Engineering topics

Vanderaar, Mark

Publications and source records attributed to Vanderaar, Mark.

6 records

NASA NTRS1997

The Implications of Encoder/Modulator/ Phased Array Designs for Future Broadband LEO Communications

In this paper we summarize the effects of modulation and channel coding on the design of wide angle scan, broadband, phased army antennas. In the paper we perform several trade studies. First, we investigate the amplifier back-off requirement as a function of variability of modulation envelope. Specifically, we contrast constant and non-constant envelope modulations, as well as single and multiple carrier schemes. Additionally, we address the issues an(f concerns of using pulse shaping filters with the above modulation types. Second, we quantify the effects of beam steering on the quality of data, recovery using selected modulation techniques. In particular, we show that the frequency response of the array introduces intersymbol interference for broadband signals and that the mode of operation for the beam steering controller may introduce additional burst or random errors. Finally, we show that the encoder/modulator design must be performed in conjunction with the phased array antenna design.

Vanderaar, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1994

Bounds and Simulation Results of 32-ary and 64-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation for Broadband-ISDN via Satellite

Union bounds and Monte Carlo simulation Bit-Error-Rate (BER) performance results are presented for various 32-ary and 64-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) schemes. Filtered and unfiltered modulation formats are compared for the best packing arrangement in peak power limited systems. It is verified that circular constellations which populate as many symbols as possible at the peak magnitude offer the best performance. For example: a 32-ary QAM scheme based on concentric circles offers about 1.05 dB better peak power improvement at a BER of 10(exp -6) over the scheme optimized for average power using triangular symbol packing. This peak power improvement increases to 1.25 dB for comparable 64-ary QAM schemes. This work serves as a precursor to determine the feasibility of a combined modem/codec that can accommodate Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network (B-ISDN) at a rate of 155.52 Mbps through typical transponder bandwidths of 36 MHz and 54 MHz.

Kifle, Muli↗

NASA NTRS1993

Destination-directed, packet-switched architecture for a geostationary communications satellite network

A major goal of the Digital Systems Technology Branch at the NASA Lewis Research Center is to identify and develop critical digital components and technologies that either enable new commercial missions or significantly enhance the performance, cost efficiency, and/or reliability of existing and planned space communications systems. NASA envisions a need for low-data-rate, interactive, direct-to-the-user communications services for data, voice, facsimile, and video conferencing. The network would provide enhanced very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) communications services and be capable of handling data rates of 64 kbps through 2.048 Mbps in 64-kbps increments. Efforts have concentrated heavily on the space segment; however, the ground segment has been considered concurrently to ensure cost efficiency and realistic operational constraints. The focus of current space segment developments is a flexible, high-throughput, fault-tolerant onboard information-switching processor (ISP) for a geostationary satellite communications network. The Digital Systems Technology Branch is investigating both circuit and packet architectures for the ISP. Destination-directed, packet-switched architectures for geostationary communications satellites are addressed.

Ivancic, William D.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Least Reliable Bits Coding (LRBC) for high data rate satellite communications

An analysis and discussion of a bandwidth efficient multi-level/multi-stage block coded modulation technique called Least Reliable Bits Coding (LRBC) is presented. LRBC uses simple multi-level component codes that provide increased error protection on increasingly unreliable modulated bits in order to maintain an overall high code rate that increases spectral efficiency. Further, soft-decision multi-stage decoding is used to make decisions on unprotected bits through corrections made on more protected bits. Using analytical expressions and tight performance bounds it is shown that LRBC can achieve increased spectral efficiency and maintain equivalent or better power efficiency compared to that of Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK). Bit error rates (BER) vs. channel bit energy with Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) are given for a set of LRB Reed-Solomon (RS) encoded 8PSK modulation formats with an ensemble rate of 8/9. All formats exhibit a spectral efficiency of 2.67 = (log2(8))(8/9) information bps/Hz. Bit by bit coded and uncoded error probabilities with soft-decision information are determined. These are traded with with code rate to determine parameters that achieve good performance. The relative simplicity of Galois field algebra vs. the Viterbi algorithm and the availability of high speed commercial Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) for block codes indicates that LRBC using block codes is a desirable method for high data rate implementations.

Vanderaar, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1992

Least reliable bits coding (LRBC) for high data rate satellite communications

LRBC, a bandwidth efficient multilevel/multistage block-coded modulation technique, is analyzed. LRBC uses simple multilevel component codes that provide increased error protection on increasingly unreliable modulated bits in order to maintain an overall high code rate that increases spectral efficiency. Soft-decision multistage decoding is used to make decisions on unprotected bits through corrections made on more protected bits. Analytical expressions and tight performance bounds are used to show that LRBC can achieve increased spectral efficiency and maintain equivalent or better power efficiency compared to that of BPSK. The relative simplicity of Galois field algebra vs the Viterbi algorithm and the availability of high-speed commercial VLSI for block codes indicates that LRBC using block codes is a desirable method for high data rate implementations.

Vanderaar, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1991

Flexible digital modulation and coding synthesis for satellite communications

An architecture and a hardware prototype of a flexible trellis modem/codec (FTMC) transmitter are presented. The theory of operation is built upon a pragmatic approach to trellis-coded modulation that emphasizes power and spectral efficiency. The system incorporates programmable modulation formats, variations of trellis-coding, digital baseband pulse-shaping, and digital channel precompensation. The modulation formats examined include (uncoded and coded) binary phase shift keying (BPSK), quatenary phase shift keying (QPSK), octal phase shift keying (8PSK), 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM), and quadrature quadrature phase shift keying (Q squared PSK) at programmable rates up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps). The FTMC is part of the developing test bed to quantify modulation and coding concepts.

Vanderaar, Mark↗