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Ultra Wide Band Time Difference Of Arrival Sensor

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N00014-06-C-0044
Agency Tracking Number: N045-019-0124
Amount: $300,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: N04-T019
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2004
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2005-12-12
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2007-04-23
Small Business Information
15400 Calhoun Drive Suite 400
Rockville, MD 20855
United States
DUNS: 161911532
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Eric van Doorn
 Director of Sensor Technology
 (301) 294-5229
 evandoorn@i-a-i.com
Business Contact
 Mark James
Title: Contracts and Proposals Manager
Phone: (301) 294-5221
Email: mjames@i-a-i.com
Research Institution
 UNIV. OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
 Guy Schiavone
 
3280 Progress Drive Department of Engineering
Orlando, FL 32826
United States

 (407) 882-1300
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

We propose to develop an unattended system which records portions of the VHF and UHF spectrum, determine positions of the responsible transmitters, and report raw IF waveforms and transmitter locations to a user by means of a LPI/LPD data link. We will use ultra wideband (UWB) transceivers (radios) to wirelessly synchronize multiple RF receivers. UWB spreads its energy over several Giga Hertz so it is highly LPI/LPD. This method does not rely on GPS so the synchronization will be maintained when the GPS signal is not available. A time resolution better than 1 nanosecond is achievable using existing UWB chipsets. The same link that is used for time synchronization can carry data for two-way communication, and provide fast, accurate ranging in Line of Sight (LOS), and non-LOS environments. These three capabilities are necessary functions needed to localize transmitters by Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) methods. TM-UWB radar or radio generates narrow pulse (0.5 ns) pseudo-randomly in time. In order to receive these pulses coherently, the receiver needs to synchronize with the transmitter down to tens of picoseconds. We plan to take advantage of this precision timing to achieve time synchronization among multiple RF sensors making up the TDOA sensor.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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