Atomic Clock Radar Navigation for Stealth Obfuscation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Monostatic RADAR systems reveal the location of the receiver to targets, as the emitter's position is disclosed through direct signal reflection, compromising stealth and accuracy in on-the-move radar applications.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing atomic clocks at both the receiver and emitter to synchronize time and relative positioning, allowing the receiver to obfuscate its location without direct emission, enabling beam-steering and third-party localization services by using reflection-only signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If monostatic RADAR uses direct signal reflection for target detection, then target detection capability is improved, but receiver location disclosure occurs compromising stealth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a third-party emitter as an intermediary element in the RADAR system. Instead of the receiver directly emitting signals, a separate emitter transmits signals that reflect off the target back to the receiver. This intermediary emitter obscures the receiver's location from the target, as the target only detects the emitter's position, not the receiver's position. The system uses synchronized atomic clocks between the emitter and receiver to maintain precise time-of-flight measurements despite the indirect signal path.
2Measurement precision
If emitter transmits direct signal to receiver for time synchronization, then time synchronization accuracy is improved, but beam direction disclosure occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the emission function from the receiver and places it in a separate emitter. The receiver no longer needs to transmit direct synchronization signals to the emitter, as the emitter independently transmits signals with timing information derived from synchronized atomic clocks. This separation removes the need for direct bidirectional communication between emitter and receiver, preventing the target from detecting the receiver's beam direction through signal reflections.
3Measurement precision
If receiver computes distance by subtracting time-of-flight from emitter to receiver, then distance measurement accuracy is improved, but emitter location must be known compromising obfuscation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses synchronized atomic clocks at both the emitter and receiver to create identical time references. The emitter timestamps its transmitted signals using its atomic clock, and the receiver uses its synchronized atomic clock to measure the time of flight. This time-based positioning approach replaces the need for the receiver to know the emitter's physical location, as distance is calculated purely from time measurements. The target cannot determine the receiver's location because the system relies on temporal rather than spatial relationships.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances on-the-move radar techniques by improving stealth and accuracy, allowing friendly platforms to sense surroundings without disclosing their location, and enabling one-way localization and beam-steering capabilities in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
An atomic clock is a clock device that uses an electronic transition frequency in the microwave, optical, or ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum of atoms as a frequency standard for its timekeeping element
Implementation Method 2
an emitter radiates a particular RF signal; when the signal reaches a target, it is reflected by the target; and the reflection is sensed by a receiver
Implementation Method 3
the receiver can compute the distance to the target by 'subtracting' the time-of-flight from the emitter to the receiver
Implementation Method 4
an inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation aid that uses a computer, motion sensors (accelerometers) and rotation sensors (gyroscopes) to continuously calculate via dead reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity
Data Source
AI summary
Atomic clocks (at both the receiver and emitter) are used to obfuscate the location of the receiver by providing a different mechanism to synchronize (other than the direct reception). Using this approach, there is no need for the emitter to emit directly to the receiver; only the reflection is necessary, and therefore, the location of the receiver (or receivers) is better obfuscated. Phased antenna arrays are used in RADAR for a variety of applications, including steering of beams and increasing the “aperture” of the antenna for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). The relative position of the emitters is known by means of using a Navigation unit. The beam-steering phase shifts are dynamically computed using the position of the emitters, and the atomic clock is used to synchronize the phase shifts.