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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

Tunable Dielectric Materials and Devices for Broadband Wireless Communications

Wireless and satellite communications are a rapidly growing industries which are slated for explosive growth into emerging countries as well as countries with advanced economies. The dominant trend in wireless communication systems is towards broadband applications such as multimedia file transfer, video transmission and Internet access. These applications require much higher data transmission rates than those currently used for voice transmission applications. To achieve these higher data rates, substantially larger bandwidths and higher carrier frequencies are required. A key roadblock to implementing these systems at K-band (18-26.5 GHz) and Ka-band (26.5-40 GHz) is the need to develop hardware which meets the requirements for high data rate transmission in a cost effective manner. In this chapter, we report on the status of tunable dielectric thin films for devices, such as resonators, filters, phased array antennas, and tunable oscillators, which utilize nonlinear tuning in the control elements. Paraelectric materials such as Barium Strontium Titanate ((Ba, Sr)TiO3) have dielectric constants which can be tuned by varying the magnitude of the electric field across the material. Therefore, these materials can be used to control the frequency and/or phase response of various devices such as electronically steerable phased array antennas, oscillators, and filters. Currently, tunable dielectric devices are being developed for applications which require high tunability, low loss, and good RF power-handling capabilities at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies. These properties are strongly impacted by film microstructure and device design, and considerable developmental work is still required. However, in the last several years enormous progress has occurred in this field, validating the potential of tunable dielectric technology for broadband wireless communication applications. In this chapter we summarize how film processing techniques, microwave test configurations, and prototype devices have combined to drive the field to its current stage of development.

Mueller, Carl H.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Communications interface for wireless communications headset

A universal interface adapter circuit interfaces, for example, a wireless communications headset with any type of communications system, including those that require push-to-talk (PTT) signaling. The interface adapter is comprised of several main components, including an RF signaling receiver, a microcontroller and associated circuitry for decoding and processing the received signals, and programmable impedance matching and line interfacing circuitry for interfacing a wireless communications headset system base to a communications system. A signaling transmitter, which is preferably portable (e.g., handheld), is employed by the wireless headset user to send signals to the signaling receiver. In an embodiment of the invention directed specifically to push-to-talk (PTT) signaling, the wireless headset user presses a button on the signaling transmitter when they wish to speak. This sends a signal to the microcontroller which decodes the signal and recognizes the signal as being a PTT request. In response, the microcontroller generates a control signal that closes a switch to complete a voice connection between the headset system base and the communications system so that the user can communicate with the communications system. With this arrangement, the wireless headset can be interfaced to any communications system that requires PTT signaling, without modification of the headset device. In addition, the interface adapter can also be configured to respond to or deliver any other types of signals, such as dual-tone-multiple-frequency (DTMF) tones, and on/off hook signals. The present invention is also scalable, and permits multiple wireless users to operate independently in the same environment through use of a plurality of the interface adapters.

Seibert, Marc A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

NASA Bluetooth Wireless Communications

NASA has been interested in wireless communications for many years, especially when the crew size of the International Space Station (ISS) was reduced to two members. NASA began a study to find ways to improve crew efficiency to make sure the ISS could be maintained with limited crew capacity and still be a valuable research testbed in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Currently the ISS audio system requires astronauts to be tethered to the audio system, specifically a device called the Audio Terminal Unit (ATU). Wireless communications would remove the tether and allow astronauts to freely float from experiment to experiment without having to worry about moving and reconnecting the associated cabling or finding the space equivalent of an extension cord. A wireless communication system would also improve safety and reduce system susceptibility to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). Safety would be improved because a crewmember could quickly escape a fire while maintaining communications with the ground and other crewmembers at any location. In addition, it would allow the crew to overcome the volume limitations of the ISS ATU. This is especially important to the Portable Breathing Apparatus (PBA). The next generation of space vehicles and habitats also demand wireless attention. Orion will carry up to six crewmembers in a relatively small cabin. Yet, wireless could become a driving factor to reduce launch weight and increase habitable volume. Six crewmembers, each tethered to a panel, could result in a wiring mess even in nominal operations. In addition to Orion, research is being conducted to determine if Bluetooth is appropriate for Lunar Habitat applications.

Miller, Robert D.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Device and method for detecting presence of a wireless communication device

A device and method for detecting presence of a wireless communication device having an antenna with intrinsic characteristics includes a transmitter, a receiver, a memory element, and a processing element. The transmitter may send a first signal to the antenna of the wireless communication device. The receiver may receive a second signal from the antenna of the wireless communication device, the second signal being a first portion of the first signal that is reflected by the antenna based on intrinsic characteristics of the antenna. The memory element may store intrinsic characteristic information for the antenna. The processing element may determine presence of the wireless communication device by analyzing the second signal against the intrinsic characteristic information stored in the memory element.

