Satellite Downlink Interference Filtering and Monitoring System (SDIFMS)

In this SBIR project, Shared Spectrum Company (SSC) develops the Satellite Downlink Interference Filtering and Monitoring System (SDIFMS). This innovative system mitigates interference signals to NOAA satellite ground stations from wireless user transmitters (such as, handheld smart phones and devices). The SDIFMS eliminates aggregate LTE interference from multiple, simultaneous interferers. The interferers can be below the noise level. In addition, the SDIFMS monitors and identifies the interference. The SDIFMS uses a circular array of monitoring antennas (surrounding the NOAA satellite downlink antenna) that continuously sense the interference signals. The sampled interference signals are digitally processed to coherently subtract them out of the desired NOAA satellite downlink signal. The number of monitor antennas (4 to 20) is scalable depending on the amount of interfering signals. The SDIFMS has a reconfigurable architecture that is agnostic to the specified frequency band, signal waveforms and standards. The SDIFMS hardware uses COTS digitizers and graphical processors to minimize development costs. Cyclostationary-based signal detection and classification algorithms support the identification of signals buried under the noise floor. During Phase I, SSC implements and field tests a non-real time system canceling real signals using COTS digitizers and MATLAB signal processing.