Autonomous Software-Defined Radio Receivers for Deep Space Applications
JPL Deep-Space Communications and Navigation Series (Series Nr. 1)

1. Edition October 2006
464 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Short Description
This book treats the design and development of algorithms that allow successful autonomous operation of a software-defined radio (SDR) system. Unlike a software radio that is simply reconfigurable, this book treats the problem of autonomously reconfiguring a radio to receive whatever type of signal happens to come in. Each chapter begins with a self-contained problem statement, and continues with a full mathematical derivation of an appropriate solution, a decision metric or loop-structure as appropriate, and performance results. Many of the algorithms developed are new and have not been previously reported in the literature. The algorithms are then integrated with each other to demonstrate their ability to function in a unified design where iteration amongst them continues to enhance the performance of the resulting receiver. A review of one SDR, NASA's Electra radio developed for space applications, is also discussed and the final chapter represents the performance of an actual software implementation of the various algorithms working in concert with each other thereby demonstrating the manner in which each component part of the system contributes to the success of the overall unified operation.
Full coverage of the techniques needed to implement an autonomous software-defined radio system
This book introduces the reader to the concept of an autonomous software-defined radio (SDR) receiver, which automatically recognizes attributes of an incoming signal and reconfigures itself to receive it. This is in contrast to conventional software-defined radios, which are reconfigurable but not autonomous.
The book explores the challenges of such automatic reconfiguration, and explains the design and development of algorithms that permit its successful operation. Among the topics covered are automatic identification of the carrier frequency, modulation index, data rate, modulation type, and pulse shape, based on observations of the received signal.
Each distinct aspect of the design of the receiver is treated in a separate chapter written by one or more leading innovators in the field. Chapters begin with a problem statement and then offer a full mathematical derivation of an appropriate solution, a decision metric or loop-structure as appropriate, and performance results.
Two of the chapters serve specifically to pull all the individual elements together and help readers see how a successful autonomous SDR receiver works:
* Chapter 2, The Electra Radio, provides a detailed review of NASA's Electra radio, which was developed for deep space applications
* Chapter 11, Implementation and Interaction of Estimators and Classifiers, the final chapter, demonstrates the performance of an actual software implementation of the various algorithms working in concert with each other
In summary, all the materials and techniques that an engineer needs to implement an autonomous SDR are included. Although the technology is intended for deep space applications, the theoretical development and algorithms presented in this text can be applied to any terrestrial radio with the capability of processing more than one type of signal.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Contributors.
Chapter 1 : Introduction and Overview (Jon Harnkins and Marvin K . Simon).
Chapter 2: The Electra Radio (Edgar Satorius. Tom Jedrey. David Bell. Ann Devereaux. Todd Ely. Edwin Grigorian. Igor Kuperman. and Alan Lee).
Chapter 3: Modulation Index Estimation (Marvin K. Simon and Jon Hamkins).
Chapter 4: Frequency Correction (Dariush Divsalar).
Chapter 5: Data Format and Pulse Shape Classification (Marvin K . Simon and Dariush Divsalar).
Chapter 6: Signal-to-Noise Ratio Estimation (Marvin K . Simon and Samuel Dolinar).
Appendix 6-A Derivation of Asymptotic Mean and Variance of SSME.
Chapter 7: Data Rate Estimation (by Andre Tkacenko and Marvin K . Simon).
Chapter 8: Carrier Synchronization (by Marvin K . Simon and Jon Harnkins).
Appendix 8-A Cramer-Rao Bound on the Variance of the Error in Estimating the Carrier Phase of a BPSK Signal.
Chapter 9: Modulation Classification (Jon Hamkins and Marvin K . Simon).
Appendix 9-A Parameter Estimation for the GLRT.
Appendix 9-6 ML Estimation of Carrier Phase for al4-QPSK Modulation.
Chapter 10: Symbol Synchronization (Marvin K . Simon).
Chapter 11 : Implementation and lnteraction of Estimators and Classifiers (Jon Harnkins and Hooman Shirani-Mehr)
Reference.
Acronyms and Abbreviations.
Index.
MARVIN K. SIMON, PhD, is a Senior Research Engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His research in modulation, coding, and synchronization has been instrumental in the design of many of NASA's deep space and near earth missions, for which he has been awarded dozens of patents and awards. This is Dr. Simon's twelfth book.