Defining the Utility of the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Abstract
The electromagnetic spectrurn (EMS) is a shared resource central to our daily lives. Wireless technologies connect us through cell phones, keep us safe by monitoring and regulating air traffic, connect first responders in a disaster, and pnovide warnings for severe weather. However, due to constantly growing econornic and technological pressure from 4G and 5G networks and the emergence of the lnternet of Things, the EIVIS has become critically congested from connpeting commercial, civil, and defense applications and technologies. . Traditional radio frequency (RF) systems are stove-piped by mode (e"g. search radar, tracking nadar, datalink, etc.) and operate in likewise stove-piped, highly regulated spectrum allocations. To relieve this congestion dynamic spectrum access (DSA) technology has been developed to allow multiple communications users to efficiently and dynamically utilize the spectrum without relying on traditional, inefficient regulations. While these tqchnologies have been focused on communications networks, emerging digital array and wideband software defined nadio technology pioneered by DARFA has further extended the potential of DSA by breaking traditional hardware design stovepipes. These new systerns enable the potentialfor full, dynamic exploitation of the EMS by applications beyond dynamic networks - including radar. To enable full exploitation of the EMS by DSA techniques across multiple applications (e.g. communication networks and high-power radar systems), the utility of the EMS must first be defined from a holistic perspective. Traditional definitions of EMS utility are defined by the application, rather than the resource. We wilt consider the utility of the EMS form multiple holistic perspectives. First, the societal utility of the EMS will be examined, providing a comprehensive understanding of the cornpeting applications, historical regulatlons, and new innovative regulations and standards" Second, a physics-based definition will be developed, defining the utility of the EMS as the ability to access various definitions of information for competing applications. We will considen the information gained from radar, communications, and spectralsituational awareness applications. Flnally, the utility of the EMS will be defined in terms of the competing information products obtainable by the warfighter from a set tirnefnequency access to the EMS. Together these definitions of utility will yield new perspectives and tools to guide future research, acquisitions, and approaches to shared use of the EMS - which will mitigate the impact to defense systerns of spectrum selloffs to 5G providers. Prior approaches to multi-function operation in shared spectrum have largely assumed coordinated access to the EMS by competing devices. We will leverage this prior work and our physics-based definition of EMS utility to develop a new concept for dynamic power-division rnultiplexing of non-orthogonal multiple access (PDM-NOMAlfor multiple functions. This approach will allow for physical layer DSA spectrum sharing by both radar and communication networks, providing a new way to share unlicensed bands. This research will allow the DoD to maintain radar capability in bands that must be shared with 5G providers without requiring the infrastructure needed to enforce pneviously propos perative spectrum sharing technologies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 06, 2021
- Source ID
- HR00112010007
Entities
People
- Justin G. Metcalf
Organizations
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- University of Oklahoma