Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) Based Surveillance System

A wireless LAN (WLAN) for an airborne surveillance application uses the 60GHz band, providing GigE speed, no interference with surveillance frequencies, based on adaptation of our proven point to point wireless GigE technology. The system operation is similar to existing WLANs, such as 802.11, however much higher speed can be obtained by the antenna beam-shape and the availability 7GHz-wide unlicensed spectrum. The key new development is an adaptive, highly-directional antenna and the beam steering algorithms. Our demonstrated millimeter-wave MEMS ability is likely to play a key role in facilitating this antenna. The end product will be a GigE WLAN, adaptable to wide range of application and end-user instruments by adding local adaptors as required to facilitate a complete surveillance system or, eventually, any high speed WLAN. Our Phase I key activities are to define the propagation environment, antenna concept, beam forming algorithms, and make preliminary tests of actual propagation and interference.