GPS/GNSS technology firm iPosi, Inc. and Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC) have been contracted by the Department of Defense’s Defense Spectrum Office (DSO) to develop a GPS/GNSS system to measure radio frequency (RF) path-loss that substantially increases shared spectrum without interference. The OTA contract addresses the need for increased shared spectrum between the DoD and wireless providers who require expanded access because of skyrocketing demand for broadband 5G spectrum.
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The agreement represents a collaboration among multiple academic and industry partners, one of several endeavors by the Defense Information Systems Agency and Defense Spectrum Organization under the Spectrum Sharing Test & Evaluation (SSTD) project as part of the DoD Advanced Wireless Systems–3 (AWS-3) spectrum transition program. Not only would the iPosi / VT-ARC technology enable a substantial increase in protected, interference-free wireless service that operates in DoD or federal government bands, but once scaled, it could also support broader civilian and federal shared spectrum operations which are essential to both spectrum protection and growth of 5G.
“This relationship is an important foundation for DoD and commercial applications of our technology across a wide range of spectrum sharing initiatives. We look forward to collaborating with our partners to enable greater spectrum sharing,” Richard Lee, CEO of iPosi, Inc. said.
Mr. Lee cites their three-year relationship with VT-ARC and DISA/DSO as an important foundation for commercial and government applications of iPosi’s GPS based loss-profiling technology. The earlier collaboration led to field validation of new tomographic wireless propagation measurements that enable sharing between new 5G and DoD in common 1-10 GHz mid-band spectrum blocks.
How This Technology Supports Spectrum Sharing
The iPosi loss-profile technology automates measurements of GPS/GNSS controlled satellite signal transmissions. Once compiled, these form precise intelligent arrays ultimately characterized as an intensity-based 3D loss-contour map. As satellites move across the sky, their signals illuminate radio path obstructions precisely. The 3D map is specific to each site sharing the channel. Each loss-map determines the extent of shared channel radio isolation with a low-error loss between wireless entities, and continuously updates to maintain interference-free channels. Though applied initially to sharing DOD ground-to-air systems with commercial wireless services, this has wide applications for other 5G services.