FIBER OPTIC LAN BASED INTEGRATED SHIPBOARD IC SYSTEM

THE U.S NAVY HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR AN INTEGRATED SHIPBOARD INTERIORCOMMUNICATION SYSTEM WHICH USES A FIBER OPTIC LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) AS A TRANSMISSION MEDIUM, AND THAT WILL SUPPORT BOTH VOICE AND DATA INFORMATION TRANSFER. OTHER REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE USE OF AN "OPEN ARCHITECTURE", USE OF MILITARY AND/OR COMMERCIAL STANDARDS, IS SURVIVABLE. IS MODULAR (FOR USE ON VARIOUS SIZE VESSELS), AND PROVIDES BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE AND TACTICAL SERVICES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PHASE I EFFORT IS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A FIBER OPTIC LAN WHICH SATISFIES THE ABOVE STATED REQUIREMENTS. * SYNETICS PROPOSES TO USE THE NAVY-S SAFENET II LAN PROTOCOL AS THE BASIS FOR THE BACKBONE NETWORK ARCHITECTURE. A MODULAR NODE CONCEPT IS USED WHICH CAN BE BASED ON A STANDARD BACKPLANE SUCH AS VMEBUS OR THE EMERGING FUTUREBUS+. ADMINISTRATIVE INTEGRATED SERVICES DIGITAL NETWORK (ISDN) TELEPHONES OR TACTICAL TERMINALS MAY BE CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO NODES OR TO INTERMEDIATE CONCENTRATORS. THE UNIQUE USE OF CONCENTRATORS PROVIDES A METHOD FOR SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDING THE NETWORK CAPABILITY WITHOUT CHANGING THE BASIC SYSTEM DESIGN. TACTICAL DATA INTERFACES AND OTHER FUNCTIONS ARE PROVIDED BY SPECIAL NODE INTERFACE MODULES.