Tactical cognitive-based simulation methods and systems for communication failure management in ad-hoc wireless networks

• US 8,351,357 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: El-Damhougy, Hesham
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US12/363,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 370/235, 370/329, 370/443, 370/406, 370/445, 370/252, 370/328, 370/254, 370/315, 370/310, 370/431
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port

Abstract

Techniques are provided for simulating battlefield scenarios in an ad-hoc communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links between the nodes.

Claims

1. A method for simulating battlefield scenarios in an ad-hoc communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links between the plurality of nodes, the method comprising:

generating simulation inputs, wherein the simulation inputs comprise scenario parameters, radio propagation models, a terrain database, and mission maps;

using the simulation inputs to create a time-based sequence of events, wherein the time-based sequence of events comprises a discrete time sequence of predicted events and random events which change the ad-hoc communications network;

predicting partitions in the ad-hoc communications network based on the time-based sequence of events, wherein a partition comprises a broken communication path between two nodes of the plurality of nodes which prevents at least one of the plurality of nodes from communicating with at least one other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

predicting the partitions in the ad-hoc communications network also based on a mobility of the plurality of nodes, a duration of each link, redundant communication paths, and at-risk communication paths;

determining which nodes of the plurality of nodes correspond to a particular sub-network based on the predicted partitions;

analyzing the predicted partitions of the ad-hoc communications network and network reliability of the ad-hoc communications network to determine corrections needed to restore the ad-hoc communications network; and

restoring the ad-hoc communications network to a fully communicating ad-hoc communications network by at least one of adding external nodes to the plurality of nodes, deleting nodes of the plurality of nodes, or moving nodes of the plurality of nodes into a different configuration, based on the corrections.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a simulation output file based on the predicted partitions predicted in the ad-hoc communications network.

3. An adaptive neural-based simulator system for simulating battlefield scenarios in an ad-hoc communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links between the plurality of nodes, the simulator system comprising:

a scenario generator configured to use simulation inputs to create a time-based sequence of events, wherein the simulation inputs comprise scenario parameters, radio propagation models, a terrain database, and mission maps, and wherein the time-based sequence of events comprises a discrete time sequence of predicted events and random events which change the ad-hoc communications network;

a partition prediction module configured to receive the time-based sequence of events and predict partitions in the ad-hoc communications network based on the time-based sequence of events, wherein a partition comprises a broken communication path between two nodes of the plurality of nodes which prevents at least one node of the plurality of nodes from communicating with at least one other nodes of the plurality of nodes, wherein the partition prediction module is further configured to predict the partitions in the ad-hoc communications network based on a mobility of the plurality of nodes, a duration of each link, redundant communication paths and at-risk communication paths;

a partition identification module configured to determine which nodes of the plurality of nodes correspond to a particular sub-network based on the predicted partitions;

a network state analyzer module configured to analyze the predicted partitions of the ad-hoc communications and network reliability of the ad-hoc communications network to determine corrections needed to restore the ad-hoc communications network; and

a network adjustment module configured to restore the ad-hoc communications network to a fully communicating ad-hoc communications network by at least one of adding external nodes to the plurality of nodes, deleting nodes of the plurality of nodes, or moving nodes of the plurality of nodes into a different configuration, based on the corrections.

4. A system according to claim 3 further comprising:

an output file generator configured to generate a simulation output file based on partitions predicted in the ad-hoc communications network.

5. A system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a display configured to receive the simulation output file and configured to visually display the simulation as a visual animation, wherein the simulation output file drives the display.

6. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions for simulating battlefield scenarios in an ad-hoc communications network comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of links between the plurality of nodes, the computer program product comprising;

instructions for generating simulation inputs, wherein the simulation inputs comprise scenario parameters, radio propagation models, a terrain database, and mission maps;

instructions for using the simulation inputs to create a time-based sequence of events, wherein the time-based sequence of events comprises a discrete time sequence of predicted events and random events which change the ad-hoc communications network;

instructions for predicting partitions in the ad-hoc communications network based on the time-based sequence of events, wherein a partition comprises a broken communication path between two nodes of the plurality of nodes which prevents at least one of the plurality of nodes from communicating with at least one other nodes of the plurality of nodes, and instructions for predicting the partitions in the ad-hoc communications network also based on a mobility of the plurality of nodes, a duration of each link, redundant communication paths and at-risk communication paths;

instructions for determining which nodes of the plurality of nodes correspond to a particular sub-network based on the predicted partitions;

instructions for analyzing the predicted partitions of the ad-hoc communications network and network reliability of the ad-hoc communications network to determine corrections needed to restore the ad-hoc communications network; and

instructions for restoring the ad-hoc communications network to a fully communicating ad-hoc communications network by at least one of adding external nodes to the plurality of nodes, deleting nodes of the plurality of nodes, or moving nodes of the plurality of nodes into a different configuration, based on the corrections.

7. A computer program product according to claim 6, further comprising:

instructions for generating a simulation output file based on the predicted partitions predicted in the ad-hoc communications network.