Military 5G Enclosure Antenna Array for Jam-Resistant Connectivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial cellular phones are vulnerable to jamming in tactical environments due to their small size and lack of antennas designed to reject interference, making them susceptible to denial of access in 4G/5G synchronization/control channels.
Innovation Solution
A system with an enclosure and internal antennas interacts with cellular device antennas, using a processor to provide connectivity via external antennas, which identify and overcome interference by configuring nulls in the direction of jamming sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If commercial cellular phones are made small and lightweight to meet SWaP-C constraints, then portability and ease of operation are improved, but the number of antennas is reduced making the device vulnerable to jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested architecture where an enclosure with multiple antennas and signal processing components contains a cellular device. The enclosure acts as a protective shell that houses the antenna array and interference mitigation system, allowing the compact cellular device to benefit from enhanced anti-jamming capabilities without increasing its own size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system between the cellular device and the external environment. The enclosure with its antenna array and processor serves as a mediator that receives signals, processes them to eliminate interference, and provides clean signals to the cellular device, thereby protecting it from jamming without requiring the device itself to be complex.
2Reliability
If anti-jamming features are added to cellular phones to operate in contested environments, then reliability under interference is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the anti-jamming functionality into separate modular components: the enclosure with antenna array, the processor for signal processing, and the cellular device. This segmentation allows the complexity to be distributed and managed independently, with each component having a specific function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining anti-jamming capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure serves multiple functions: it houses the antenna array, provides structural support, and acts as a shield. The processor performs multiple tasks including signal reception, interference detection, signal processing, and transmission. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If more antennas are added to cellular devices to reject jamming signals, then anti-jamming performance is improved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places multiple antennas and signal processing components within an enclosure that contains the cellular device. This nesting arrangement allows the antenna array to have sufficient size for effective jamming rejection while the cellular device itself remains compact. The enclosure absorbs the volume requirement for the antenna system without increasing the device volume.
4Ease of manufacture
If commercial cellular phones are used without modification to maintain economy of scale, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but vulnerability to jamming increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an enclosure with antenna array and processor as an intermediary that protects the standard commercial cellular device from jamming. This approach allows the use of off-the-shelf cellular devices that can be manufactured at scale, while the added enclosure and processing components provide the necessary anti-jamming protection without requiring modification to the cellular device itself.
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
Enhances cellular connectivity by rejecting jamming signals, allowing communication with local base stations while maintaining performance and reducing interference, achieving up to 60 dB of jamming source signal rejection.
Implementation Method 1
A processor received signals from the cellular device antennas and provides cellular connectivity to local base stations via a set of antennas external to the enclosure
Implementation Method 2
The processor identifies interference, or receives data about interference, and configures the antennas external to the enclosure to overcome the interference
Implementation Method 3
achieving up to 60 dB of jamming source signal rejection
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an enclosure and antennas disposed within the enclosure to interact with antennas in a cellular device. A processor received signals from the cellular device antennas and provides cellular connectivity to local base stations via a set of antennas external to the enclosure. The processor identifies interference, or receives data about interference, and configures the antennas external to the enclosure to overcome the interference.