WO2014173639A1

WO2014173639A1 - Method for radio communication and system for carrying out said method

Info

Publication number: WO2014173639A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/056556
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jürgen Schmitz
Original assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Gmbh
Priority date: 2013-04-24
Filing date: 2014-04-02
Publication date: 2014-10-30
Also published as: DE102013007033A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for radio communication between at least two radio communication stations (6) of a communications network (5) each comprising a transmitter (7) and a receiver. Each of the radio communication stations (6) has at least one dedicated ultra-broadband interference transmitter (7), the transmission power (peak output) of which varies from a few kW to GW, depending on the type of protective effect and range, for interfering with other radio links (8). In order to achieve that a secure radio communication between the subscribers of the communications network (5) is possible, even when the interference transmitter (7) is in operation, the radio communication according to the invention is carried out during the activation of the interference transmitter (7) by utilizing ultra-broadband technology, wherein as transmitter (7) of the respective radio communication station (6), the interference transmitter (7) dedicated to the respective radio communication station (6) is used. In the event of a communication between the radio communication stations (6), the pulses generated by the interference transmitter (7) are modulated by means of a UWB modulation technique. However, if no communication between the subscribers of the communications network (5) takes place, the interference transmitter (7) generates pulses of constant repetition rates.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Method for radio communication and system for carrying out the method

The invention relates to a method for radio communication between at least two, each having a transmitter and a receiving device having radio stations of a communication network, the radio stations each having a ultrabreitbandiger jammer with high power is assigned to the disturbance of other radio links. The invention further relates to a transmitter or a system for carrying out the method. In order to ensure that even in the operation of the jammer safe radio communication between the participants of the communication network is possible, the invention proposes to make the radio communication during the activation of the jammer by using the ultra-wideband technology, being used as a transmitter of each radio station this radio station associated jammer is used. In the case of communication between the radio stations, the pulses generated by the jammer are modulated by means of a UWB modulation method. If, on the other hand, no communication takes place between the subscribers of the communication network, pulses of constant repetition rates are generated by the jammer.

Conventional radio transmission systems, such as satellite radio, Tetra / Tetrapol, mobile radio, UHF radio, etc., are usually used for transmitting wireless communications, for example between military vehicles of a convoy or between command posts. These known transmission systems are generally based on the transmission of a carrier wave, the information is modulated digital or analog. With an analog modulation or transmission (AM, PM, FM), the transmitted spectrum is changed. Without the use of a bandpass filter, the radio compatibility with systems using adjacent frequency bands is disturbed. For digital transmission Modulation (ASK, PSK, FSK) there is the possibility that during blanking single to multiple bits are suppressed, so that must be expected with increased bit errors.

Now use the vehicles of a corresponding convoy to disturb (jamming) an opposing message transmission or to (remote) triggering or blocking of booby traps - lEDs, C-IEDs - (see eg US 2006/0164282 A1) jammers, the ultra-wideband Generating and emitting ultra high band (UWB) pulses of high transmission power (for example, of 18 MW, at an amplitude voltage of, for example, 30kV), simultaneous radio communication between the convoy vehicles and the conventional communication systems is often not or only one considerable expenditure on equipment possible.

In the publication EP 1 471 650 A2 it is therefore proposed, with the use of jammers, to perform a time synchronization of the jamming signal of the jamming transmitter and the transmitting signal of the radio stations of the communication network such that time windows between the interference signals take place between which the communication of the radio stations takes place.

From the article of Wikipedia: "Ultrabreitband" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra- broadband (page request of 25.04.201 1)) it is known to use ultra-wideband technology for short-range radio communications In this case, a frequency range with a bandwidth of at least 500 MHz or of at least 20% of the arithmetic average of lower and upper limit frequency of the used frequency band is used for the communication, wherein the information is not modulated onto a sinusoidal carrier but through a defined sequence of short pulses is transmitted.

In order to avoid that such UWB devices interfere with other radio systems, their transmission power is in the mW range and their range, depending on the application, approximately between 10 to 50 m. For wireless communication between vehicles of a convoy or in any other military use such known UWB devices are therefore generally unsuitable.

The object of the invention is to provide a method of the type mentioned in the introduction. admit, in which a secure radio communication between the participants of the communication network is possible even when operating an ultra-wideband jammer high transmission power. Furthermore, a transmitter is to be specified for carrying out the method.

This object is achieved with respect to the method by the features of claim 1 and in terms of the message transmission system by the features of claim 3. Further, particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention disclose the dependent claims.

