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Dynamic Broadband RF Spectrometer

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N00039-06-C-0046
Agency Tracking Number: N061-090-0590
Amount: $70,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N06-090
Solicitation Number: 2006.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2006
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2006-10-20
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2007-09-20
Small Business Information
3424 NW 31 Street
Gainesville, FL 32605
United States
DUNS: 362312290
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Michael Lewis
 Principal Engineer
 (352) 371-2567
 mike@athena-group.com
Business Contact
 Monica Murphy
Title: President and CEO
Phone: (352) 371-2567
Email: mmurphy@athena-group.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

The need for intelligent management of an extremely crowded RF spectrum is of critical importance to the military. To meet the demand for information throughput, true real-time spectrum management with dynamic band reallocation is required. A world-class digital RF broadband spectral analyzer is required to realize this technological leap forward, to ensure wireless communications paths are accessible and reliable. Athena meets this challenge with the “sea of Fourier transforms” (SOFT) technology that provides the military with an innovative real-time, software configurable, multi-channel, FFT-based spectral analyzer that can operate at extremely high data rates with high precision. SOFT is created from the fusion of an array of two proven Athena technologies, the channelizer and the embeddable FFT, to define a single chip reconfigurable spectrum analysis solution. These two technologies have been individually demonstrated to be superior to the current state-of-the-art, and their combination will produce a superior broadband spectrum analyzer. In Phase I the architectural definition will result in a real-time digital spectral analyzer capable of accepting data at a 1.2Gsa/s rate and resolving the broadband spectrum into selectable subbands with kHz output resolution or better. In addition, an optional on-demand zoom capability based on an innovative non-uniform FFT processing scheme can be added to the SOFT architecture, which would enable the unique ability to locally enhance the precision of a baseband FFT.BENEFITS: Athena SOFT technology represents a major advance in the field of digital RF spectral analysis and spectral management. The initial beneficiary of the SOFT project will be the military in the form of high-performance digital spectral analyzer that, when combined with spectral management software, can insure reliable and accessible defense communications. The single chip SOFT solution will also have an immediate commercial application in the field of RF surveillance and portable RF signal analysis. Such an instrument, whether discrete or embedded, is necessary to manage an ever crowded voice and data spectrum.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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