrum;

detecting any undesired signals in real time from the RF spectrum; and

sending directional countermeasure signals to jam the undesired signals simultaneously, wherein the directional countermeasure signals are adaptively generated in real-time according to a bandwidth of the undesired signals;

wherein the bandwidth is in a range from a narrow bandwidth to an ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) to cover a very wide range of frequencies to jam many interferers at once; and

wherein the directional countermeasure signals are sent by an antenna that directs the countermeasure signals towards a source of the undesired signals without interfering with friendly communication devices sending desired signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using at least one ultra-wideband (UWB) radio to perform at least one of;

the transmitting of the data and reference pulses;

the dynamic monitoring of the RF spectrum;

the detecting of any undesired signals in real time from the RF spectrum; and

the sending of one or more directional countermeasure signals to jam the undesired signals simultaneously,

wherein the at least one UWB radio comprises one or more interfaces configured to couple to one or more endpoint devices,

wherein at least one of the endpoint devices is operatively coupled to a maritime vessel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one UWB radio includes a software-defined radio (SDR) system, and the method further comprising using the at least one UWB radio to communicate with a satellite uplink base station via wireless communications that are controlled by the SDR system thereof.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising performing multipulse modulation using the SDR system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein multipulse modulation comprises modulating the data pulse with the data based on a relative polarity of the data pulse and the reference pulse.

6. The method of claim 3, comprising using the SDR system to perform Transmit-Reference (TR) modulation in real-time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein performing TR modulation in real-time comprises adaptively changing at least two of the following parameters of the SDR system in real-time:

an operating frequency,

a pulse shape,

a delay between pulses,

a delay between symbols,

a pulse width,

a modulation scheme,

an encryption,

an error correction, and

a power output.

8. The method of claim 2, comprising using multipath receivers of the at least one UWB radio to use to enhance a signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of signals received by the at least one UWB radio.

9. The method of claim 2, comprising:

interfacing with an endpoint device via the at least one UWB radio;

initiating communications between a satellite uplink base station and the endpoint device across a primary communication network;

detecting a failure in the primary communications network; and

initiating communications between the satellite uplink station and the endpoint device across a backup communications network in response to detecting the failure in the primary communications network.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising maintaining an uplink between a base station and a broadband global area network (BGAN) satellite while the base station is in motion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the directional countermeasure signals are narrow-band to focus on a narrow range of frequencies in the RF spectrum.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the directional countermeasure signals are ultra-wideband to cover a very wide range of frequencies in the RF spectrum.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the directional countermeasure signals comprise at least two of:

a narrow-band signal to focus on a narrow range of frequencies in the RF spectrum;

a wideband signal to cover a wide range of frequencies in the RF spectrum; and

an ultra-wideband signal to cover a very wide range of frequencies in the RF spectrum.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the antenna is an omnidirectional antenna comprising a reflector and/or shielding configured to direct the countermeasure signals towards the source of the undesired signals.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the data pulse and the reference pulse are wideband pulses chosen from a group consisting of:

Gaussian, chirp, and Hermite-based.

16. A method for adaptive Radio Frequency (RF) communications, the method comprising:

transmitting a data pulse in a RF spectrum, wherein the data pulse is modulated with data; and

after transmitting the data pulse, transmitting a reference pulse separated by a predetermined period of time from the data pulse, wherein the reference pulse is unmodulated but otherwise identical to the data pulse, wherein the reference pulse is configured to serve as a correlation template for the data pulse;

dynamically monitoring the RF spectrum;

detecting any undesired signals in real time from the RF spectrum;

sending directional countermeasure signals to jam the undesired signals simultaneously, wherein the directional countermeasure signals are adaptively generated in real-time according to a bandwidth of the undesired signals, the bandwidth being in a range from a narrow bandwidth to an ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) to cover a very wide range of frequencies to jam many interferers at once, wherein the directional countermeasure signals are sent by an antenna that directs the countermeasure signals towards a source of the undesired signals without interfering with friendly communication devices sending desired signals;

interfacing with an endpoint device;

initiating communications between a satellite uplink base station and the endpoint device across a primary communication network;

detecting a failure in the primary communications network; and

initiating communications between the satellite uplink station and the endpoint device across a backup communications network in response to detecting the failure in the primary communications network.

17. A system for adaptive Radio Frequency (RF) communications, the system comprising an ultra-wideband (UWB) radio configured to:

transmit a data pulse in a RF spectrum, wherein the data pulse is modulated with data; and

after transmitting the data pulse, transmit a reference pulse separated by a predetermined period of time from the data pulse, wherein the reference pulse is unmodulated but otherwise identical to the data pulse, wherein the reference pulse is configured to serve as a correlation template for the data pulse;

dynamically monitor the RF spectrum;

detect any undesired signals in real time from the RF spectrum; and

sending directional countermeasure signals to jam the undesired signals simultaneously, wherein the directional countermeasure signals are adaptively generated in real-time according to a bandwidth of the undesired signals;

wherein the bandwidth is in a range from a narrow bandwidth to an ultra-wide bandwidth (UWB) to cover a very wide range of frequencies to jam many interferers at once; and

wherein the directional countermeasure signals are sent by an antenna that directs the countermeasure signals towards a source of the undesired signals without interfering with friendly communication devices sending desired signals.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the UWB radio is a software-defined ratio (SDR) system.

19. The system of claim 17, comprising a satellite uplink base station configured to communicate with the UWB radio using wireless communications, wherein the satellite uplink base station comprises:

a router;

a power supply configured to provide power to the uplink base station; and

a broadband global area network (BGAN) satellite uplink configured to maintain a satellite uplink while the satellite uplink base station is in motion, wherein the BGAN satellite uplink is operatively coupled to the router.