Low-Cost Wireless Shipboard Local Area Network Management

"The object of this project is to develop an integrated approach for automatic configuration management of shipboard physical systems and related information by exploiting shipboard wireless local area networks (WLAN). This innovative approach willfacilitate a reduction in total ownership cost by reducing shipboard workload and enable simplified technology and other shipboard upgrades due to streamlined configuration management. Wireless configuration based on the physical layer and network layerwill be designed, which takes advantage of the features of the newer IPv6. Shipboard wireless systems offer adaptability for COTS technology refresh over long shipboard lifecycles and are particularly applicable for collecting system data/information frommultiple remotely located systems and for mobile access to computer networks. An automatic shipboard wireless configuration management system using WCM tags would find utility in any system with a wireless LAN such as a building for tracking high valueequipment, an off-shore oil platform tracking parts and components, an commercial aircraft tracking components and their maintenance records."