TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Network Enterprise Domain (NED), ACAT I, Joint Tactical Radio System

OBJECTIVE: To develop a rule-based wireless communications waveform gateway that can translate between multiple independent wireless/radio waveforms.

DESCRIPTION: Communication waveforms are typically tailored for specific environments and missions. Bluetooth, for example, was designed for very short distance communication between inexpensive transceivers. WiMAX however, was designed to provide wireless broadband connectivity. Frequently there is an operational need to relay or transfer information from a user community on one waveform such as APCO-25 to another community on a waveform such as TETRA. Historically waveform gateways have been hardcoded pair-wise to translate a small subset of features from one waveform into another. The gateway then transmits the translated information in the new format upon the other waveform. A rule-based or other semantically-programmed gateway could interpret the waveform descriptions of multiple waveforms and automatically perform the translation.

PHASE I: Generate a system concept for semantically processing waveform descriptions in XML or similar open standard and configuring a gateway engine to perform automatic translation. Prototype higher risk system elements to demonstrate feasibility and effectiveness.

PHASE II: Develop the system elements necessary to implement the system concept generated in Phase I. Demonstrate the automatic translation of two different waveforms such as Tetra and APCO-25 or another relevant pair for emergency services or commercial use. Propose improvements to the technology based upon system performance measurements.

PHASE III: Produce and demonstrate an improved agnostic gateway suitable for Homeland Defense or military communications (JTRS).

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The commercial sector has competing waveforms that overlap in functionality and mission such as GSM, W-CDMA, etc. There are also complementary waveform groupings such as Bluetooth, GSM, etc, that can benefit from the availability of an automatic waveform translator. The Homeland Defense, emergency services, and the international market represents a large opportunity for automatic waveform translation.

REFERENCES:
1. Siamak Dastangoo, Steven A. Davidson and Thomas G. Macdonald, "Connecting communications waveforms for combat effectiveness," MILCOM 2007 - IEEE Military Communications Conference, No. 1, October 2007, pp. 743 � 749.

2. David S. Dodge, "Gateways - 101," MILCOM 2001 - IEEE Military Communications Conference, No. 1, October 2001, pp. 532 � 538.

3. Tom Boney, James DeRagon, Subhabrata Bapi Sen and Manoj Jain, "Dynamic activation of reach-back resources for future force brigade combat teams (BCT)," MILCOM 2007 - IEEE Military Communications Conference, no. 1, October 2007, pp. 1665 � 1671.

4. Greg Hupf and Rodney Davis, "Generative gateway toolkit for heterogeneous C3I systems," MILCOM 2006 - IEEE Military Communications Conference, No. 1, October 2006, pp. 1719 � 1725.

KEYWORDS: Defined Radio, JTRS, Waveform, Gateway, wireless, SDR