Patent Abstract:
A device for bridging communications between radios on a tactical network and telephones on a public cellular network. A dock region of the device housing receives and engages a given telephone that operates on the second network. A processing core of the device has (a) a core engine for receiving and transmitting first radio frequency (RF) signals on the first network, (b) digital signal processing stages for (i) translating first information modulated on the first RF signals into a format compatible with telephones on the second network, and producing corresponding translated first information, and (ii) translating second information demodulated by the given telephone from second RF signals on the second network into a format compatible with radios on the first network, and modulating the translated second information on the first RF signals transmitted by the core engine. An adapter provides an interface between the processing core and the given telephone.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to bridging communications between networks that follow different communications protocols. 
     2. Discussion of the Known Art 
     Most wireless handheld telephones or “smartphones” rely on public cellular telephone networks and commercial security for their operation. The telephones therefore have little if any potential for use in military or tactical applications. In addition, commercial off-the-shelf smartphones are not required to have the physical durability and battery capacity needed by the military, and they do not transmit or respond to various software defined radio (SDR) waveforms that are now being deployed on military communications networks. Unlike modern smartphones, however, the existing military handheld radios do not run useful applications such as, e.g., location based services with area maps that can provide a dismounted soldier with a high degree of situational awareness. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus or device that effectively bridges the gap between current smartphones which are designed for operation over public cellular networks with limited security, and military handheld radios that are configured for use only on secure SDR networks. With such a device, a soldier could take advantage of the many useful applications and improved interfaces now residing in modern smartphones, and still have the ability to initiate and maintain reliable, secure ad-hoc communications on military networks using spectrum and waveforms defined by, e.g., the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS). Typical uses and bandwidth requirements for JTRS waveforms including WNW, SRW, NCW, HNW, and MUOS are disclosed in T. Mann, JTRS/WIN-T: Networking Waveform Quick Reference Sheets, on the Web at findarticles.com/p/articles/(Summer 2008), and incorporated by reference. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, a device for bridging communications between radios operating on a first or tactical wireless network, and telephones operating on a second or public wireless network, includes a housing with a dock region dimensioned to receive and engage a given telephone configured to operate on the second network. A processing core in the housing has (a) a core engine operative to receive and to transmit first radio frequency (RF) signals on the first network wherein information is modulated on the first RF signals with a defined waveform, (b) one or more programmable digital signal processing (DSP) stages configured for (i) translating first information modulated on the first RF signals into a format compatible with telephones operating on the second network including the given telephone, and producing corresponding translated first information, and (ii) translating second information demodulated by the given telephone from second RF signals on the second network into a format compatible with radios operating on the first network, and modulating the translated second information on the first RF signals transmitted by the core engine with the defined waveform. 
     An adapter in the housing is constructed to provide an interface for sending the first translated information from the processing core to the given telephone, and for sending the second information demodulated by the given telephone to the processing core. 
     For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       In the drawing: 
         FIG. 1  shows the inventive device with a cellular telephone or smartphone inserted in the device, for bridging communications between a software defined radio (SDR) network and a cellular wireless network; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the inventive device; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembly view of the inventive device; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of the inventive device with the inserted smartphone; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the inventive device with the inserted smartphone; and 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a top portion of the device in  FIG. 5 , showing a mechanism for latching the smartphone in an operating position within the device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a bridging device or sleeve  10  according to the invention, with a wireless telephone, e.g., a currently available smartphone  12  inserted in the sleeve  10  for operation. As mentioned, commercial smartphones alone have limited potential for military use because they operate only on publicly accessible wireless networks, their packaging is not durable or rugged enough to sustain various tactical field missions, and they lack sufficient battery capacity. The inventive sleeve  10  may therefore be characterized as a hardware applique that provides the smartphone  12  with a waveform capability for use on military networks, a security subsystem, additional battery capacity, and a rugged and protective handheld form factor. The sleeve  10  thus acts as a gateway between a software defined radio (SDR) military radio network  14  and a commercial cellular wireless telephone network  16  in the form of a self-contained, damage resistant handheld package. 
