RF jamming mitigation system and method

• US 9,553,694 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2016
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Elangovan, Vivekanandh, Van Wiemeersch, John Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US15/013,211
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 455/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/222 wherein jamming detection includes detecting the absence or impossibility of intelligible communication on at least one channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/88 related to allowing or preventing alarm transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/90 related to allowing or preventing navigation or positioning, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A jamming detection system for a vehicle may include an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) wave defining a series of RF pulse and quiet phase durations. The system may include a processor programmed to lock the vehicle in response to one but not both of the durations exceeding a predetermined threshold. The processor may also be programmed to arm an alarm of the vehicle in response to both of the durations exceeding respective predetermined thresholds.

Claims

1. A jamming detection system for a vehicle, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) wave defining a series of RF pulse and quiet phase durations; and

a processor programmed to lock the vehicle in response to one but not both of the durations exceeding a predetermined threshold, and to arm an alarm of the vehicle in response to both of the durations exceeding respective predetermined thresholds.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined thresholds are respectively proportional to the pulse duration and quiet phase duration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to adjust at least one of the predetermined thresholds in response to a location of the vehicle falling within a predetermined region.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein adjusting at least one of the predetermined thresholds includes reducing at least one of the predetermined thresholds in response to the predetermined region having a jamming occurrence level exceeding a threshold value.

5. A method comprising:

receiving a signal including a radio frequency (RF) wave defining alternating pulse and quiet phase durations; and

by a controller,

operating a vehicle in a first security mode in response to one but not both of the durations exceeding a predetermined threshold, and

operating the vehicle in a second security mode in response to both of the durations exceeding respective predetermined thresholds.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the security modes is a locking mode.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein one of the security modes is an alarm arming mode.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising adjusting the predetermined thresholds respectively in proportion to the pulse duration and quiet phase duration.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising adjusting at least one of the predetermined thresholds in response to a location of the vehicle falling within a predetermined region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the adjusting includes reducing at least one of the predetermined thresholds in response to the predetermined region having a jamming occurrence level exceeding a threshold value.

11. A jamming detection system for a vehicle, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) wave having a duty cycle and a cycle time; and

a processor programmed to operate the vehicle in a first security mode in response to the duty cycle or cycle time exceeding a predetermined threshold, and to operate the vehicle in a second security mode in response to the duty cycle and the cycle time exceeding respective predetermined thresholds.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein one of the security modes is a locking mode.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein one of the security modes is an alarm arming mode.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined thresholds are respectively proportional to the duty cycle and cycle time.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further programmed to adjust at least one of the predetermined thresholds in response to a location of the vehicle falling within a predetermined region.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein adjusting at least one of the predetermined thresholds includes reducing at least one of the predetermined thresholds in response to the predetermined region having a jamming occurrence level exceeding a threshold value.