Allnutt, Daniel↗
NASA NTRS2012

Terabit Wireless Communication Challenges

This presentation briefly discusses a research effort on Terabit Wireless communication systems for possible space applications. Recently, terahertz (THz) technology (300-3000 GHz frequency) has attracted a great deal of interest from academia and industry. This is due to a number of interesting features of THz waves, including the nearly unlimited bandwidths available, and the non-ionizing radiation nature which does not damage human tissues and DNA with minimum health threat. Also, as millimeter-wave communication systems mature, the focus of research is, naturally, moving to the THz range. Many scientists regard THz as the last great frontier of the electromagnetic spectrum, but finding new applications outside the traditional niches of radio astronomy, Earth and planetary remote sensing, and molecular spectroscopy particularly in biomedical imaging and wireless communications has been relatively slow. Radiologists find this area of study so attractive because t-rays are non-ionizing, which suggests no harm is done to tissue or DNA. They also offer the possibility of performing spectroscopic measurements over a very wide frequency range, and can even capture signatures from liquids and solids. According to Shannon theory, the broad bandwidth of the THz frequency bands can be used for terabit-per-second (Tb/s) wireless communication systems. This enables several new applications, such as cell phones with 360 degrees autostereoscopic displays, optic-fiber replacement, and wireless Tb/s file transferring. Although THz technology could satisfy the demand for an extremely high data rate, a number of technical challenges need to be overcome before its development. This presentation provides an overview the state-of-the- art in THz wireless communication and the technical challenges for an emerging application in Terabit wireless systems. The main issue for THz wave propagation is the high atmospheric attenuation, which is dominated by water vapor absorption in the THz frequency band. The technical challenges in design such a system and the techniques to overcome the challenges will be discussed in this presentation.

Hwu, Shian U.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Roundtable Report: Terahertz and 6G Wireless Communications in Science and Extreme Environments

The main objective of the roundtable is to bring together computer scientists and wireless communications experts from industry, academia, and government to explore the electromagnetic spectrum in the Terahertz (THz) bands for ultra-high-speed short-distance wireless communications in extreme environments. This new generation of THz wireless communications is the key to future machine-to-machine communications critical for the mass deployment of an intelligent Internet of Things (IoT). The roundtable discussion explores THz and 6G wireless technologies along with Visible Light Communications (VLC), intelligent reflection surfaces, free-space quantum and optical communications, and nano communications. The roundtable considers the suitability of these technologies for extreme environments from the nanoscale to the mesoscale for the following: scientific facilities and associated instruments, as well as industry, and manufacturing. Such use cases are not traditionally the primary customer of commercial wireless networks which are focused on personal broadband voice and data communications. Finally, the discussion identifies high-level opportunities and challenges for leveraging THz and 6G wireless communications and related Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can catalyze the advancement of the development of hyperconnected smart scientific instruments and facilities.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ultra-high reliability wireless communication systems and methods

Systems and methods for ultra-high reliability (UHR) wireless communications systems and methods are disclosed. The disclosed UHR wireless communications systems and methods make the networked components on a communications infrastructure robust to interference caused by unintentional jamming, intermittent connectivity, weather, and physical barriers.

Russell, John J.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultra-high reliability wireless communication systems and methods

Systems and methods for ultra-high reliability (UHR) wireless communications systems and methods are disclosed. The disclosed UHR wireless communications systems and methods make the networked components on a communications infrastructure robust to interference caused by unintentional jamming, intermittent connectivity, weather, and physical barriers.

Russell, John L.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A Low Cost Traveling Wave Tube for Wireless Communications

Demand for high data rate wireless communications is pushing up amplifier power, bandwidth and frequency requirements. Some systems are using vacuum electron devices again because solid-state power amplifiers are not able to efficiently meet the new requirements. The traveling wave tube is the VED of choice because of its excellent broadband capability as well as high power efficiency and frequency. But TWTs are very expensive on a per watt basis below about 200 watts of output power. We propose a new traveling wave tube that utilizes cathode ray tube construction technology and electrostatic focusing. We believe the tube can be built in quantity for under $1,000 each. We discuss several traveling wave tube slow wave circuits that lend themselves to the new construction. We will present modeling results and data on prototype devices.

