Cognitive Radio Capability for Software Defined Radios

Shared Spectrum Company (SSC) and Space Coast Communication Systems, Inc build on its work on the DARPA XG program to incorporate adaptive cognitive radio capability into the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Software Communications Architecture (SCA). SSC performs feasibility studies to determine which capabilities may be realized through cognitive radio techniques, and to quantify their expected benefits. In support of these studies, SSC delivers a design paper showing how a cognitive radio module fits into and works within the framework of the JTRS SCA and its Application Programming Interface (API). SSC’s approach is twofold: (1) to design a system capable of autonomously configuring a network by optimizing multiple physical layer parameters (frequency, data rate, modulation, etc.); and (2) to implement proven dynamic spectrum access (DSA) technology within the JTRS SCA. DSA brings a secure spectrum policy administration system together with real-time spectrum sensing to enable rapid, autonomous frequency selection. This application of DSA will start the process to transition XG technology into the JTRS waveform library, thus enabling efficient transition of the XG techniques to all JTRS radios.