Multi Product UHF L-band System Extension (MPULSE)

TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Information Systems

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this topic is to develop innovative and efficient methods for broadening the interfacing capability for Position Location Information (PLI) systems to transceiver across multiple wireless systems to enhance PLI reliability.

DESCRIPTION: The survival of any military is to have reliable knowledge of the battlefield. Today the DoD depends on many systems to establish and update position information of our forces. PLI is critical to systems such as Blue Force Tracking (BFT) system and Production Rifleman Radio (PRR). Low powered emissions are the only media feasible for the antenna signaling structures that remain in the realm of practicality with lightweight tactical units. The current forces are limited to a select few service providers. By adding flexibility to the RF media interface to these systems, the market of service providers increases dramatically thereby reducing price and providing greater value along with more dependability. Developing adjustable, low powered, paired digital analog converters and analog digital converters as an interface to an all new completely architected field programmable gate array (FPGA) mounted on an evaluation FPGA board that allows for low noise, as well as low frequency heterodyne mixing will extend interface capability of service throughout the world. The ideal solution will be programmable and capable of working in the digital domain with frequencies as low as 290 MHz and as high as 3 GHz in. Additionally, the same interface solution will be capable of converting higher narrowband frequencies via low powered heterodyne mixing of C, X, and Ku. The lower end frequency capability will extend these systems the agility to utilize the Mobile UHF Objective System (MUOS), Iridium Satellite, Inmarsat 3 and 4, and Thurya constellations while heterodyne mixing will allow interfacing with other higher band satellites.

PHASE I: Explore and provide a prototype design that will produce the most effective number of bits (ENOB) possible using low powered 5 MHz wide, low frequency ADC/DAC combination. The design will come with a programmable heterodyne mixer on that can also mix down a 16 GHz signal to the same narrowband front end of a tunable 5 MHz wide at 290 MHz. The design shall have the ability to pass samples to the parent FPGA board for processing. The design shall be delivered in the level of detail of a computer aided design working with assumption that it will mate to a highly capable generic off the shelf FPGA evaluation board. The design shall include the strategies and methods applied to arrive at a stable transparent input/output.

PHASE II: Develop and deliver a prototype that consists of the interface developed with the generic FPGA allows the direct connection to a standard evaluation board (exact FPGA model board to be specified prior to time of phase II proposal), The ADC shall allow direct sampling at 3 GHz and below to 290 MHz along with conversion of frequencies from 4 GHz to 12.5 GHz. The FPGA board should use 16 to 20 nm technology affording the ability to appear digitally transparent as to where the source is coming in from. The symmetrical transmission would be complimentary with the FPGA board receiver being identical in digital timing at UHF when compared with the same output at Ku band to the antenna.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Research proposed in this topic can be used to improve the performance of these systems by additively summing two sources or outputting two transmissions in parallel for enhanced reliability. Dual output and summing two inputs will serve as a survivable Multiple In Multiple Out (MIMO) like technique for reliable PLI in a contested or nuclear event using robust waveform techniques. This application can be used commercially for any mobile application transitioning between layers and bands while traversing different media availabilities. Any similar position location reporting commercial applications will be able to make use of this product including specifically Blue Force Tracking systems.

REFERENCES:

• http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=keeping-track-blue-force

• http://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/c3t-rifleman-radio/

• http://www.slideshare.net/afcea/tactical-radio-update-technet-augusta-2015 Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) Overview, Navy Communications Satellite Program Office, 2015.

• http://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/480259A, Digital Up-sampling Technique for a Heterodyne Digital Centric Transmitter, IEEE, German Microwave Conference, 2015

• http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=7155773 Linearized Adaptation of Non-Linear Post Conversion Correction for TIADCs: A Behavioral Model Study, IEEE, 2015

KEYWORDS: Iridium, Mobile UHF Objective System (MUOS), Blue Force Tracking (BFT), Production Rifleman Radio (PRR), Position Location Information (PLI).