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Improved Radio Frequency (RF) Modeling for Correlated Environment Communication System Simulators with Sensor Simulators
Navy SBIR 2012.1 - Topic N121-011 NAVAIR - Ms. Donna Moore - [email protected] Opens: December 12, 2011 - Closes: January 11, 2012 N121-011 TITLE: Improved Radio Frequency (RF) Modeling for Correlated Environment Communication System Simulators with Sensor Simulators TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Information Systems, Human Systems OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative approach for on-the-fly (OTF), physics-based radio frequency (RF) propagation modeling that appropriately interacts with complex synthetic natural environments (terrain, cultural features, atmosphere/weather) for more realistic communication systems and radar sensor simulations. DESCRIPTION: Current state of the art communications simulations use simplified Radio Frequency (RF) propagation modeling that lacks the more advanced phenomenological effects required for more realistic communications simulations in complex battlespace environments. Such missing effects include, but are not limited to, degradations due to weather and 3D atmospherics (attenuation, backscatter, absorption-noise, refraction and ducting), interference, line-of-sight obstruction attenuations from terrain topography, buildings, vegetation and other cultural features, surface reflection and scattering. A new, physics-based approach to RF propagation modeling that provides for these coupling effects on-the-fly so that arbitrary transmitter-receiver pairs can be faithfully modeled as they move through the complex battlespace is sought. The approach must utilize a common, material/property-attributed synthetic natural environments (terrain, atmosphere and ocean) so that first-principles physics-based models may provide a consistent simultaneous representation of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, and correlated com-sims and vis-sims for out-the-window (OTW), Electro Optical (EO), Infrared (IR), and radar sensors (physics-based visible, night vision goggles (NVG), Medium Wavelength Infrared (MWIR), Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). This approach should correlate with OTW, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) and Radar sensor simulations over realistic synthetic natural environments, and support improved interoperability between naval and ground forces, particularly in the area of communication. PHASE I: Design a viable approach for advanced real-time, OTF RF propagation modeling for com-sims that are correlated with the SNE. Demonstrate the feasibility of how the design couples with the 3D atmosphere/weather, terrain and cultural features to model the desired effects, while maintaining physically consistent representations of EO, IR and SAR sensors. Proof-of-concept prototype illustrating EO, IR and RF correlation is desired. PHASE II: Build a real-time prototype demonstrating the Phase I design on a complex SNE, maintaining correlation of RF communications with the terrain and atmospherics, and OTW and sensor vis-sims. PHASE III: Implement capability at a larger scale for a major DOD simulation program. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Private sector applications include the gaming industry, and test routines for communications device manufacturers such as cell/wireless providers, etc REFERENCES: 2. Bailey, M., Kemple, W., West, M. & Chase, C. (1994). Object-Oriented Modelling of Military Communications Networks. http://www.jstor.org/pss/2584474 3. Mohorko et al. (2009). Mathematical model of IRIS replication mechanism for the simulation of tactical networks. Computer Networks, 53, 7, pp.1125-1136 4. Roach, M. (2007). Simulating Network Warfare. http://www.military-advanced-education.com/mit-home/129-mit-2007-volume-11-issue-5/1162-simulating-network-warfare.html KEYWORDS: communications; sensors; RF propagation; C4ISR; FLIR
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