SBIR-STTR Award

Applying Cognitive Radio and adaptive Software-Defined Radio technologies, combined with next-generation Analog-to-Digital Converters and digital signal processors will substantially improve future Satellite Communication (SATCOM) systems overall performance by providing better real-time visibility into the RF operating environment, enabling automatic channelization to improve spectral efficiency, and mitigate the effects from RF interference. The key technologies required to monitor and respond to the RF external environment by necessity reside proximal to the SATCOMs physical layer, including mechanisms to obtain spectral awareness and to provide adaptive spectral allocation and utilization. The Digital Signal Processing based spectrum monitoring and channelization technologies being proposed are independent of modulation scheme and will be an ideal solution for supporting future SATCOM applications.

Benefit:
This project will improve the bandwidth efficiency and link performance of DOD and commercial satellite and terrestrial communication systems. The growth in mobile wireless and SATCOM data communications is largely driven by broadband internet access and the increasing use of rich media (video, IPTV, etc.) streamed over IP networks is driving an exponential growth in mobile data traffic. This growth will be paralleled to a large degree by the growth in commercial SATCOM platforms.

Keywords:
DSP-based Radio, DSP-based Radio, Cognitive Radio, Software-Defined Radio, Satellite Radio

Software-Defined Radio (SDR) based receivers are capable of monitoring DOD communication systems by providing advanced multiband terminals capable of processing very high bandwidth signals. A primary objective of the SDR receiver is to coherently process direct RF sampled or direct reception input signals in real time without suffering a loss in the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR) that adversely affects the systems ability to meet critical wideband and coherent reception requirements of the present day DOD communication systems. In addition, a goal of the SDR is to develop a repeatable, deployable system that integrates innovations that reduce system complexity and/or cost and that improve usability.

Benefit:
The net benefit of this technology will be substantially enhanced mission communications capabilities in spectrum deprived RF environments and in the presence of multiple types of interference. By employing a technology insertion approach for implementation, these enhanced capabilities may be deployed in existing communication systems using expedient and affordable technology insertion techniques that do not adversely affect Size, Weight and Power (SWaP).

Keywords:
Cognitive Radio, SDR, Software Defined Radio