The invention is based essentially on the idea of making the radio communication during the activation of the jammer by using the ultra-wideband technology, being used as a transmitter of the respective radio station of this radio station associated jammer. In the case of communication between the radio stations, the pulses generated by the jammer are modulated by means of a UWB modulation method. If, on the other hand, no communication takes place between the subscribers of the communication network, pulses of constant repetition rates are generated by the jammer. The peak performance of the jammers are application specific and can vary from kW to GW depending on the type of protection and ranges. The sensitivity of the receiver is usually <-100dBm.

The peculiarity of the invention thus lies in the combination of using a pulsed jammer directly with relevant techniques as a simultaneous means of communication.

High-performance Ultra Band Broadband (UWB) pulses can be used concurrently for three essential applications ^* high bit rate, long range radio / data communication, ^* triggering of Improved Explosive Device (IEDs), Counter Improvised Explosive Device (ClED), ^* suppression of existing conventional radio based communication networks ,

In contrast to known jammers, the jammer according to the invention comprises a modulator which, in the case of communication between the radio stations of the first communication network, modulates the pulses generated by the jamming transmitter by means of a UWB modulation method. If, on the other hand, no (primary) signal (voice or video signal) is present at the modulator, the jamming transmitter only transmits pulses with one constant repetition rate.

Thus, the jamming pulse itself is used simultaneously for the communication and generation of bit patterns by the UWB modulation methods. At the same time there is a CIED protective effect and the communication takes place. This is not disturbed by classical or pulsed jammer. Correlation receivers select between right and wrong pulses / signals. A mixture of radio systems is avoided, since in principle no further form of communication (UHF radio, Tetrapol) is required. The high spatial resolution down to a few centimeters due to the pulse rise times enables extremely good localization and action, etc. A limited performance, such as range reduction due to vanishing signal components or active / passive components in the transmission / reception branch, belongs to the past.

For modulation of the jamming transmitter known per se pulse modulation types, such as "pulse amplitude modulation" (PAM), "pulse phase modulation" (PPM), "pulse duration modulation" (PDM), "pulse code modulation" (PCM) or "pulse frequency modulation" Modulation "(PFM), etc. The transmission or communication is possible in simplex (analog radio), half dublex (analog amateur radio) and full duplex by parallel interconnection, combining and controlling of pulse generators in the frequency division (FDMA) communicates each In the case of the code division multiplex (CDMA), each subscriber transmits characteristic code sequences which make possible an assignment.

The data rate is determined by the repetition rate of the pulse generators (e.g. 100kHz corresponds to 100kbit per s) and can be increased by connecting pulse generators in parallel and merging to one output (2x100kHz then equals 200kbps). The limit of the data rate is then limited by the pulse duration itself. At present, pulse durations of about 500 to 1000 ps are realistic at pulse amplitudes up to 100 kV. Thus, data rates of several hundred Mbit per second (seconds) currently arise, depending on the type of modulation. This will become even more expandable in the future. -

In a preferred embodiment, the transmitter can also be operated as a receiver. A transmitting antenna is then used for reception. The received signal is over passed a coupler at the antenna feed point to the receiver. The receiver used are, for example, comparator circuits and / or correlation receivers. These receivers are capable of receiving individual pulses directly and converting them back into a data stream according to the type of modulation. After a level adjustment (gain, attenuation), the comparator directly detects the input signals. Depending on the type of digital logic (ECL, CMOS, etc.), the comparator signal must be adjusted (eg by a counter). Thereafter, the further processing, for example by a microcontroller.

The pulse shapes can be different depending on the send and receive case (phase, pulse duration, modulation) to allow a distinction of cases quite simple and easy to implement.

Further details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following, with reference to figures explained embodiments. Show it:

1 shows a schematic view of a field mined by booby traps, through which a vehicle convoy moves,

A simplified (sketchy) block diagram of a jammer according to the invention.

In FIG. 1, three armored vehicles 1 to 3 of a vehicle convoy moving in the direction of the arrow 4 are shown (for this exemplary embodiment). For radio communication between the three vehicles, a communication network 5 is provided. For this purpose, each of the vehicles 1 to 3 is known to contain a radio station 6, as a rule with at least one transmitter and one receiver device.

In addition, in each of the vehicles 1 -3 of the convoy, a jammer 7, the ultra-wideband pulses of high transmission power to disturb an existing radio link 8 between, for example, an opposing command post 9 and booby traps 10, 1 1 generates and radiates via an antenna (18) ( in a practical embodiment, the pulse width of the pulses was 1 ns, the pulse repetition rate 10 kHz and the transmission power 18 MW at an amplitude voltage of 30 kV).

