STTR Phase I: Photonics Enabled Extreme Bandwidth Wireless Communications Spectrum Manager

该小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目旨在使用和改装基于光子学的极带宽射频和微波频谱分析仪，作为无线通信系统的实时频谱管理器。这种方法是由STTR团队开发的基于空间光谱全息的频谱分析仪实现的，该分析仪可以具有40 GHz或更高的瞬时处理带宽，同时保持高光谱分辨率和低延迟(1ms)输出。该传感器硬件将应用于无线通信的宽带实时频谱管理，以便在具有新的频谱访问监管模式的环境中运行。如果与低延迟数字处理相结合，使用现场可编程门阵列等专门的数字信号处理硬件以及适当的数据库和软件，该系统将能够连续和同时监测所有公共无线通信频段，以便快速分配信道占用数据。项目活动包括：确定宽带频谱管理所需的物理测量和频谱签名，实施专门的基于计算机的算法来提取这些信息以进行实时管理，并研究先进的空间频谱光信号处理体系结构，以自动识别超出当前功率频谱测量能力的调制格式等无线信号特征。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力包括用于商业无线通信系统、射频测试和测量、国防信号情报和通信、监管频谱管理以及导航和地理位置应用。第一个商业影响是实现实时动态识别和分配未使用的频谱资源，以最大限度地提高无线网络的效率和容量。空间频谱传感器技术的大带宽和频率可伸缩性有助于新兴无线电通信技术在现有频段和新兴频段(如E频段)的发展。此外，这项技术可以帮助政府执行频谱监管合规，这可能有助于导致频谱分配政策的变化。增加无线容量将有助于加强宽带互联网接入，包括在贫困或农村地区，在这些地区，实施光纤线路等有形基础设施的资本成本令人望而却步(发展中国家通过固定线路使用手机就是明证)。除了通信，射频监控还有几个应用领域，从电子防御到导航和地理位置。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to use and adapt a photonics based extreme bandwidth RF and Microwave spectrum analyzer as a real-time spectral manager for wireless communication systems. The approach is enabled by a spatial-spectral holographic based spectrum analyzer developed by the STTR team that can have instantaneous processing bandwidth of 40 GHz or greater while retaining with high spectral resolution and low latency (1 ms) output. This sensor hardware will be applied to wideband, real-time spectral management of wireless communications for operation in environments with new spectral access regulatory models. When combined with low latency digital processing, using specialized digital signal processing hardware such as field programmable gate arrays and appropriate databases and software, the system will allow continuous and simultaneous monitoring of all common wireless communication bands for rapid distribution of channel occupancy data. Project activities include: identifying the physical measurements and spectral signatures needed for wideband spectrum management, implementing specialized computer based algorithms to extract this information for real-time management, and investigating advanced spatial-spectral optical signal processing architectures to automatically recognize wireless signal characteristics such as modulation formats that are beyond the current power spectrum measurement capability.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes uses in commercial wireless communication systems, RF test and measurement, defense signal intelligence and communications, regulatory spectrum management, and navigation and geo-location applications. The first commercial impact is to enable dynamic identification and allocation of unused spectral resources in real time, in order to maximize the efficiency and increase the capacity of wireless networks. The large bandwidth and frequency scalability of the spatial-spectral sensor technology could assist the growth of emerging radio communication technologies in existing bands, and in emerging bands such as E-band. Additionally, this technology could assist governmental spectrum regulatory compliance enforcement, which could help to lead to changes in spectrum allocation policy. Increased wireless capacity will help to enhance access to broadband internet access, including to poor or rural areas, where the capital costs of implementing physical infrastructure like fiber optic lines is cost prohibitive (evidenced by the developing world's use of cellular phones over landlines). Beyond communications, RF monitoring has several applications ranging from electronic defense, to navigation and geo-location.