Integrated RAD COM Sensor Signal Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing sensors for intercepting radioelectric emissions face challenges in separating and analyzing radar (RAD) and communication (COM) signals due to their overlapping spectral and temporal domains, leading to increased complexity, mass, volume, and electrical consumption, as well as integration issues on a single platform.

Innovation Solution

An integrated RAD/COM sensor that simultaneously processes both RAD and COM transmissions, with a modular architecture that pools resources from reception antennas to primary processing means, allowing for independent analysis and secondary processing of either COM or RAD signals, enabling monitoring in dense electromagnetic environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If separate RAD sensors and COM sensors are used to intercept radar and communication signals, then the analysis quality of each signal type is improved, but the device complexity, mass, volume, and electrical consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis qualityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines separate RAD sensor and COM sensor systems into a single integrated sensor that can simultaneously intercept and process both radar and communication signals. This merging eliminates the need for separate antenna networks, RF receivers, and processing units for each signal type, thereby reducing device complexity, mass, volume, and electrical consumption while maintaining the capability to analyze both signal types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated sensor is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple signal types (radar and communication) through a single system. The sensor includes a unified antenna network and RF receiver that can capture both RAD and COM emissions, along with a shared processing unit that can analyze different signal characteristics, making the system multi-functional rather than requiring dedicated separate systems

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

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate RAD sensors and COM sensors are deployed on the same platform, then comprehensive signal interception is achieved, but the integration complexity and material resources required increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal interception capabilityVSAvoidintegration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the antenna networks, RF receivers, and processing units of separate RAD and COM sensors into a single integrated system. This consolidation maintains comprehensive signal interception capability while eliminating integration issues related to coordinating multiple separate sensor systems on the same platform

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple antenna arrays are used to cover the spectral domain for RAD and COM signals, then the spectral coverage is improved, but the volume and mass of the sensor system increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral coverageVSAvoidsensor volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated sensor employs a universal antenna network and RF receiver system that can operate across multiple frequency bands (HF, VHF, UHF, SHF) to cover the spectral domain for both radar and communication signals. This eliminates the need for separate antenna arrays for each signal type, thereby maintaining comprehensive spectral coverage while reducing the overall volume and mass of the sensor system

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

4Measurement precision

If separate processing units are used for RAD and COM signals, then the specialized processing capability is improved, but the electrical consumption and mass increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal processing capabilityVSAvoidelectrical consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the processing units for RAD and COM signal analysis into a single integrated processing system. This unified processor can handle different signal types by applying appropriate processing algorithms, eliminating the need for separate dedicated processing units and thereby reducing electrical consumption and mass while maintaining specialized processing capabilities for both radar and communication signals

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3420642B1Built-in sensor for intercepting radioelectric com/rad emissions
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 THALES SA
  • EP3420642B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3420642B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3420642B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a sensor (10) for analysing radar RAD emissions and communication COM emissions, comprising: a common receiving stage (100) for digitalising an incident signal; a common primary analysis processing stage (200) for pre-processing the digitalised signal in order to determine a plurality of primary characteristics of the incident signal; and a secondary analysis processing stage (300) comprising a chain (400) of processing procedures for the pretreated digitalised signal, dedicated to COM emissions, and a chain (500) of processing procedures for the pretreated digitalised signal, dedicated to RAD emissions, the primary analysis processing stage (200) comprising a discrimination module for applying the pre-processed digitalised signal at the start of the chain (400) dedicated to the COM emissions and/or at the start of the chain (500) dedicated to the RAD emissions, on the basis of the primary characteristics determined for the incident signal.