N08-087 TITLE: Next-Generation Mobile Software Defined Radio

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Joint Tatical Radio Systems - Network Enterprise Services ACAT I

OBJECTIVE: Design and development of a software-defined radio platform that achieves wide frequency coverage and reprogrammability with low size, weight, and power consumption.

DESCRIPTION: Software Defined Radios (SDRs), when deployed in the field, can be reprogrammed with new waveforms, applications, and other functionality with a software upgrade. To achieve the impact of this concept, innovative component technologies and system engineering is needed to produce wideband and completely reprogrammable radio platforms. In general, implementations of radios with wide bandwidth, high-performance RF selectivity, and true reprogrammability of waveform processing do not have the long battery life required of mobile handsets. The goal of this project is to define, design, and develop a high-performance mobile/handheld SDR radio platform that incorporates innovative components and architectural approaches to meet requirements.

PHASE I: Develop an architecture and approach for the Next-Generation Mobile Software Defined Radio. RF frequency coverage should be 2 MHz to 2 GHz continuous, with programmable bandwidths to at least 40 MHz where applicable. Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) filters should be considered to achieve the low power consumption of equal importance to RF performance. The usage of very low power consumption digital devices, used in novel configurations, should be considered when defining the system architecture and design. Develop a preliminary system design that models the RF, signal processing, and general purpose processing. Estimate the power, size, and weight of the product and explain superiority compared to present-day commercial products. Use the public release JTRS Software Communications Architecture (SCA) and Application Program Interfaces (APIs) as a reference for defining the radio infrastructure. Consider the Software Defined Radio Forum�s Future Multiband Multiwaveform Modular Tactical Radio (FM3TR) waveform as an example application. Produce a conceptual design for a development environment, including signal flow diagrams, and scheduling partitions, to demonstrate how the development environment can emulate the FM3TR waveform and permit waveform development.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate the Next-Generation Mobile Software Defined Radio designed in Phase I. Where costs preclude full implementation of all component technologies, provide analysis to extrapolate the performance of a complete design. Waveform design will be performed in parallel to hardware design using a development environment. Reprogrammability of the radio shall be demonstrated with a second waveform provided by the government. RF performance and power consumption will be demonstrated.

PHASE III: Expand the implemented component technologies and the radio infrastructure to complete a radio platform compatible with commercial and Homeland Security markets. Port a civil defense waveform such as the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) 25 into the Next-Generation Mobile Software Defined Radio.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: SDRs offer the potential for significant cost savings to many commercial markets including telecommunications, broadcasting, and consumer electronics. SDRs also provide for enhanced interoperability and spectrum reuse for International and Homeland Security applications. New component technologies and radio infrastructures are needed to extend the programmable capabilities into long battery life handsets.

REFERENCES:
1. Vanu Bose, Michael Ismert, Matt Welborn, John Guttag, "Virtual Radios," IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, vol. 17, no. 4, April 1999 pp. 591-602.

2. Donald R. Stephens, Brian Salisbury, Kevin Richardson, "JTRS infrastructure architecture and standards," MILCOM 2006 - IEEE Military Communications Conference, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 3481-3485.

3. Gary J. Minden, Joseph B. Evans, Leon S. Searl, Daniel DePardo, Rakesh Rajbanshi, Jordan Guffey, Qi Chen, Tim R. Newman, Victor R. Petty, Fredrick Weidling, Megan Peck, Brian Cordill, Dinish Datla, Brett Barker and Arvin Agah, "An agile radio for wireless innovation," IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 45, no. 5, May 2007, pp. 113 - 121

4. Srikathyayani Srikanteswara, Ramesh Chembil Palat, Jeffrey H. Reed, Peter Athanas, "An overview of configurable computing machines for software radio handsets," IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 41, no. 7, Jul 2003 pp. 134-141

KEYWORDS: software defined radio; SCA; communications; waveform; virtual radio; JTRS; MEMS

TPOC: Phil Chen
Phone: (619)553-2858
Fax:
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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