EuroEM 2000_Applications-1MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
Recent Applicationsof Ultra Wideband Radar and
Communications Systems
Dr. Robert J. Fontana, President
Multispectral Solutions, Inc.Gaithersburg, Maryland USA
http://www.multispectral.com
EuroEM 2000_Applications-2MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
Multispectral Solutions, Inc.n Small U.S. Business (Incorporated in 1989)
n Specializes in the development of custom solutions for communicationsand high resolution radar
– Core expertise in high-speed digital & wideband RF
n Industry Leader in Rapidly Emerging UWB Technology– 34 new UWB program awards in past 11 years
– 29 UWB awards within last 5 years
Ultra Wideband Systems Satellite Systems High-Speed Parallel Systems
EuroEM 2000_Applications-3MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
n Developed as outcome of time-domain electromagnetics work – Ross(1962)
– Originally referred to as “baseband”, “carrier-free”, or “impulse”
– Earliest applications in high resolution radar
n Large fractional bandwidth waveforms– Typically a few cycles of an RF “carrier”
n Numerous techniques for UWB waveform generation– Direct impulse excitation of antenna– Spectrally filtered approaches
What is Ultra Wideband?
Direct Impulse UWB
0 Hz 3 GHz
Spectrally Filtered UWB
1 GHz 2 GHz
EuroEM 2000_Applications-4MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
n Extremely difficult to intercept– Short pulse excitation generates wideband spectra – low energy densities– Low energy density also minimizes interference to other services
n Multipath immunityTime-gated detector can excise delayed returns – time separation
n Commonality of signal generation and processing architectures– Communications
• LPI/D, High Data Rates, Multipath Tolerance– Radar
• Inherent high precision – sub-centimeter ranging• Wideband excitation for detection of complex, low RCS targets
– Geolocation/Positioning• Sub-centimeter resolution using pulse leading edge detection
n Low Cost– Nearly “all-digital” architecture
• ideal for microminiaturization into a chipset– Frequency diversity with minimal hardware modifications
Ultra Wideband Advantages
EuroEM 2000_Applications-5MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Applications
• High Speed (20+ Mb/s) WLANs• Altimeter/Obstacle Avoidance Radars
(commercial aviation)• Collision Avoidance Sensors• Tags (Intelligent Transportation
Systems, Electronic Signs, SmartAppliances)
• Intrusion Detection Radars• Precision Geolocation Systems• Industrial RF Monitoring Systems
Commercial
Military/Government
• Tactical Handheld & Network LPI/D Radios• Non-LOS LPI/D Groundwave
Communications• LPI/D Altimeter/Obstacle Avoidance Radar• Tags• Intrusion Detection Radars• Precision Geolocation Systems• UAV/UGV Datalinks• Proximity Fuzes• LPI/D Wireless Intercom Systems
EuroEM 2000_Applications-6MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
1990 OSD/DARPA “Assessment of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Technology”
UWB Technology Development
1963 G. Ross – Ph.D. thesis in time-domain electromagnetics
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1986 Ross/Fontana – First fielded “short pulse” UWB Communications system
1978 Bennett & Ross – “Time-Domain Electromagnetics and Its Applications” – Seminal paper on UWB
1972 Robbins – Fundamental patent for UWB single-pulse detector U.S. Patent No. 3,662,316
1978 Ross et al. – First demonstrated (free space) UWB communications system
1973 Ross – Fundamental patent on UWB communications U.S. Patent No. 3,728,632
1965 G. Ross – Sperry Research development of UWB technology (1965-1980)
1984 Ross/Fontana collaboration on UWB communications systems development (MSSI/ANRO)
1994 First UNCLASSIFIED UWB communications programs
Late 1950’s Need for impulse response analysis of microwave N-ports (Lincoln Lab, Sperry, others)
1974 Morey – Fundamental patent on UWB ground penetrating radar U.S. Patent No. 3,806,795
UWB has a long history of development
MSSI – 34 UWB development programs for Government & military (1994-present)
EuroEM 2000_Applications-7MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Communications Ultra Wideband Handheld Radios
Design Characteristics– LPI/D digital voice/data radio– Full duplex– Packet burst, CSMA-CD– 128 kb/s (CVSD voice), 115.2 kb/s (data)– 1W peak– 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth
• Unique, spectrally shaped waveform design• L-band center frequency• 27% fractional BW (IBW/fo)
– Range• 1-2 km with low profile, omni antennas• Multiple mile performance with higher gain
antennas
27% Fractional BW
EuroEM 2000_Applications-8MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Communications Ultra Wideband Ad Hoc Network Radios
Design Characteristics– Mobile ad hoc Network (MANET) radio
• Multi-node, multi-hop
– Frequency-division multiplex/Time-divisionmultiple access• Rockwell-Collins Orthogonal Domain Multiple
Access (ODMA)
– Type 1 encryption• Racal Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio
(MBITR) interface• 128 kb/s voice, 115.2 kb/s data
– 1.544 Mb/s (T1) virtual channel– 10W peak, > 20% fractional BW (VHF/UHF)– Range
• 1-2 km (node-to-node) with low profile, omniantennas
UWB UHFTransceiver
CryptoInterface
