Adaptive Frequency Hopping Against Jamming Without Capability Exposure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing frequency hopping communication systems are vulnerable to intentional and unintentional signal interferers, which can degrade or disrupt communications, and existing countermeasures may reveal hardware limitations to jammers, making them easier to neutralize.

Innovation Solution

A communication system with a controller that dynamically adjusts the hopping rate and hopping frequency window based on detected interference, keeping these parameters below hardware and policy limits to conceal device capabilities from jammers, and adaptively responds to interference by increasing or decreasing these parameters as needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the hopping rate and hopping frequency window are set at maximum hardware capabilities, then the communication system can achieve maximum anti-jamming capability, but the hardware limitations become exposed to jammers making them easier to neutralize

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanti-jamming capabilityVSAvoidexposure of hardware limitations
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the hopping rate and hopping frequency window adjustable and adaptive rather than fixed at maximum hardware capabilities. The controller dynamically modifies these parameters based on detected interference conditions, allowing the system to maintain high anti-jamming performance when needed while concealing true hardware limitations by operating below maximum capacity during normal conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters of hopping rate and hopping frequency window from fixed maximum values to variable values that can be adjusted by the controller. This allows the system to optimize performance by selecting appropriate parameter levels based on interference detection, thereby maintaining reliability while preventing exposure of hardware capabilities to potential jammers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If adaptive modulation increases the spread spectrum spreading rate to counter jamming, then the signal robustness improves, but the data rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal robustnessVSAvoiddata rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of changing modulation parameters that affect data rate, the patent changes the frequency hopping parameters (hopping rate and frequency window) to achieve anti-jamming performance. This approach maintains signal robustness through frequency diversity while preserving the original data rate by not modifying the spread spectrum spreading rate or constellation robustness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3902148B1Communication system having selectable hopping rate and hopping frequency window and associated methods
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 L3HARRIS GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS INC
  • EP3902148B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3902148B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3902148B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication system may include a radio frequency (RF) detector and an RF transmitter having a selectable hopping rate and a selectable hopping frequency window. A controller may be configured to operate the RF transmitter at a selected hopping rate and at a selected hopping frequency window based upon the RF detector.