GPS Enhanced Dynamic Spectrum Access

ABSTRACT:Echo Ridge and partner Wright State University (WSU) propose to prototype and evaluate the Phase I-developed novel performance enhancing signal processing algorithms enabled by dynamic spectrum access (DSA)-based cognitive radio (CR) and GPS navigation functionality operating on a common software defined radio (SDR) platform in a cognitive network (CN) (Elemental SDR-hosted Cross Application Performance Enhancements, ESCAPE).We will quantitatively show the benefit of exploiting functionality and information traditionally present in each organic application to provide mutual-benefit through tightly coupling measurements in the multifunction common SDR-cognitive network context.ESCAPE benefits to be demonstrated will include improved communications and reduced primary user (PU) interference performance for DSA radios, improved position, velocity and time (PVT) performance for GPS, and improved robustness to unintentional and intentional interference for both applications. The evaluation and demonstration activities produce both comprehensive laboratory grade performance data as well as field demonstrations.BENEFIT:Commercialization opportunities for the subject technology are numerous in both the commercial and DoD sectors.Deployment and widespread adoption of cognitive radio and cognitive radio networks is very slowing progressing in commercial uses due to the issues such as the likelihood of causing increased interference for incumbent spectrum users.In some cases, incumbent users may be public safety personnel whose lives could be placed in danger without reliable communication and location capabilities.The proposed technology offers to improve the cooperation between primary users and secondary users in the increasingly crowded RF spectrum.In addition, through the development proposed, high-dividends could result from a tighter-coupling of electronic sub-systems found in GPS and software defined communications systems.Sharing of hardware and processing could lead to lower overall costs, reduced size and power, and significantly improved communications and navigation performance.This same technology would equally benefit the DoD, which faces increasingly scarce spectrum due to the high demands for revenue-bearing consumer applications.Lastly, through the fusion of DSA and GPS, an unparalleled level of information assurance is offered which provides protection against electronic attacks in both communications and navigation application areas.