Micro-controller
Front PanelDisplay &Keypad
NetworkProcessing
Unit
ApplicationComputer
Voice/Data
High-Speed Data Interface
MBITRWidebandAntenna
Serial Ethernet
MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
EuroEM 2000_Applications-9MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Communications High-speed Ultra Wideband Radios
Design Characteristics– LPI/D command & control uplink and video
downlink for UAVs and ground robots– Full duplex TDMA packet burst
• C&C uplink (115.2 kb/s)• Video downlink (1-25 Mb/s compressed)
– 2W peak– 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth
• Spectrally shaped waveform designL-band center frequency
– C-band version also developed
• 27% fractional BW (IBW/fo)
– Range• Up to 5 miles LOS, omni antennas
EuroEM 2000_Applications-10MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Communications Ultra Wideband Groundwave Radios
Design Characteristics– Non-LOS radio using surface/ground wave
propagation– Half duplex– 128 kb/s (CVSD voice), 115.2 kb/s (data)– 10-35W, low VHF (30-45 MHz)
• 40% Fractional BW
– Relay mode (packet forwarding)– Range
• 10+ miles depending upon terrain with omni(vertical polarization) antennas
• Performance function of ground permittivity& conductivity
– Improved performance over sea water
40% Fractional BW
0 Hz 100 MHz
EuroEM 2000_Applications-11MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Communications Ultra Wideband Tags
Design Characteristics– UWB tag for detection and identification of
problem drivers– Vehicle-to-roadside communications of
driver & vehicle information (image, data)– 0.2W peak, 400 MHz instantaneous BW
• Spectrally shaped waveform design• L-band center frequency• 27% fractional BW• 115.2 kb/s packet burst mode
– Range• 800’ range in high multipath environment• 2000’+ (line-of-sight)
EuroEM 2000_Applications-12MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Localization Ultra Wideband Precision Geolocation
Design Characteristics– 3-D position from time-of-flight
measurements• UWB Rover with multiple UWB Beacons
– 4W peak, 400 MHz instantaneous BW• Spectrally shaped waveform design• L-band center frequency
27% fractional BW• Packet burst, 100 updates/second
– Leading edge detector for sub-footresolution
– Range• Up to 2 km outdoors• Up to 300 feet indoors (5-25 dB/wall
attenuation)
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EuroEM 2000_Applications-13MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
UWB Radar UWB Altimeter & Obstacle Avoidance Radar
Design Characteristics– UWB altimeter & obstacle avoidance
system– Spectrally shaped waveform design– L-band altimeter
• 1.0W peak, 400 MHz instantaneous BW• 1.3-1.7 GHz, 27% fractional BW• 25 µW average power @ 10kpps• ~5000 feet range, < 1 foot resolution
– C-band collision/obstacle avoidance sensor• 0.25W peak, 500 MHz instantaneous BW• 5.4-5.9 GHz, 8.9% fractional BW• 5 µW average power @ 10kpps• High sensitivity – 1/4” diam. wire @ 300’
EuroEM 2000_Applications-14MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
Design Characteristics– C-band UWB backup sensor
• 0.25W peak, 500 MHz instantaneous BW• 5.25-5.85 GHz, 10.8% fractional BW• 5 µW average power
– High-speed, dual tunnel detector– Range
• 1 - 50 feet against human target• 1 - 200 feet against pickup truck
– Clutter resistant– Extremely low false alarm rate – range
gate cutoff
UWB Radar UWB Collision Avoidance Backup Sensor
600 MHz BW“Smart” license plate• C-band collision avoidanceradar• L-band tag (vehicle-to-vehicle & vehicle-to-roadside)
4.75 GHz 6.75 GHz
EuroEM 2000_Applications-15MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
Design Characteristics– L-band Through-the-wall sensor
• 1.0W peak, 400 MHz instantaneous BW• 1.3-1.7 GHz, 27% fractional BW• 25 µW average power @ 10kpps• 0-200 feet (through wall)
– L-band Intrusion Sensor• 4.0W peak, 400 MHz instantaneous BW• 1.3-1.7 GHz, 27% fractional BW• 100 µW average power @ 10kpps• 1000 feet against human target
UWB Radar UWB Intrusion Detection
EuroEM 2000_Applications-16MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
Design Characteristics– X-band UWB fuze
• 0.20W peak, 4.0 GHz instantaneous BW• 8.0-12.0 GHz, 40% fractional BW• 0.5 µW average power• 6” to 6’ range (by design)
– X-band Collision Avoidance Sensor• Design for micro air vehicle applications• Wideband patch antennas
UWB Radar UWB Fuze and Collision Avoidance Radars
4 GHz BW
7 GHz 13 GHz
EuroEM 2000_Applications-17MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
MSSI UWB Technology Advances
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EuroEM 2000_Applications-18MULTISPECTRAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
n UWB Development – Key areas of current interest
– Mobile ad hoc wireless networks– Precision geolocation
– Low power tags– Short range radar sensors
n UWB Research– Channel coding and estimation (U.C. San Diego, University of
Michigan, Northeastern University)
– Multi-user architectures (Northeastern University, University ofNorth Carolina, U.C. San Diego)
– UWB chipset (U.C. Berkeley)
– UWB antennas & systems (Stanford University, ARL-UT & Universityof Texas, Austin)
n UWB Commercialization
– FCC Notice for Proposed Rule Making (Modifications to FCC Part 15)
What’s Next for UWB?