A Software Thin Layer for Robust Wireless Communications in Challenged Environments

Today''s warfare is network centric and relies on efficient communications on the move. To support these requirements, wireless mobile ad hoc networks (MANET) have received a lot of attention because of self deployment and reconfiguration properties. Unfortunately, wireless networks in mobile environments face formidable challenges - from radio propagation effects to external jamming, path breakage and intermittent connectivity. Current radio platforms are not adequate for the challenge. One approach is to wait for more sophisticated radios (eg, MIMO, cooperative radios, SDR’s) that will alleviate the problem using strictly physical layer techniques. Another approach, successfully explored in Phase I of this project, is to use network and transport layer methods, like path redundancy, network coding and erasure coding to make the network more robust. In Phase II we will leverage Phase I lessons to integrate both physical (eg JTRS), and network/transport techniques to provide more options and achieve better gains. A special middle-ware, the "thin layer”, will manage this integration, transparently interacting with all other layers. The thin layer manages the layer specific "redundancies". It support two coding techniques - erasure and network coding. In Phase II, the Thin Layer will be implemented and demonstrated in JTRS representative waveforms.