Interactive RF system testing system and method

• US 9,473,963 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parsons Corporation (New Port Group Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Echo Ridge, LLC
• Inventors: Kennedy, Joseph P., Shaher, Sharif
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming-Hall, Erica
• Application Number:
  US14/213,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/115.1, 455/226.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/0085 using test signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/29 Performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/391 Modelling the propagation channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/3912 Simulation models, e.g. distribution of spectral power density or received signal strength indicator [RSSI] for a given geographic region
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic

Abstract

A system and method for evaluating the interactivity of RF devices in a virtual RF environment having selective virtual spectrum users remotely controlled by a web browser, where the virtual spectrum users have selectable interactivity parameters, and the virtual RF spectrum can be selectively changed, and the performance of the virtual spectrum users is evaluated and assigned scores as a function of the evaluation to determine which virtual spectrum user receives the highest amount of points.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating interacting RF devices, comprising:

receiving selected interactivity parameters for a first virtual spectrum user from a first contestant;

receiving selected interactivity parameters for a second virtual spectrum user from a second contestant,

wherein the first and second contestants are not coordinated with each other and each contestant is not aware of the selected interactivity parameters from the other contestant;

providing a virtual RF environment for the first and second spectrum users wherein the selected interactivity parameters for the first virtual spectrum user controls the operation of the first virtual spectrum user and affects the performance of the second virtual spectrum user;

evaluating the performance of the first and second virtual spectrum users in the virtual RF environment;

assigning a score to the first virtual spectrum user as a function of the evaluated performance of the first virtual spectrum user;

assigning a score to the second virtual spectrum user as a function of the evaluated performance of the second virtual spectrum user; and

identifying whether the first or second virtual spectrum user was assigned the higher score.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual RF environment includes noise, propagation loss, multipath transmissions and interferers.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected interactivity parameters are provided from a remote location through a web browser during the step of evaluating.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the selectable interactivity parameters include frequency, bandwidth, power and modulation.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the selectable physical characteristics include location, speed, direction of motion, and antenna parameters.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the antenna parameters include type, elevation, gain, phase polarization and orientation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first virtual spectrum user is a communication network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second virtual spectrum user is a jammer.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the second virtual spectrum user is a primary user of the communication network having a selectable stationary location.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the primary user is at least one of a radar, a navigation device, or a television transmitter.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the second virtual user is assigned points as a function of reducing the throughput of a communications network in the virtual RF environment.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the first virtual user is assigned points as a function of the measured throughput of the communications network.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the second virtual user is assigned points as a function of detecting a jammer in the virtual communications network.

14. The method of claim 1 further including the step of changing the virtual RF environment in real-time and evaluating and assigning scores to the first and second virtual spectrum users in the changed virtual RF environment.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the assigned score to the first and second virtual user.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the geographic location of the virtual RF environment and the location of the first and second virtual uses on a map.

17. A system for evaluating interacting RF devices, comprising:

a first virtual spectrum user having first selectable interactivity parameters controlled by a first contestant through selection of the first selectable interactivity parameters;

a second virtual spectrum user having second selectable interactivity parameters controlled by a second contestant through selection of the second selectable interactivity parameters;

wherein the first and second contestants are not coordinated with each other and each contestant is not aware of the selected interactivity parameters from the other contestant;

a real-time modeler processor responsive to the first and second virtual spectrum users in real time to track the physical location of the first and second virtual spectrum users;

a virtual spectrum processor responsive to the real-time modeler processor to emulate a virtual RF environment in which the first and second virtual spectrum users operate wherein the selected interactivity parameters for the first virtual spectrum user controls the operation of the first virtual spectrum user and affects the performance of the second virtual spectrum user;

a database of the first and second selectable interactivity parameters for the first and second virtual spectrum users in communication with the first and second contestants through the respective first and second web browsers;

an evaluation processor for evaluating the performance of the first and second virtual spectrum in the virtual RF environment and assigning a score to the first and second virtual spectrum users as a function of the evaluation.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the first virtual spectrum user is a first communication network and the second virtual user is a second communication network, and the evaluation processor assigns points to the first and second virtual spectrum user as a function of a measured throughput on their respective communication networks.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the virtual RF environment includes noise, propagation loss, multipath transmissions and interferers.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the first and second selected interactivity parameters include selectable transmission parameters and selectable physical characteristic controllable from a remote location through a web browser.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the selectable interactivity parameters include frequency, bandwidth, power and modulation.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the selectable physical characteristics include location, speed, direction of motion, and antenna parameters.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the antenna parameters include type, elevation, gain, phase polarization and orientation.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the first virtual spectrum user is a communication network and the second virtual user is a jammer and the evaluation processor assigns points to the first virtual spectrum user as a function of a measured throughput on the communication network and assigns points to the second virtual spectrum user as a function of reducing the throughput on the communications network.