According to the invention, it is now provided that the radio communication during the activation tion of the jammer 7 by using the ultra-wideband technology, which is used as a transmitter of the respective radio station of the communication network 5 for the communication of this radio station associated jammer 7.

2 shows a simplified block diagram of a corresponding UWB transmitter 7, wherein in this exemplary embodiment, an amplitude modulation of the pulses (PAM) takes place for transmitting a voice or image communication.

In essence, the UWB transmitter 7 comprises in simplified form a pulse generator 13 for generating very short and thus broadband pulses, which is followed by a modulator 14, which can modulate the coming of a unit 15 communication signals (voice or video signals) to the pulses. The modulated pulses then pass via a power amplifier (or power pulse generator) 16 and possibly a bandpass filter 17 to an antenna 18 and are radiated from this.

Unless the modulator 14 receives any communication signals from the unit 15, the pulses generated by the pulse generator are amplified unmodulated (i.e., at constant repetition rates) from the power amplifier 16 and radiated via the antenna 18.

A not shown in detail receiving device of the corresponding radio station can essentially correspond to known receivers of UWB systems whose signal modulation is done by means of PAM or similar. However, care should be taken that due to the extremely high transmission power of the transmitter 7 an override or even destruction of the components and functional groups of the receiving device is avoided.

In a preferred embodiment (not shown in detail), the jammer 7 can also be operated as a receiver. The transmitting antenna 18 then also serves for the reception. The received signal is routed via a coupler at the antenna feed point to the receiver. The receiver used are, for example, comparator circuits and / or correlation receivers. After a level adjustment (gain, attenuation), the comparator directly detects the input signals. Thereafter, the further processing, for example, by a microcontroller, with the aim of obtaining information from the received signal (demodulation). This can solve the problem of high transmission be bypassed.

The invention is of course not limited to the described embodiment. Thus, of course, another modulation method, such as a phase modulation, etc., may be used instead of an amplitude modulation.

Furthermore, the enemy radio links to be disrupted may also be hostile communication networks.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-3 vehicles

arrow

Communication network radio station

Jamming transmitter (UWB) transmitter radio link command post, 1 1 booby trap pulse generator modulator

unit

Power amplifier band filter

antenna

Claims

1 . Method for radio communication in a communication network (5), characterized in that at least one ultrabroadband UWB unit is assigned as jamming transmitter (7) with a high transmission power for disturbing further radio links (8) and the UWB unit (7) / UWB units (7) itself is also used for communication.

2. A method for radio communication between at least two radio stations (6) of a communication network (5), each comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the radio stations (6) each having at least one ultra-wideband UWB unit with a high transmission power for disturbing further radio connections (8). is assigned and the UWB unit (7) / UWB units (7) itself is also used for communication.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the radio communication between two, each as a transmitter of the respective radio station (6) of the communication network (5) of the radio station associated jammer (7) is used.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the radio communication takes place within the communication network (5) during the activation of the jammer (7) by using the ultra-wideband technology.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in the case of communication between the radio stations (6) of the communication network (5) or in the communication network (6) of the jammer (7) generated by means of a UWB - Modulation method modulated and generated at the absence of corresponding modulation signals pulses of constant repetition rates.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that for the modulation of the jammer (7) alternatively a "pulse amplitude modulation" (PAM), a "pulse phase modulation" (PPM), a "pulse duration modulation" ( PDM), a "pulse code modulation" (PCM) or a "pulse frequency modulation" (PFM) is used.

7. System for radio communication in a communication network (6), characterized in that in each case at least one ultrabreitbandiger UWB unit is assigned as a jamming transmitter (7) with a high transmission power to disturb other radio links (8) and the UWB unit (7) or UWB units themselves are also used for communication.

8. System for radio communication between at least two, each having a transmitter and a receiver having radio stations (6) of a communication network (5), wherein the radio stations (6) each have at least one ultrabreitbandiger UWB unit as a jamming transmitter (7) with a high transmission power to the fault further radio links (8) is assigned and the UWB unit (7) or UWB units themselves are also used for communication.

9. System according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the jammer (7) comprises a modulator (14) which in the case of communication between the radio stations (6) of the communication network (5) or in the communication network (6) of the Jammers (7) generated pulses modulated by a UWB modulation method.

10. System according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the jammer (7) can also serve as a receiver.