Vancil, Bernard Kenneth↗
NASA NTRS2007

High Temperature Wireless Communication And Electronics For Harsh Environment Applications

In order for future aerospace propulsion systems to meet the increasing requirements for decreased maintenance, improved capability, and increased safety, the inclusion of intelligence into the propulsion system design and operation becomes necessary. These propulsion systems will have to incorporate technology that will monitor propulsion component conditions, analyze the incoming data, and modify operating parameters to optimize propulsion system operations. This implies the development of sensors, actuators, and electronics, with associated packaging, that will be able to operate under the harsh environments present in an engine. However, given the harsh environments inherent in propulsion systems, the development of engine-compatible electronics and sensors is not straightforward. The ability of a sensor system to operate in a given environment often depends as much on the technologies supporting the sensor element as the element itself. If the supporting technology cannot handle the application, then no matter how good the sensor is itself, the sensor system will fail. An example is high temperature environments where supporting technologies are often not capable of operation in engine conditions. Further, for every sensor going into an engine environment, i.e., for every new piece of hardware that improves the in-situ intelligence of the components, communication wires almost always must follow. The communication wires may be within or between parts, or from the engine to the controller. As more hardware is added, more wires, weight, complexity, and potential for unreliability is also introduced. Thus, wireless communication combined with in-situ processing of data would significantly improve the ability to include sensors into high temperature systems and thus lead toward more intelligent engine systems. NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is presently leading the development of electronics, communication systems, and sensors capable of prolonged stable operation in harsh 500C environments. This has included world record operation of SiC-based transistor technology (including packaging) that has demonstrated continuous electrical operation at 500C for over 2000 hours. Based on SiC electronics, development of high temperature wireless communication has been on-going. This work has concentrated on maturing the SiC electronic devices for communication purposes as well as the passive components such as resistors and capacitors needed to enable a high temperature wireless system. The objective is to eliminate wires associated with high temperature sensors which add weight to a vehicle and can be a cause of sensor unreliability. This paper discusses the development of SiC based electronics and wireless communications technology for harsh environment applications such as propulsion health management systems and in Venus missions. A brief overview of the future directions in sensor technology is given including maturing of near-room temperature "Lick and Stick" leak sensor technology for possible implementation in the Crew Launch Vehicle program. Then an overview of high temperature electronics and the development of high temperature communication systems is presented. The maturity of related technologies such as sensor and packaging will also be discussed. It is concluded that a significant component of efforts to improve the intelligence of harsh environment operating systems is the development and implementation of high temperature wireless technology

Hunter, G. W.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Spread spectrum scheduling requests for wireless communication resource

Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed for wireless communication. A base station may communicate with a plurality of user equipments (UEs) without allocating spectral resources to the UEs for communicating scheduling requests. The base station may detect a scheduling request from a requesting UE of the plurality of UEs. The scheduling request may include a spread spectrum signal based on a spreading sequence. The scheduling request may indicate an identity for a requesting UE without indicating information other than the identity. The base station may grant spectral resources to the requesting UE in response to detecting a scheduling request.

Moradi, Hussein↗
DOE OSTI2026

Testing and Validation of Wireless Communication Architecture for Heliostat Fields: SIPS Final Report

This work focuses on the development and testing of a low-cost wireless communication system for heliostat fields, enabling significant capital costs reductions for concentrating solar thermal systems. Outputs of this work include a working demonstration of a multi-node communication system, clear reporting of system performance, and technical documentation of system development and architecture for reproducibility. Through this process, an open-source repository was created for manufacturing hardware at ~$30/heliostat. The system includes software for cybersecurity, achieving sub-second communication latencies and derisking of hardware for eventual scale-up to tens of thousands of heliostats. While the system is not currently off-the-shelf ready, there is now a clearly defined pathway for scaling up and completing the commercial development process.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Radiation-Hardened GaN-Based Wireless Communications Architectures for Terrestrial Nuclear Reactor Sensing and Instrumentation

Wireless technologies have become increasingly common in applications, ranging from close proximity inductive communication links in medical devices to short-range Bluetooth and WiFi communications and longer-range cellular communications. Nonetheless, these technologies are unsuitable for use in or around nuclear reactors due to the extreme radiation and temperatures inherent in these environments and their associated significant degradative effects on electronics hardware. However, recent work in wide bandgap– based electronics has shown promise for gallium nitride (GaN) as an emerging technology for the realization of practical wireless communications systems for use in harsh environments. This report presents initial progress on the development of wireless communications architectures designed specifically for nuclear reactor application, based on inherently radiation-hardened (rad-hard) GaN technology. Prior work on rad-hard analog communications topologies is reviewed, and several digital modulation and encoding schemes that utilize GaN-based electronics devices are newly proposed for application in reactor environments. Continuous-time and discrete-time system simulations were performed, and results are presented for the preliminary transmitter and receiver designs, respectively. In addition, an overview of a software-defined radio testbed, designed for communications protocol development, is provided. Future work will focus on implementing candidate radiation-resistant wireless architectures using a research AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) integrated circuit process, which is available at the Ohio State University, and irradiation studies will be carried out to assess the true potential of this technology for reactor application.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Detecting Unclassified Electromagnetic Signals for Secure Wireless Communication Using Open Set Recognition

