Engineering PapersSearch

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “data communication”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4

The AGRHYMET data communications project

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are providing technical assistance to the AGRHYMET program in West Africa. AGRHYMET staff use remote sensing technology to produce satellite image maps of the Sahel region of West Africa. These image maps may show vegetation greenness, sea surface temperatures, or processed weather satellite imagery. The image maps must be distributed from the AGRHYMET Regional Center in Niger to national AGRHYMET centers in the member countries of Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chad, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal. After consideration of a number of land- and space-based solutions for image map distribution, the best solution was determined to be use of International Maritime Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) land-based terminals. In April 1992, a field test and proof-of-concept demonstration using land-mobile terminals produced favorable results. The USGS and USAID are setting up a wide area network using INMARSAT terminals to link the AGRHYMET sites for image data transfer. The system is in the procurement and installation phase and initial opening capability may be operational for the 1993 growing season, starting in May 1993.

Mah, G. R.

A study of digital holographic filters generation. Phase 2: Digital data communication system, volume 1

An empirical study of the performance of the Viterbi decoders in bursty channels was carried out and an improved algebraic decoder for nonsystematic codes was developed. The hybrid algorithm was simulated for the (2,1), k = 7 code on a computer using 20 channels having various error statistics, ranging from pure random error to pure bursty channels. The hybrid system outperformed both the algebraic and the Viterbi decoders in every case, except the 1% random error channel where the Viterbi decoder had one bit less decoding error.

Ingels, F. M.

System data communication structures for active-control transport aircraft, volume 2

The application of communication structures to advanced transport aircraft are addressed. First, a set of avionic functional requirements is established, and a baseline set of avionics equipment is defined that will meet the requirements. Three alternative configurations for this equipment are then identified that represent the evolution toward more dispersed systems. Candidate communication structures are proposed for each system configuration, and these are compared using trade off analyses; these analyses emphasize reliability but also address complexity. Multiplex buses are recognized as the likely near term choice with mesh networks being desirable for advanced, highly dispersed systems.

Hopkins, A. L.

Study of communications data compression methods

A simple monochrome conditional replenishment system was extended to higher compression and to higher motion levels, by incorporating spatially adaptive quantizers and field repeating. Conditional replenishment combines intraframe and interframe compression, and both areas are investigated. The gain of conditional replenishment depends on the fraction of the image changing, since only changed parts of the image need to be transmitted. If the transmission rate is set so that only one fourth of the image can be transmitted in each field, greater change fractions will overload the system. A computer simulation was prepared which incorporated (1) field repeat of changes, (2) a variable change threshold, (3) frame repeat for high change, and (4) two mode, variable rate Hadamard intraframe quantizers. The field repeat gives 2:1 compression in moving areas without noticeable degradation. Variable change threshold allows some flexibility in dealing with varying change rates, but the threshold variation must be limited for acceptable performance.

Jones, H. W.

Data communications and monitor for the Penn State University profiler network

The profiler network installed by the Department of Meteorology at Penn State University utilizes a microcomputer for network monitoring and control. The network consists of two VHF and one UHF wind profiling Doppler radars. Additional measurement systems added to the network include temperature and humidity profiling radiometers, sodar for boundary layer wind profiling and selected surface based baseline systems. Remote diagnostic capabilities were also implemented in the Penn State network. It is possible to remotely analyze many specific malfunctions of the transmitter or signal processor.

Peters, R. M.

Design and implementation of a microcomputer-based user interface controller for bursted data communications satellite ground terminals

The NASA Lewis Research Center is developing a laboratory-based satellite communications test bed for evaluation of state-of-the-art communications hardware and systems. Most of the digital components of the ground terminals are being constructed in-house at NASA Lewis. One of the ground terminal subsystems, the user interface controller, controls the connection and disconnection of all users to the communication network. The role of the user interface controller in the ground terminal is described and the design and implementation of the microcomputer-based subsystem is discussed.

Shalkhauser, Mary Jo W.

Data communication network at the ASRM facility

The main objective of the report is to present the overall communication network structure for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility being built at Yellow Creek near Iuka, Mississippi. This report is compiled using information received from NASA/MSFC, LMSC, AAD, and RUST Inc. As per the information gathered, the overall network structure will have one logical FDDI ring acting as a backbone for the whole complex. The buildings will be grouped into two categories viz. manufacturing critical and manufacturing non-critical. The manufacturing critical buildings will be connected via FDDI to the Operational Information System (OIS) in the main computing center in B 1000. The manufacturing non-critical buildings will be connected by 10BASE-FL to the Business Information System (BIS) in the main computing center. The workcells will be connected to the Area Supervisory Computers (ASCs) through the nearest manufacturing critical hub and one of the OIS hubs. The network structure described in this report will be the basis for simulations to be carried out next year. The Comdisco's Block Oriented Network Simulator (BONeS) will be used for the network simulation. The main aim of the simulations will be to evaluate the loading of the OIS, the BIS, the ASCs, and the network links by the traffic generated by the workstations and workcells throughout the site.

