Systems, methods, and devices for electronic spectrum management
View Patent ↗Devices and methods enable optimizing a signal of interest based on identifying and analyzing the signal of interest based on radio frequency energy measurements. Signal data is compared with stored data to identify the signal of interest. Signal degradation data is calculated based on noise figure parameters, hardware parameters and environment parameters. The signal of interest is optimized based on the signal degradation data. Terrain data may also be used for optimizing the signal of interest.
1. An apparatus for spectrum management, comprising:
an antenna structure, a RF receiver, a signal processor, and at least one memory connected to the signal processor;
wherein the antenna structure is operable to receive and optimize RF energy expressed in a wireless environment;
wherein the RF receiver is operable to measure RF energy and output RF energy measurements to the signal processor;
wherein the signal processor is operable to:
generate signal data based on the RF energy measurements received from the RF receiver;
compare the generated signal data with data stored in the at least one memory to identify at least one signal of interest;
calculate signal degradation data for the at least one signal of interest based on information associated with the at least one signal of interest in a static database including noise figure parameters of a transmitter outputting the at least one signal of interest, hardware parameters, and environment parameters; and
provide signal optimization parameters for signal optimization of the at least one signal of interest.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is further operable to record and provide time information of the measured RF energy.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is further operable to determine and provide a location of the apparatus for spectrum management.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is further operable to identify and provide symbol and protocol information of the at least one signal of interest.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is further operable to determine a modulation type of the at least one signal of interest and identify data types carried in the at least one signal of interest.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is further operable to calculate a signal origin for the at least one signal of interest.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the signal processor is further operable to control a display for outputting estimates of a position and/or direction of movement of the at least one signal of interest.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal processor is further operable to:
convert the RF energy measurements to spectral representation data;
analyze the spectral representation data to identify at least one signal of interest above a power threshold; and
determine at least one parameter for the at least one signal of interest, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of center frequency, bandwidth, power, number of detected signals, frequency peak, peak power, average power, and signal duration.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory comprises:
a history database storing measured signal data for signals previously identified by the apparatus;
a characteristic listing storing static signal data; and
at least one buffer storing data generated by the signal processor.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the characteristic listing also stores protocol data, environment data, noise data, hardware data and payload data.
11. A method, comprising:
at least one device receiving and measuring RF energy;
the at least one device generating signal data based on RF energy measurements;
the at least one device comparing the generated signal data with data stored in the at least one memory to identify the at least one signal of interest;
the at least one device calculating signal degradation data for the at least one signal of interest based on information associated with the at least one signal of interest in a static database including noise figure parameters of a transmitter outputting the signal of interest, hardware parameters, and environment parameters;
the at least one device providing signal degradation data for optimization of the at least one signal of interest.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising recording time information.
13. The method of claim 11 , determining a location of the at least one device.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising identifying symbol, protocol and modulation information.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising identify data types carried in the at least one signal of interest.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising calculating a signal origin for the at least one signal of interest.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising displaying estimates of a position and/or direction of movement of the at least one signal of interest.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
converting the RF energy measurements to spectral representation data;
analyzing the spectral representation data to identify at least one signal of interest above a power threshold; and
determining at least one parameter for the at least one signal of interest, wherein the at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of center frequency, bandwidth, power, number of detected signals, frequency peak, peak power, average power, and signal duration.