NASA SBIR 2006 Solicitation
FORM B - PROPOSAL SUMMARY
PROPOSAL NUMBER: |
06-2 O1.05-9020 |
PHASE 1 CONTRACT NUMBER: |
NNC07QA43P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: |
Reconfigurable/Reprogrammable Communication Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: |
Multi-Mission SDR |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Toyon Research Corporation
6800 Cortona Drive
Goleta, CA 93117 - 3021
(805) 968-6787
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Richard E. Cagley
rcagley@toyon.com
6800 Cortona Drive
Goleta, CA 93117 - 3021
(805) 968-6787
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
Wireless transceivers used for NASA space missions have traditionally been highly custom and mission specific. Programs such as the GRC Space Transceiver Radio System (STRS) seek to abstract the radio waveform from the hardware platform itself; this is meant to improve flexibility and promote component and subsystem reuse. In this Phase II effort Toyon proposes to perform work that will advance the state of the art in reconfigurable wireless transceivers in order to help realize the vision of STRS. Specifically, we propose to develop a modular, but highly integrated, digital and analog signal processing platform along with a standards-compliant waveform. The space-ready reconfigurable radio will serve a range of NASA missions and can be easily modified or enhanced for future needs. The RF front-end will be direct conversion with high integration of the frequency translation subsystems. For digital processing, we will pursue a system-on-a-chip (SoC) design with both reconfigurable logic and a soft-core processor implemented in a radiation-hardened Xilinx FPGA and PROM. The entire system architecture will leverage an EXP board-to-board connector design developed in Phase I. This system concept was validated in Phase I through Toyon's demonstration of a fully-functional packet-based 500 kbps waveform. In Phase II Toyon will pursue development of a waveform that is standards-based in order to further promote reuse and interoperability. Specifically, Toyon will develop a baseline implementation of the IEEE 802.16a standard. In addition to physical layer connectivity, such a waveform is well suited to IP-based networking, easing integration and increasing portability.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
As a space-ready wireless transceiver is a relatively niche market, the potential non-NASA applications for the complete Phase II system outside NASA are limited. Potential transition customers could include the Air Force, DARPA, or MDA; these organizations work with systems that require operation in a wide temperature range and have radiation tolerance. Another market could be a wireless camera or other high-rate data links at nuclear power facilities. However, with the abstraction of hardware and software that Toyon is pursuing in this effort, it is very feasible that subsystems could be readily reused for a wide range of non-radiation hardened applications. Particularly as we are developing a solution around the IEEE 802.16 waveform, there are a host of potential end-user and business-to-business markets that Toyon could pursue. One option would be to license design services or intellectual property developed in the Phase II effort. This could be for both the RF and digital designs themselves as well as the hardware and software cores that will reside in the FPGA and SoC processors.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
A wide range of technologies will need to be further developed in order to fulfill the needs of future manned and unmanned space exploration. While there are a range of NASA mission needs Toyon's reconfigurable wireless transceiver could target, one of the most promising is high-speed data links for surface exploration. For instance, with lunar missions there will be new needs, and associated challenges, with regard to data communications to and from vehicles, persons, and command centers. In one configuration, Toyon's software defined radio (SDR) could be paired with a high definition imager and associated codec in order to transport high-rate image data among several nodes in a multi-hop, ad hoc network. Such links could be used for general situational awareness, remote piloting of vehicles, airlock guidance, in addition to a range of scientific and marketing applications.
NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING |
Architectures and Networks
Highly-Reconfigurable
RF
Radiation-Hard/Resistant Electronics
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
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Form Generated on 08-02-07 14:39
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