Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N192-090

Description

To address the Navy’s need for a modern error correction code algorithm, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Sequential Differential Optimization (SDO) Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) with Integrated Network Enhancement (SHINE). It is based on a new forward error correction (FEC) HARQ with enhanced-precision technology advancement. Specifically, the innovation in utilizing SDO will enable the system to be optimized on a target frame error rate and latency restriction. As a result, this technology offers a novel Type-II HARQ utilizing low-density parity check (LDPC) codes, which directly address the Navy’s requirements for improved communication range, jamming resistance, and network throughput with limited resources on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of SHINE by implementing the software and firmware package on a general-purpose processor (GPP) and FPGA to verify an energy per bit (Eb) to noise (NO) figure-of-merit increase by 10 dB compared to the currently used Reed-Solomon code, amongst other figures of merit, reaching technology readiness level (TRL)-5. In Phase II, POC plans to further produce, demonstrate, and implement prototypes for SHINE based on the required modulations and emulated threat signal sets of the Navy to reach TRL-6.