Radio Jamming Detection via Network Intermediary Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cellular communication systems face challenges in detecting intentional radio interference, which can disable communication and prevent emergency calls, as current detection methods may be unable to send notifications due to jamming, and require dedicated control signals.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that utilize existing control signals to detect intentional radio interference by analyzing measurement reports from terminal devices, including signal strength metrics, to determine if communication quality has fallen below a threshold, and trigger a notification message to a target entity, such as an emergency center, without requiring dedicated control signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing detection methods are used to detect intentional radio interference, then detection capability is provided, but the terminal device cannot send notification messages due to jamming disabling communication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidnotification capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The network infrastructure acts as an intermediary that performs the detection of intentional radio interference on behalf of the terminal device. The base station analyzes measurement reports and detects jamming conditions, then sends notifications to emergency services or network operations centers. This mediator approach allows detection and notification to occur even when the terminal device's communication is disabled by jamming.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If dedicated control signals are used for detection, then detection precision is improved, but device complexity and signaling overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference detection precisionVSAvoidcontrol signal complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Existing uplink control signals and measurement reports, which are already part of the standard cellular communication protocol, are repurposed to carry information about downlink interference conditions. The terminal device continues to send regular measurement reports for channel quality feedback, and the network infrastructure analyzes these existing signals to detect intentional radio interference, eliminating the need for separate dedicated detection signaling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the terminal device attempts to send notification messages during jamming, then emergency information can be transmitted, but the communication capability is disabled by the jamming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency notification reliabilityVSAvoidcommunication blocking
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of having the terminal device send notification messages during jamming (which fails due to communication blocking), the approach is inverted: the network infrastructure detects the jamming condition and sends notifications to emergency services or network operations centers. This reverses the notification path from terminal-to-network to network-to-external, bypassing the jamming-induced communication blockage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2809022B1Detection of Intentional Radio Jamming
Publication Date: 2015.09.30 NOKIA SOLUTIONS & NETWORKS OY
  • EP2809022B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2809022B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2809022B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

There is provided a method, a network node of a radio communication network infrastructure, and a computer program for detecting intentional interference, i.e. radio jamming. A message indicating communication quality below a determined threshold in a radio connection between the radio communication network infrastructure and a terminal device is acquired in the radio communication network infrastructure from the terminal device. Presence of an intentional radio interference source is then detected by the network node of the radio communication network infrastructure, wherein the detection is based on at least one measurement report received from the terminal device and upon a result of said detection of the intentional radio interference source, transmission of a notification message to a determined target entity is caused by the network node of the radio communication network infrastructure.