We developed multiple machine learning methods for the detection and classification of new wireless communication waveforms, which is critical for targeted attacks in wireless networks and electronic warfare. Our machine learning models are capable of dynamically detecting security threats in near real time through our advanced open set recognition (OSR) approach. This model has demonstrated significant improvements in the detection of unknown waveforms, thereby enhancing the security and reliability of mission critical communications. Our approach to detecting uncertain security threats is novel; we advanced OSR techniques by incorporating domain knowledge of wireless signals. Specifically, we combined time and frequency domain model features to enhance the model’s performance. Utilizing an OSR approach eliminates the need for training data to be distributed similarly to the deployment environment and removes the requirement for the training set to contains all possible threat classes. This is crucial because it is often infeasible to determine and characterize all potential security threats in advance. Our model were trained on simulated data, generated in partnership with the University at Albany, State of New York. The data set contained a diverse array of wireless signals, including those with additive white Gaussian noise and multipath signals, with and without line of sight. This comprehensive training set allowed us to optimize our models to detect unknown waveforms under various challenging scenarios, such as low signal-to-noise ratios. By training on various waveforms, varying signal-to-noise ratio, and different sample sizes under normal conditions, our models were fine tuned to perform effectively in challenging environments.

99 - GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
NASA NTRS2011

Secure Intra-Body Wireless Communications (SIWiC) System Project

SIWiC System is a project to investigate, design and implement future wireless networks of implantable sensors in the body. This futuristic project is designed to make use of the emerging and yet-to-emerge technologies, including ultra-wide band (UWB) for wireless communications, smart implantable sensors, ultra low power networking protocols, security and privacy for bandwidth and power deficient devices and quantum computing. Progress in each of these fronts is hindered by the needs of breakthrough. But, as we will see in this paper, these major challenges are being met or will be met in near future. SIWiC system is a network of in-situ wireless devices that are implanted to coordinate sensed data inside the body, such as symptoms monitoring collected internally, or biometric data collected of an outside object from within the intra-body network. One node has the capability of communicating outside the body to send data or alarm to a relevant authority, e.g., a remote physician.

Ahmad, Aftab↗
DOE OSTI2026

Secure Wireless Communication Using Distributed Coherent Transmission and Spatial Signal Decomposition

We present a new approach to secure wireless communications using coherent distributed transmission of signals that are spatially decomposed between a two-element distributed antenna array. High-accuracy distributed coordination of microwave wireless systems supports the ability to transmit different parts of a signal from separate transmitters such that they combine coherently at a designated destination. In this article, we explore this concept using a two-element coherent distributed phased array where each of the two transmitters sends a separate component of a communication signal, where each symbol is decomposed into a sum of two pseudorandom signal vectors, the coherent summation of which yields the intended symbol. By directing the transmission to an intended receiver using distributed beamforming, the summation of the two vector components is largely confined to a spatial region at the destination receiver. We implement the technique in a $50−λ$ array operating at 3 GHz. We evaluate the symbol error rate (SER) in 2-D space through simulation and measurement, showing that the approach yields a spatially confined secure region where the information is recoverable (i.e., the received signal has low SER), and outside of which the information is unrecoverable (high SER). The proposed system is also compared against a traditional beamforming system where each node sends the same data. We validate experimentally that our approach achieves a low SER of 0.0082 at broadside and an SER above 0.25 at all other locations compared to a traditional beamforming approach that achieves a SER of 0 at all locations measured.

Engineering - Electronic and electrical engineerin↗
NASA NTRS2018

External Wireless Communications (EWC) Coverage Expansion Boom Interface Control Document (ICD)

This document defines and controls the physical and functional interfaces between the External Wireless Communications Coverage Expansion (EWCCE) boom and any payload that is planned to be installed on the scarred locations on the boom. The hardware will be referenced as EWCCE boom or simply boom in this document. The boom is comprised of two short boom sections,the upper boom and the lower boom, an Active Worksite Interface (AWIF) and two mounting plates. The boom will be launched soft stowed in a bag and assembled in the Internation Space Station (ISS) via IVA. The assembly will include two sections of the boom and a built-to-print AWIF. The installation of the final assembly to the ISS Truss location is designated as a free-float EVA worksite activity. Once installed on the truss, the interfaces on the Long Boom may be used for attachment of future Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) to either the Television Camera (TVC) Mounting Slide interface (e.g., an External High Definition Camera [EHDC] or similar ORU) or to future On-orbit Installed Hand-rails (OIHs) installed at the seat track interfaces. Compliance with this Interface Control Document (ICD) will ensure compatibility and successful integration of the hardware.

Vidyasagar, Sagar↗