Distributed Agent-Based Information Dissemination System (DAIDS) Phase II

The Distributed Agent-based Information Dissemination System (DAIDS) combines advanced concepts for peer-to-peer information management protocols with agent-based information integration and management, services registration, and control. The DAIDSPlatform will enable dynamic registration of network nodes, provide local support for software agents at each node, and enable information dissemination. The DAIDS software architectural concept contains two key elements:¿ Underlying services that enable dynamic peer-to-peer distributed information dissemination, to include registration of nodes in the tactical information network, access to internodal communication, and distributed data access, messaging and eventservices.¿ Supporting infrastructure for the agents at each node that will enable the intelligent prioritization and management of information dissemination, to include local agent registration, interaction, and control services. The infrastructure willnew combat elements joining the network, registering with peer nodes, and participating in the interchange of information. The platform layer has been designed to implement the features of the ATL Grapevine Architecture's peer-to-peer disseminationconcepts with the particular goal of supporting Distributed Data Fusion.DAIDS will provide the following military benefits:¿ Improved dissemination of salient information to other members of the combat team.¿ Bandwidth-aware information dissemination policies.¿ Enhanced survivability through timely dissemination of threat information.The full fruition of the DAIDS concept will provide the following benefits to Army aviation:. Enhanced awareness through an improved local tactical picture supported by intelligent dissemination of relevant information.. Better mission effectiveness through adaptability of priorities and greater flexibility for re-configuration of tasks and team. Survivability enhanced by better threat awareness and dissemination of priority information to masked shooters.For Army combat environments like HSKT and FCS, the primary benefits of this research will derive from two aspects of our system concept: localization of fusion activities at individual distributed nodes of the network of combat elements, and selective,intelligent peer-to-peer dissemination of information across network nodes.Local fusion of information will provide each node of the network with a context-tuned, view of the Common Tactical Picture that is more specifically pertinent to the mission of the individual platform than the simple sum of all teammate data available tothat platform.Intelligent dissemination of information between platforms will ensure that the Common Tactical Picture that results from fusion is as complete, accurate and relevant to the individual as the constraints on bandwidth and processing resources will allow.The goal of intelligent information dissemination is to get the right information to the right place at the right time. To accomplish this, in the real world, limitations on communications bandwidth and processing power must be faced. The ability toemploy intelligent prioritization schemes to communicate only situation-relevant information between nodes, means that scarce communications and processing resources will be used more effectively to deliver the right information to the right place at theright time. This means better decisions by each combat element, better coordination of activities in combat situations, and better survivability and mission effectiveness for every team member.In order to be able to make dissemination decisions based on the needs of individual recipients, it is important to have current information on the information needs and capabilities of the other members of the team. DAIDS will permit combat teams tooperate dynamically, adding and relinquishing team members as needed. Because dynamic team member sensing capabilities registration is not being funded as a part of the AMUST-D program, DAIDS will fill a critical technology enabling and risk reductionrole for Distributed Data Fusion as a part of that program. Subsequently, DAIDS will support proliferation of AMUST-D's Distributed Data Fusion work for future Army and Joint operations.Intelligent information dissemination also applies outside the Army air combat regime. Any large enterprise faces problems of