Embedded meta-carrier with code progression message reassembly

• US 8,913,647 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comtech EF Data (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comtech EF Data (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Beeler, Michael, Morris, Frederick, Mamaril, Cris, Harig, Jeffery, Cannon, Richard Hollingsworth, Banister, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): PANWALKAR, VINEETA S
• Application Number:
  US14/253,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20140226696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 245 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 375/140, 375/141, 375/147, 375/316, 370/310, 370/345, 370/347
• US Class Current: 375/140
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7097 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3488 Multiresolution systems

Abstract

A method of receiving and reassembling non-sequential meta-data information embedded within an original burst carrier signal that receives multiple composite burst carrier signals each with an original burst carrier signal and a meta-carrier signal, wherein the meta-carrier signal occupies at least a portion of a bandwidth of the original burst carrier signal and includes one or more bits of meta-data information of a meta-data message about the original burst carrier signal that is non-contiguous in reference to a temporal order in which the meta-data information is received, detecting a DSSS spreading sequence and extracting the meta-carrier signals from the composite burst carrier signals, determining a phase progression of the meta-carrier signals based on a PRN spreading code, and reassembling the one or more bits of meta-data information from each meta-carrier signal into a sequential order after an entire meta-data message is received and extracted.

Claims

1. A method of receiving and reassembling non-sequential meta-data information embedded within an original burst carrier signal comprising:

receiving, by a receiving device, multiple composite burst carrier signals, each composite burst carrier signal comprising an original burst carrier signal and a meta-carrier signal, wherein the meta-carrier signal occupies at least a portion of a bandwidth of the original burst carrier signal and comprises one or more bits of meta-data information of a meta-data message about the original burst carrier signal that is non-contiguous in reference to a temporal order in which the meta-data information is received by the receiving device;

detecting, by a detecting device, a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) spreading sequence and extracting each of the meta-carrier signals from the composite burst carrier signals;

determining a phase progression of the meta-carrier signals based on a Pseudo-Random Noise (PRN) spreading code;

storing the one or more bits of information from each of the meta-carrier signals in a storage device; and

reassembling the one or more bits of meta-data information from each meta-carrier signal into a sequential order after an entire meta-data message is received and extracted from one or more subsequently received composite burst carrier signals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a start of each of the meta-carrier signals based on a predetermined characteristic of the corresponding original burst carrier signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating one or more digital samples of a received meta-carrier signal using an analog to digital converter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising reprocessing incoming data stored by a recording device after detection of an error.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising repetitively commanding stored incoming data to be iteratively output using a control device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, by a storage device, received and demodulated portions of the PRN spreading code sequence.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether at least a portion of an incoming meta-data message is available to combine with at least another portion of the incoming meta-data message using an iterative determination process.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising outputting, by an output device, a meta-data message in response to obtaining an entire meta-data message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the PRN spreading code further comprises a predetermined step in the PRN spreading code sequence configured to indicate advancement to a next location in the meta-data sequence based on the predetermined step in the PRN spreading code sequence.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the PRN spreading code further comprises a fixed offset in the PRN spreading code sequence.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching for one or more meta-data message bit segments containing one or more errors; and

establishing a probability of reassembly of the meta-data message when the one or more errors is corrected using an iterative process.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to determine one or more bit errors or gaps in a received meta-data sequence.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a chip rate of each of the meta-carrier signals is equal to a symbol rate of the original burst carrier signal.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising verifying accuracy of a received meta-data message by referencing an external database.

15. A system for receiving and reassembling non-sequential meta-data information embedded within an original burst carrier signal comprising:

a receiving device configured to receive multiple composite burst carrier signals, each composite burst carrier signal comprising an original burst carrier signal and a meta-carrier signal, wherein the meta-carrier signal occupies at least a portion of a bandwidth of the original burst carrier signal and comprises one or more bits of meta-data information of a meta-data message about the original burst carrier signal that is non-contiguous in reference to a temporal order in which the meta-data information is received by the receiving device;

a detecting device configured to detect a Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) spreading sequence and extracting each of the meta-carrier signals from the composite burst carrier signals;

a first processing device configured to determining a phase progression of the meta-carrier signals based on a Pseudo-Random Noise (PRN) spreading code;

a storage device configured to store the one or more bits of information from each of the meta-carrier signals; and

a second processing device configured to reassemble the one or more bits of meta-data information from each meta-carrier signal into a sequential order after an entire meta-data message is received and extracted from one or more subsequently received composite burst carrier signals.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the PRN spreading code is configured to establish a start of each of the meta-carrier signals based on a predetermined characteristic of the corresponding original burst carrier signal.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising an analog to digital converter configured to generate one or more digital samples of a received meta-carrier signal.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to reprocess incoming data stored by a recording device after detection of an error.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a control device configured to repetitively command stored incoming data to be iteratively output.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a storage device configured to store received and demodulated portions of the PRN spreading code sequence.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to use an iterative determination process to determine whether at least a portion of an incoming meta-data message is available to combine with at least another portion of the incoming meta-data message.

22. The system of claim 15, further comprising an output device configured to output a meta-data message in response to obtaining an entire meta-data message.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the PRN spreading code further comprises a predetermined step in the PRN spreading code sequence configured to establish a breakpoint in the PRN spreading code sequence to indicate advancement to a next location in the meta-data sequence.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the PRN spreading code further comprises a fixed offset in the PRN spreading code sequence.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to search for one or more meta-data message bit segments containing one or more errors and establish a probability of reassembly of the meta-data message when the one or more errors are corrected using an iterative process.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to determine one or more bit errors or gaps in a received meta-data sequence.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein a chip rate of each of the meta-carrier signals is equal to a symbol rate of the original burst carrier signal.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor if further configured to verify accuracy of a received meta-data message by referencing an external database.