Moorhead, Robert J., II

Data communication network at the ASRM facility

This three-year project (February 1991 to February 1994) has involved analyzing and helping to design the communication network for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility at Yellow Creek, near Iuka, MS. The principal concerns in the analysis were the bandwidth (both on average and in the worst case) and the expandability of the network. As the communication network was designed and modified, a careful evaluation of the bandwidth of the network, the capabilities of the protocol, and the requirements of the controllers and computers on the network was required. The overall network, which was heterogeneous in protocol and bandwidth, needed to be modeled, analyzed, and simulated to obtain some degree of confidence in its performance capabilities and in its performance under nominal and heavy loads. The results of our analysis did have an impact on the design and operation of the ASRM facility. During 1993 we analyzed many configurations of this basic network structure. The analyses are described in detail in Section 2 and 3 herein. Section 2 reports on an analysis of the whole network. The preliminary results of that research indicated that the most likely bottleneck as the network traffic increased would be the hubs. Thus a study of Cabletron hubs was initiated. The results of that study are in Section 3. Section 4 herein reports on the final network configuration analyzed. When the ASRM facility was mothballed in December of 1993, this was basically the planned and partially installed network. A briefing was held at NASA/MSFC on December 7, 1993, at which time our final analysis and conclusions were disseminated. This report contains a written record of most of the information disseminated at that briefing.

Moorhead, Robert J., III

Systems and Methods for Radar Data Communication

A radar information processing system is operable to process high bandwidth radar information received from a radar system into low bandwidth radar information that may be communicated to a low bandwidth connection coupled to an electronic flight bag (EFB). An exemplary embodiment receives radar information from a radar system, the radar information communicated from the radar system at a first bandwidth; processes the received radar information into processed radar information, the processed radar information configured for communication over a connection operable at a second bandwidth, the second bandwidth lower than the first bandwidth; and communicates the radar information from a radar system, the radar information communicated from the radar system at a first bandwidth.

Bunch, Brian

A Framework for Dimensioning VDL-2 Air-Ground Networks

This paper describes a framework developed at MITRE for dimensioning a Very High Frequency (VHF) Digital Link Mode 2 (VDL-2) Air-to-Ground network. This framework was developed to support the FAA's Data Communications (Data Comm) program by providing estimates of expected capacity required for the air-ground network services that will support Controller-Pilot-Data-Link Communications (CPDLC), as well as the spectrum needed to operate the system at required levels of performance. The Data Comm program is part of the FAA's NextGen initiative to implement advanced communication capabilities in the National Airspace System (NAS). The first component of the framework is the radio-frequency (RF) coverage design for the network ground stations. Then we proceed to describe the approach used to assess the aircraft geographical distribution and the data traffic demand expected in the network. The next step is the resource allocation utilizing optimization algorithms developed in MITRE's Spectrum ProspectorTM tool to propose frequency assignment solutions, and a NASA-developed VDL-2 tool to perform simulations and determine whether a proposed plan meets the desired performance requirements. The framework presented is capable of providing quantitative estimates of multiple variables related to the air-ground network, in order to satisfy established coverage, capacity and latency performance requirements. Outputs include: coverage provided at different altitudes; data capacity required in the network, aggregated or on a per ground station basis; spectrum (pool of frequencies) needed for the system to meet a target performance; optimized frequency plan for a given scenario; expected performance given spectrum available; and, estimates of throughput distributions for a given scenario. We conclude with a discussion aimed at providing insight into the tradeoffs and challenges identified with respect to radio resource management for VDL-2 air-ground networks.

Aviation

A Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation of Multi-Sector Planning in Mixed Equipage Airspace (MSP III)

A human-in-the-loop (HITL) simulation was conducted in May 2010 to determine the feasibility and value 01 conducting multi-sector planning (MSP) operations in a mixed equipage environment. Aircraft were categorized as equipped or unequipped based on the presence or absence of an air-ground data communications (Data Comm) capability for receiving auto-loadable clearances and transfer of communication messages from the air navigation service provider (ANSP). The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility and possible benefits of introducing multi-sector planning in a mixed equipage context, or whether Data Comm equipage was required for MSP operations. Each test scenario presented one of three different equipage levels to the controllers (10%, 50% or 90% equipped aircraft), so that the operational impact of different equipage levels could be observed. Operational feasibility assessment addressed two related questions: (1) are MSP operations feasible for unequipped aircraft, and (2) are they feasible in a mixed equipage context. Similarly, two categories of potential benefits were explored: (1) system performance improvements (e.g., throughput, workload) associated with MSP at different equipage levels, and (2) the possibility of providing differential service for equipage through MSP operations. Tool requirements (for both planning and controller stations), as well as planning and coordination procedures - within facility (traffic management unit/operational area) and within sector (R-Side/D-Side) - were two other topics addressed in the study. Overall, results suggested that MSP operations were feasible in a mixed equipage environment and that the tools were effective with both equipped and unequipped aircraft. Using the MSP tools, traffic management coordinators were able to manage controller task load, effectively balancing throughput with complexity and controller task load at each of the three equipage levels tested.

Smith, Nancy