     As explained below, the sleeve  10  contains a radio frequency (RF) core engine and signal processing components such as disclosed, for example, in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/465,977 filed May 7, 2012, and titled Extending the Upper frequency Limit of a Communications Radio, and Ser. No. 13/466,990 filed May 8, 2012, and titled Modular Core Engine (CE) Radio Architecture. Sleeve  10  also contains data translation and voice bridging components such as disclosed, for example, in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/383,149 filed Feb. 1, 2012, and published as US 2012/0136954 on May 31, 2012; and Ser. No. 13/383,138 filed May 29, 2012, and published as US 2012/0231787 on Sep. 13, 2012. See also commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/383,113 filed Feb. 20, 2012, and published as US 2012/0140767 on Jun. 7, 2012. All relevant portions of the mentioned applications and publications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     Specifically, and as shown in  FIG. 2 , the sleeve  10  has three major functional components, namely, a processing core  18 , a cellular handheld personality adapter  20 , and a mechanical dock  22  that is formed by the sleeve housing (see  FIGS. 3 and 6 ) so that when the smartphone  12  is inserted in the dock  22 , the smartphone becomes linked or bridged with the SDR network  14 . To establish connectivity with the network  14 , for example, a JTRS network using the Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW), the processing core  18  is programmed and configured in a known manner to provide modem capability for handling the defined SRW waveform parameters, and the data routing and retransmission protocols specified by the JTRS for the SRW. In addition, the processing core  18  is configured to provide message data translation and voice bridging functions sufficient to enable voice, text, and/or data transmissions originating from a user on one of the networks  14 ,  16 , to be received and understood by an intended recipient(s) on the other network. 
     The personality adapter  20  in the sleeve  10  is configured in a known manner for secure communications with a given make and model of the smartphone  12  when the phone is inserted in the sleeve dock  22 , so that information from the SDR network  14  is communicated from the processing core  18  to the smartphone  12  through the adapter  20 , and is transmitted from the smartphone&#39;s own antenna  25  (which may be disposed internally of the phone) onto the cellular network  16  for reception by the intended cellular user. Likewise, voice or other data transmitted by a cellular user on the network  16  is received by the smartphone  12 , and is communicated through the adapter  20  to the processing core  18  for transmission onto the SDR network  14  from another antenna  26  that may extended from the body of the sleeve  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . Known security policies are preferably associated with the message data translation and voice bridging functions running on the processing core  18 , to ensure that only an intended recipient on one of the two networks  14 ,  16 , will receive information originating from a user on the other network. 
     Processing Core  18   
     As represented in  FIG. 2 , the processing core  18  has a core engine (CE)  24  that is programmed and configured in a known manner to process advanced networking waveforms such as those specified by the JTRS. The CE  24  includes radio frequency (RF) receiver and transmitter stages  30 , digital signal processing (DSP) stages  32 , and a powerful processing core  34 . In addition to handling a given waveform, the CE  24  also hosts a multi-message translator or MMT component  36  (see the mentioned Application Pub. No. US 2012/0140767 and International Application PCT/US/2011/033548) and provides such data translation and routing as needed to transfer messages or other information between the disparate networks  14 ,  16 . 
     The MMT component  36  and an associated voice bridge gateway (see the &#39;548 IA) enable situational awareness, command and control, and voice to be disseminated across both the military SDR network  14  and the commercial cellular network  16 , notwithstanding that each network follows different protocols with respect to message formatting, transport, RF spectrum, and waveforms. The MMT component  36  preferably supports both event and polling based message distribution, and has a modular architecture that allows rapid hosting of new messages structures. Open-standard message formats may then be readily incorporated, for example and without limitation, DL-J/Link 16, JREAP C, Variable Message Format (VMF), Cursor-on Target (CoT), UDP, TCP, IPv4, and IPv6. The MMT component  36  may also be configured to support proprietary message formats for unique customer communities. 
     Accordingly, the sleeve  10  is a self-contained device that provides a solution for bridging voice, data, and text between military SDR and commercial cellular telephone networks. The following example illustrates the flow of data from the SDR network  14  to the cellular network  16 . 
     Example 
     It is assumed that available and appropriate waveform and MMT software are loaded in the processing core  34 , and that the smartphone  12  and the core engine  24  of the sleeve  10  are wirelessly paired (e.g., via Bluetooth™) through the personality adapter  20  when the smartphone is inserted in the sleeve dock  22 . It is also assumed that information is sourced from a military handheld radio or node on the SDR network  14 , and that the recipient or destination node is a user on the cellular network  16 . It will be understood that information may also be re-routed securely back from the destination node on the cellular network  16  to the originating node on the SDR network  14 , or used locally by the smartphone  12  at the sleeve  10 . 
     Source information originating from the SDR network  14  may be in the form of digitized voice, text, or data transmitted wirelessly over one or more specified RF channels of the network  14 . The source information is received over the air via the sleeve antenna  26 , and is coupled to a front end of the RF stage  30  in the core engine  24  of the processing core  18 . The information is demodulated and converted into a baseband data stream by the digital signal processing stages  32  in the CE  24 . The data stream is passed via, e.g., a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface  38  to the processing core  34 , and decisions concerning a final destination of the information on the cellular network  16  are determined by the MMT component  36 . 
     Once a destination node (an intended recipient) on the cellular network  16  is determined, the demodulated data stream is translated and repackaged by the MMT component  36 , and is transferred via, e.g., a USB interface  39 , to the personality adapter  20  in the sleeve  10 . As mentioned, the adapter  20  is constructed and arranged in a known manner to establish a secure wireless connection or interface through which the processing core  18  and the smartphone  12  can communicate with one another. 
     When the translated data stream from the processing core  18  is input to the personality adapter  20 , the adapter operates to convert the data stream to a secure wireless protocol for which the smartphone  12  may be equipped, e.g., Bluetooth, Suite B. The adapter  20  then transmits the data stream wirelessly at a low signal strength for reception by the smartphone  12  within the sleeve dock  22 . Alternatively or in addition, for phones provided with a mini-USB, micro-USB, or other wire interface through which the data stream may be input to the phone, the personalty adapter  20  can include a corresponding mating connector to enable a hard wire transfer of streams of voice or text data to and from the phone. 
     As mentioned, information that is sourced from the SDR network  14  is translated by the MMT component  36  in the sleeve core engine  24  so that the information can be received and used by an intended recipient on the cellular network  16 . For two-way voice communications, the intended recipient&#39;s cellular telephone may not require any additional software or modification. For data communications, however, the recipient&#39;s telephone may require a corresponding application (i.e., a MMT “client”) in order to process and use the received data. 
     For example, in a situational awareness scenario, location information in the form of GPS data that is sourced from a node on the SDR network  14  would not be useful to a recipient on the cellular network  16 , without an application on the recipient&#39;s phone that will route the information to special mapping software previously loaded in the phone. As mentioned, message translation policies can assure that only designated authorized users on the cellular network  16  will receive and use any information that originates from the SDR network  14 . 
     Sleeve Dock  22   
     Most current smartphones are equipped with a secure wireless interface (e.g., Bluetooth) so that the phones can communicate (or “pair”) with similarly equipped devices. Using such an interface as a transport layer between the processing core  18  of the sleeve  10  and the smartphone  22  when the phone is placed in the sleeve dock  22  allows data from/to the SDR network  14  to be readily and securely transferred to/from the smartphone  12 , and for a user to insert or remove the smartphone  12  easily with respect to its operating position in the dock  22 , as desired. 
       FIGS. 3 to 6  show further details of the sleeve  10  including a housing  40  that is dimensioned and arranged to form the sleeve dock  22 , a circuit card assembly (CCA)  42  that contains the processing core  18 , an environmental seal  44 , and a high-capacity (e.g., Li-Ion), small and light weight battery pack  46 . For ruggedness, the material of the housing  40  is preferably a durable molded resin, e.g., a mixture of a polymer and machined aluminum. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the battery pack  46  can be dimensioned and configured to be fastened to a rear surface of the housing  40  using, e.g., a conventional button-operated latch  47  ( FIG. 4 ), and to enclose the CCA  42  protectively with the seal  44  inside a recessed compartment  48  formed in the housing  40 . Further, the sleeve antenna  26  can be mounted on the sleeve housing  40  so as to pivot about its base between an extended position such as shown in  FIG. 5 , and a position shown in  FIG. 4  at which the antenna  26  is stored in a recess  50  formed along a side of the housing  40 . 
     Also, the housing  40  including the dock  22  is dimensioned and arranged so that the field of view of a camera lens  52  on the smartphone  12  is not obstructed by the housing when the phone is fully inserted in the dock  22 . See  FIG. 4 . This enables the smartphone  12  to record and transmit video data obtained through the lens  52  over both of the networks  14 ,  16 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a latching mechanism for retaining the smartphone  12  once inserted in the dock  22 , and for allowing the phone to be withdrawn easily when desired. Specifically, and as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the sleeve housing  40  forms a pair of vertical guide channels  60   a ,  60   b , that extend upward from a bottom end of the housing and at opposite sides of the housing. The top ends of the channels  60   a ,  60   b , define a dock opening  62  through which the smartphone  12  can be inserted at its bottom edge, and guided by the channels  60   a ,  60   b , to a position where the phone is operatively coupled or connected (e.g., via Bluetooth or a hardwire connector) with the personality adapter  20 . A pair of spring loaded latch fingers  64   a ,  64   b , are mounted at the top ends of the channels  60   a ,  60   b , and the fingers  64   a ,  64   b , are linked in a known manner with corresponding operating buttons  66   a ,  66   b , at the sides of the channels. 
     By urging the buttons  66   a ,  66   b , downward, the latch fingers  64   a ,  64   b , swing upward and clear of the dock opening  62  to allow the smartphone  12  to be inserted fully into the dock  22 . When the smartphone  12  is at the operating position in the dock  22 , the buttons are released and the latch fingers swing downward to capture the top corners of the phone and thus retain the phone at the operating position. The smartphone  12  can later be withdrawn from the sleeve dock  22  easily by urging the buttons  66   a ,  66   b , downward to disengage the latch fingers  64   a ,  64   b , from the corners of the smartphone. 
     While the foregoing represents preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, additions, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the invention includes all such modifications and changes as are within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7