Energy-Efficient Reactive Jamming of Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) Signals using Software-Defined Radios

Overview

This technology describes a reactive jamming Software-Defined Radio (SDR) apparatus designed to target Frequency Hopping Spread-Spectrum (FHSS) signals. The apparatus consists of a peripheral SDR processing module, a reactive jamming hardware IP core implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), and a host computer for non-time-critical operations such as configuration and strategy composition. The system utilizes band pass filters, energy detectors, and a jamming controller to disrupt FHSS signals based on detected energy thresholds. The reactive jammer is specifically designed for real-time operations, leveraging FPGA for time-sensitive tasks.

Market Applications

Home Defense Networks: Suitable for personal home defense networks to protect against potential threats using FHSS communication
Military Defense Networks: Applicable in military settings for protecting communication networks against adversarial FHSS signals
Portable Defense Systems: Can be incorporated into portable defense systems for on-the-go protection against FHSS-based attacks
Bi-Directional Radios: Integration into bi-directional radios for various applications and devices requiring protection against FHSS interference

Key Advantages

Real-time Reactive Jamming: Utilizes FPGA for time-sensitive operations, allowing real-time reactive jamming against FHSS signals
Configurability: Enables run-time reconfiguration of the jammer through a host computer, allowing flexible jammer configuration, logging, and strategy composition
Energy Efficiency: Activates jamming selectively when wireless activities are detected, conserving energy and minimizing the probability of detection
Specific FHSS Targeting: Designed to target Frequency Hopping Spread-Spectrum signals, providing a focused solution for disrupting such communication

Problems Solved

Real-Time Constraints: Addresses challenges in meeting strict real-time constraints for detecting and reacting to in-flight packets of high-speed wireless networks
Energy Inefficiency: Mitigates the high power requirements and high probability of detection associated with continuous inband jamming signals
SDR Platform Limitations: Overcomes limitations in achieving high-performance and real-time reactive jamming operations on existing SDR platforms
Reactive Jammer Implementation: Addresses implementation challenges in achieving real-time reactive jamming against FHSS signals due to the complexity of detecting and reacting to in-flight packets