SBIR-STTR Award

The Darlington Incorporated SBIR Phase I effort will develop a methodology for improving the communications data link throughput for submarines. A tailored, distributed communications network model will be designed and developed based on known operational and environmental constraints inherent to the mission of a submarine to assess current and alternative systems to improve data throughput. We will replicate the current submarine communications framework to provide a benchmark system, identifying communications systems bottlenecks and limitations to throughput. By iterating the parametric data structures of the model (e.g., antenna loss, bit error rates, propagation delays, and link protocols), we are able to conduct a systems-wide technical modeling, simulation and performance analysis of the submarine communications network. From this baseline, system parameters will be adjusted to optimize channel utilization and maximize data throughput while maintaining data integrity. By leveraging commercial, leading edge advances in antenna design, advanced modulation and coding (source and channel) schemes and lossless data compression techniques, alternative communications data links and technologies that have wide commercial application and availability will be overlaid on the model structure to identify those approaches that have multi-path application and offer the greatest potential for throughput improvements.

The Darlington Incorporated SBIR Phase II effort will address the topic of improving communications throughput for submarines into the ongoing design development of the Exterior Communications System (ECS) and the Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence System (C3IS) for the New Attack Submarine (NSSN). This effort will use the analytical findings of the SBIR Phase I project to pursue a variety of processes and technologies that can improve communications throughput while not impacting the architecture and ongoing developments the ECS and C3IS. Key among the technologies to be explored are the recent advances in commercial satellite communications (SATCOM) and the concepts of asymmetric and asynchronous communications processes. Application of new technologies in modems, antennae, and the introduction of data compression technologies can improve the throughput of existing submarine communications systems. Additionally, intelligent agent software will be used to dynamically monitor and optimize communication route parameters will be implemented in a prototype of the NSSN ECS. Each of these areas will be addressed in a common framework that applies the principles of "communomics" -- or a model developed to optimize communications investment strategies. based on the engineering model will be produced to demonstrate manufacturing economics and to support Phase III commercialization.

Benefits:
The analytical methods and communications enhancement software developed in this SBIR will allow improvements in submarine data link throughput. These products are directly applicable to the commercial market segments in medical laboratories, engineering company campuses, and government laboratories. These entities are similar in their dependency on complex communications networks ranging from linked buses to wideband satellite channels. Darlington will use the products developed in this Phase II in efforts to data throughput in such complex systems. surveillance, verification, contamination assessment, and counterproliferation); and superconducting motors, generators, and transformers. Development of the subject Stirling refrigerator would also be directly applicable to the development of utilitarian freon-free refrigeration.

Keywords:
Commercial SATCOM Network Centric Asymmetric Comms Asynchronous Comms Hypertext Comm Tools Low Earth Orbit Antenna Space Architectures