Bandwidth-Adaptive Lossless Inter-Channel Compression System

ABSTRACT: The Air Force is seeking to develop a suite of processor and bandwidth-efficient, lossless or near-lossless image compression algorithms that maximize the exploitation of mission data from space-based, electro-optical sensors. The on-board image processing methods currently used in space are unsuitable for SSA applications because they fail to meet the SSA requirements for lossless compression performance and platform-required compression efficiency. In order to meet the Air Force"s requirements, Broadata Communications, Inc. (BCI) proposes a Bandwidth-Adaptive Lossless Inter-Channel Compression (BALIC) System, which efficiently integrates our innovations in highly efficient lossless compression, ultra-fast region-of-interest detection, and bandwidth efficient TCP/IP. It achieves superior compression performance, improves detection, tracking and estimation of low-visibility or fast-moving targets, and provides robust and bandwidth-efficient data delivery over dynamic and bandwidth-limited tactical networks. The compression parameters and transport operation can be tuned and adaptively adjusted to maximize processor and bandwidth utilization, and the BALIC system can work perfectly independent of the underlying network conditions. BALIC compression & transport software has a small code size and small RAM usage, meeting the most constrained space application requirements. It can be easily implemented via available embedded COTS hardware/software or open source products. BENEFIT: BCI"s BALIC technology has many potential applications in military and government, especially in operational satellite ground station and dynamic and bandwidth-limited environments. The Warfighter"s Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T), Network-Centric Warfare, Command and Control (C2) Information System (C2IS), and NASA lunar and planetary surface exploration programs can benefit greatly from BALIC technology. In addition, the U.S. Air Force and DoD can incorporate BALIC technology into relevant tactical communications networks to achieve robust and bandwidth efficient data processing and delivery in bandwidth-limited scenarios. The BALIC technology developed for the space-based SSA may also be used in commercial applications for the detection of objects against any number of terrestrial backgrounds. BCI"s BALIC can provide government surveillance, Internet data compression, remote equipment monitoring, health care monitoring, and situational awareness applications. With a growing need in the U.S. and around the world for surveillance, BALIC technology has vast commercial potential.