Drone and controller detector, direction finder, and tracker
Presented herein are embodiments of signal detection and location finding directed to a “Signature Detector and Direction Finder” (SDDF) add-on module. The SDDF is an add-on module to any Signal Detection System (SDS) that detects, locates, and/or tracks any type(s) of Radio Frequency (RF) signals. Even though the presented embodiments can be used with any RF signal type, the preferred targets are Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones, and their controllers. A goal of the SDDF add-on module is to recognize the reported signal of interest and identify its direction. The machine-learning feature enables the system (i.e. SDDF add-on module with SDS) to be deployable in various environments with flexibility in choosing the antenna type(s). The Signature Detector component of the SDDF add-on module uniquely filters drone/controller signals, hence, more accurate direction estimation of the detected signal by SDDF add-on module.
1 . A signature detector and direction finding (SDDF) add-on module comprising:
a signature detector submodule configured to recognize and filter a target signal based on physical features of the target signal,
wherein the target signal is recognized from more than one signal, with each of the more than one signal being present on an identical channel; and
a directional finding submodule configured to determine a direction of the target signal, wherein the signature detector submodule is configured to recognize and filter the target signal from non-target signals prior to determining the direction of the target signal,
wherein the directional finding submodule is configured to receive a vector of power values from the signature detector submodule and utilize a machine-learning-based system to estimate the direction from which the target signal originated, and
wherein the directional finding submodule comprises one or more directional antenna.
2 . The SDDF add-on module of claim 1 wherein the SDDF add-on module is configured to be retrofitted to an existing signal detection system.
3 . The SDDF add-on module of claim 1 further comprising one or more antenna.
4 . A SDDF sensor, the sensor comprising:
a signal detector and direction finding (SDDF) add-on module, wherein the SDDF add-on module comprises:
a signature detector submodule configured to recognize and filter a target signal based on physical features of the target signal,
wherein the target signal is recognized from more than one signal, with each of the more than one signal being present on an identical channel, and
a directional finding submodule configured to determine a direction of the target signal,
wherein the directional finding submodule comprises one or more directional antenna; and
a signature detection (SD) sensor having at least one omnidirectional antenna, wherein the signal detection sensor is configured to detect the target signal and measure at least one characteristic of the target signal; and
wherein the signature detector submodule is configured to recognize and filter the target signal from non-target signals prior to determining the direction of the target signal, and
wherein the directional finding submodule is configured to receive a vector of power values from the signature detector submodule and utilize a machine-learning-based system to estimate the direction from which the target signal originated.
5 . A method of direction finding a target signal source, the method comprising the steps of:
scanning, using a signature detection (SD) sensor,
wherein the SD sensor comprises at least a signature detector submodule;
detecting, using the SD sensor, one or more of a target signal from an environment;
estimating a distance of a source of the target signal from the SD sensor;
receiving, via a directional finding submodule, a vector of power values from the signature detector submodule to estimate the direction from which the target signal originated;
determining a direction of the target signal, using a signal detector and direction finding (SDDF) add-on module,
wherein determining the direction of the target signal comprises collecting power readings from one or more directional antenna and generating an angle value directed to the direction from which the target signal originated; and
estimating a location of the target signal by calculating an intersection between a calculated distance of the source of the target signal and a calculated direction of the target signal; and
wherein the signature detector submodule is configured to recognize and filter the target signal from non-target signals prior to determining the direction of the target signal.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the intersection comprises a plurality of points with each of the plurality of points being directed to an estimated location of the target signal.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein an average of the plurality of points is determined to be a location of origination of the target signal.
8 . The method of claim 5 wherein the determining step is performed separately from the detecting step.
9 . The method of claim 5 wherein the determining step is performed simultaneously with the detecting step.
10 . The method of claim 5 further comprising a directional finding submodule is configured to receive a vector of power values from the signature detector submodule to estimate the direction from which the target signal originated.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the signature detector submodule is configured to measure power levels of the target signal and send the measure of the power levels to the directional finding submodule.
12 . The method of claim 5 wherein the signature detection submodule is configured to detect the target signal, extract physical features from the target signal, and estimate a distance of the target signal from the signature detection sensor.
13 . A Signal Detection System (SDS) to recognize a target signal based on physical features of the target signal to detect, track and locate a location of origin of the target signal, the SDS comprising:
at least one signature detection (SD) sensor,
wherein the SD sensor comprises at least a first signature detector submodule;
at least one signal detector and direction finding (SDDF) add-on module,
wherein the SDDF add-on module comprises at least a second signature detector submodule and a direction finding submodule,
wherein the direction finding submodule comprises one or more directional antenna, and
wherein the direction finding submodule is configured to receive a vector of power values from the first signature detector submodule and utilize a machine-learning-based system to estimate the direction from which the target signal originated;
one or more of SDDF sensors,
wherein the one or more SDDF sensors comprise at least one of: a second SD sensor and a second SDDF add-on module; and
one or more sub-SDS systems that can detect, track, and locate a location or origin of the target signal;
wherein the target signal is recognized from more than one signal, with each of the more than one signal being present on an identical channel.