Sensor and Communications Convergence
Abstract
Approach:In the proposed effort, ASU executes fundamental research that will enable a muchdeeper understanding of the intrinsic limits of joint RF sensing and communications operation.This theory will have wide applicability to future military and commercial systems.Furthermore, these efforts will aid the development of new system concepts bysimplifying design trades and by suggesting fundamentally new approaches. The importanceof this as an engineering design tool should not be underestimated. By providinganalytic or semi-analytic performance analysis tools, we enable the system design engineerto quickly explore a much broader set of system options. Additionally, for a givenjoint system, these bounds will aid moment-to-moment operational performance, as thesystem trades resources and adapts to the system~s needs. In particular, given limited allocatedspectrum and system resources, the U.S. Navy has and will continue to be askedto do more in terms of communications, radar, and electronic warfare (EW, defined inthe broadest sense including signals intelligence, electronics intelligence, electronic protection,and electronic attack). As the proposed effort is fundamental research, we willnot focus on electronic warfare; however, program collaborators will be able to use ourresults in combination with EW issues of interest to the U.S. Navy, as we emphasize inFigure 2. This research will support near term and future goals of the broadening U.S.Navy mission.Objective:Historically, with few exceptions, the relationship between RF sensing (such as radar)and communications has been antagonistic, because each system views the other as asource of interference. In this proposal, we aim to fundamentally challenge this notion.We assert, when operated correctly (as notionally indicated in Figure 1), communicationsand sensing can improve overall joint system performance.Naval Relevance:The proposed research has a wide range of applicability. As one example, in the areaof HF (historically denoted high frequency) radar, communications, and environmentalexploitation, the tools developed during this research will aid partners in developingsystem concepts, and performing system parameter trades. Because of the long physicalreach of HF, the environment is naturally complicated. This research can aid theperformance analysis of multistatic and networked radar for various Naval radar concepts.These radars can benefit by the presence of additional communications illuminators,which may be cooperative or noncooperative. As another example, the research willapply to future Naval joint S-band air surveillance radar, communications, and electronicwarfare systems. This area of investigation has grown in interest because of the recent lossof the 3.7 GHz band to commercial communications in many regions. Finally, there arenumerous commercial applications. These include automotive joint communications andradar systems. Other commercial applications include joint 5G higher frequency cellularcommunications and very short range user interface radars.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141612375
Entities
People
- Daniel Bliss
Organizations
- Arizona State University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy