Situational Awareness through Multi-layer Spectrum Sensing and Network Design

We present an integrated spectrum sensing, control and management framework that exploits multi-layer insights and system design. Through a holistic multi-layer view, the proposed solution provides enhanced cyber superiority and situational awareness. Main contributions in this effort are due to a paradigm shift resulting from relaxation of the assumption of existence of a common control channel as it not only leads oversimplification of the problem but also creates single point of failure, and causes inefficient use of radio resources spectrally and temporally. First, we investigate and design innovative spectrum sensing and control mechanisms in the medium access layer. We consider both cooperative and non-cooperative approaches.  Second in the network layer, alternative routing mechanisms is designed based on ideas from opportunistic routing and network coding. These network layer solutions are spectrum aware to make use of the available bandwidth in the best way possible. BENEFIT: The proposed multi-layer spectrum sensing architecture and related mechanisms provide a solid solution to provide effective sensing and control of the electro-magnetic spectrum that is essential for superiority in the cyber domain. The framework and the related mechanisms can be applied to a broad range of military networks including war-time command and control, real-time surveillance network, homeland security, etc. Other potential commercial applications include border and coast patrol, law enforcement agency, emergency control center and various civil applications. In essence, the product resulting from this effort will be applicable to virtually all networks. The market is quite large and still developing due to the fact that existing mechanisms are prone to security attacks since the assumption that the existence of a common control channel creates a single point of failure. The aggregated commercial market size can be much larger than that of military applications.IAI is more than a think tank, and we have actively pursued with our partners the application of our technologies into actual products in the past. For this proposed effort, in particular, we strongly believe that our work provides the solution needed in practice. It is also reasonable to expect a source of revenue from service contracts related with the actual development of such product of QoS traffic management. In addition, IAI will closely work with our partners and collaborator companies such as Lockheed, Boeing, BAE systems, Raytheon, and Telcordia to transfer this technology into the military and commercial world.)