Self-Encoded Spread Spectrum Modulation for Robust Anti-Jamming Communication

Abstract

Abstract : This research investigates a novel self encoded spread spectrum (SESS) technique to provide signal protection and maintain reliable communication in the presence of interference and hostile jamming that exist in the modern battlefield environment. Military communications must be jam-resistant, or anti-jamming (AJ), and are subjected to the fading and multipath nature of wireless channels. Pseudo-random noise (PN) spread spectrum technique was developed in the mid-1950 for AJ capability and have found applications in tactical communication systems ranging from point-to-point communications to satellite links and multiple access networks. This technique has been the technology for advance mobile telephony and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). The performance of a PN spread spectrum system, however, can be severely degraded by intelligent signal jammers. The goal of our proposed research is to develop and demonstrate innovative SESS modulation techniques that significantly enhance AJ capability. The proposed techniques eliminate the PN codes employed in conventional spread spectrum systems, thereby can potentially provide robust AJ performance due to the stochastic nature of the unique spectrum spreading and de-spreading processes. Initial works have shown that SESS modulation is extremely robust in fading channels without the explicit need for diversity and error control coding. Preliminary results have also demonstrated that the SESS waveforms also yield significant performance improvement in multiple inputs-multiple outputs systems. The principal significance of this project will be its breakthroughs in AJ technology that advance AJ communication capability in a tactical environment. Additional major outcome of the research includes information theoretic spread spectrum communications that opens new research frontiers and potential applications in GPS and satellite communications.