Link 16 Jammer Geolocation via Time Delay Derivatives

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Solution Overview

Problem

The Link 16 tactical data link system is vulnerable to jamming, which degrades or renders terminals inoperable, necessitating the detection and geolocation of hostile jamming resources to allow military personnel to avoid or neutralize them.

Innovation Solution

A method and computer program for Link 16-based geolocation of hostile jammers, involving the collection of jamming noise amplitude and phase samples, determination of relative time delay, and use of a geolocation Kalman filter or correlation low pass filter to determine the position of jamming sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If Link 16 tactical data link system is used for military communications, then real-time information and situation awareness are provided, but the system becomes vulnerable to jamming that degrades or renders terminals inoperable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidjamming vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful jamming signal into a useful measurement by detecting its characteristics (amplitude, phase, time delay) to determine the jammer's location. Instead of simply resisting jamming, the system uses the jamming signal itself as a probe to locate and identify the hostile resource, transforming the threat into actionable intelligence for countermeasures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If geolocation of hostile jammers is implemented, then detection and localization capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional processing steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejammer detection capabilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes existing Link 16 terminal components multi-functional by enabling them to perform both normal communication tasks and jammer geolocation. The same amplitude and phase detectors, time delay measurement circuits, and signal processors used for communication are also utilized for detecting and locating jammers, eliminating the need for separate dedicated geolocation hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary measurements of jamming signal characteristics (amplitude, phase, time delay) continuously or periodically, even when communications are ongoing. This advance detection and characterization of jammer parameters enables the system to identify and locate hostile resources before they completely degrade communication, allowing for proactive countermeasures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8995902B2Link 16-based geolocation of hostile jammers

Publication Date: 2015.03.31 BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION ANDELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC

AI summary

A method for Link 16-based geolocation of hostile jammers comprising the steps of collecting jamming noise I/Q samples at a plurality of locations, determining the relative time delay of reception between two or more of the locations, determining the first derivative of the time delay of reception between the two or more locations, and using the results calculated in the preceding step to determine the position of the hostile jammers.