Optimal Spectrum Allocation to Support Tactical Mobile Ad-hoc Networks
Abstract
Statement of Work:The proposed research will develop a new mathematical-optimization method to quickly and efficiently allocate EM spectrum to support tactical MANET operations.Objective:Wideband MANET radios offer tremendous new capabilities, including high data rates and automatic traffic relay, but have large electromagnetic spectrum requirements. Technological limits constrain the number of wideband radios that can be assigned to the same channel (i.e., a contiguous portion of spectrum), and the channels used by wideband radios are larger than that used by legacy narrowband radios. For instance, 1.2 MHz wideband channels occupy 48 times more spectrum than 25 kHz narrowband channels used for voice-only communications. The introduction of this new wideband capability will challenge the status quo for spectrum allocation, and future communications planning must balance the requirements of new wideband networks and greater data capabilities with less-capable, legacy narrowband networks that require less spectrum. The proposed research aims to develop optimization-based algorithms for spectrum allocation.Approach:The proposed research will develop a new optimization method to quickly and efficiently allocate EM spectrum to support tactical MANET operations. Our method will minimize the total received interference at each radio (thereby maximizing performance), given a fixed spectrum budget. The method will use the government-owned Terrain Integrated Rough Earth Model (TIREM) to accuratelysimulate radio propagation over rough terrain (Alion Science and Technology Corporation, 2014). We will explore the use of heuristics and various decomposition methods, including Bender~s decomposition, to reduce the scale of the problem and provide interim bounds during the optimization process. We will also explore the use of distributed optimization to solve local sub-problems (e.g., small groups of proximate radios) in pursuit of globally optimal solutions.We may consider the use of directional antennae and variable transmission power. Channel assignment, antenna pattern, and transmission power are intimately interrelated variables; while simultaneously considering all three may be computationally infeasible, the benefit of coordinating these interactions makes this a very worthy area of research. We may also consider the effects of enemy action via electronic jamming, a common and growing threat in most combat environments.Overall Merit and ONR Mission/Relevance:The proposed method has direction application to smart or cognitive radio technology currently being developed by all U.S. military services. For example, Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) is looking to develop and eventually field software-defined radios (SDRs) to replace legacy wideband radios such as the PRC-117G. SDRs will be to support smart or cognitive services such as dynamic channel assignment, but current methods of channel allocation still rely on fixed assignments. Also, the Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) (Rockwell Collins, 2014) concept being pursued by the U.S. Navy Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and the Marine Corps aims to connect many military platforms via MANET technology in order to create a more cohesive picture of the battlefield. While this concept is promising, it requires smart, fast allocation of limited available spectrum to be successful. Ourresearch could yield an algorithm or process that directly influences the development of these technologies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 26, 2017
- Source ID
- N000141512176
Entities
People
- Karla Hoffman
Organizations
- George Mason University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy