Integrated Communications and Navigation: A Conformance Framework

This work presents a novel conformance framework for future science and exploration services. The conformance framework as proposed herein consists of systems and methods for implementing an ad-hoc non-dedicated service provider constellation, e.g., next generation Global Navigation Satellite Systems. The system includes ad-hoc non-dedicated service provider assets in communications with subscribers over an existing navigation broadcast network. The cooperative adhoc non-dedicated service provider assets send communications by means of superimposing onto traditional navigation signals to the subscribers. The system further includes multi-service quality-of-service (QoS) schedulers with each of the ad-hoc non-dedicated service provider assets. The supervisory multi-service QoS scheduler autonomously uses incumbent data link layers to forecast future link capacity resources. Associated Kalman estimators are adapted to estimate not only the service requests and assignments in multi-service QoS allocation controlled systems, but resource contentions at ad-hoc non-dedicated service provider assets. Moreover, the system further includes local agents in communication with the ad-hoc non-dedicated service provider asset and its supervisory multi-service QoS scheduler. The local agent provides the deep integration of communication and navigation services at the physical layer to the subscriber, in accordance of linear quadratic regulator policies. The research investigation offers a review of the control and estimation advances that have taken place in complex systems and control engineering, and discusses the hybridization class of multi-service QoS controlled systems, building upon the fundamental communication and navigation integration. The most important insight of this study is that in order to meet the challenging goals of delivering continuous, accurate, and robust communications and navigation to the ever-growing numbers of users, the hybridization of a suite of different communications and navigation solutions is required.