DE102022000327B3 - METHOD OF DATA LOAD CONTROL IN COMMUNICATIONS IN A GROUND-BASED AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for data load control in a communication system, in particular a communication system for use in a system architecture of a system for ground-based air defense as an element of integrated air defense, comprises the steps of mediating communication between one or more middleware masters in a communication base station associated with a core structure for a command post of the GBAD and one or more middleware slaves in a radio distribution platform of a peripheral adapter for a peripheral element to be connected to the command post, determining, by a data load master in the communication base station, a size of a current and an expected data transport volume by the middleware masters to the middleware slaves, comparing, by the data load master in the communication base station, the determined size of the data transport volume with currently available transport capacities , which are measured by the middleware masters in real time, determining on the basis of comparing whether a data connection between one of the middleware masters and an associated one of the middleware slaves is in a state of saturation, and driving, by the data load master in the communication base station, domain-specific data load slaves for changing an operating state for the data connections between the middleware master and the associated one of the middleware slaves which have been determined to be in a saturation state.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for data load control in a communication system, in particular a communication system of a system for ground-based air defense (GBAD).

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Ground-based air defense (GBAD) systems provide protection for buildings, cities and areas, high-value targets (e.g. infrastructure) and troops against aerial threats. GBADs ensure stationary protection as well as highly mobile escort protection and immediate readiness to fire as one of several elements of integrated air defense. To do this, they often use a uniform system architecture for VSHORD, SHORAD, MRAD and ERAD systems (Very Short, Short, Medium, Extended Range Air Defense) to connect sensors and effectors, which also ensure reliable reconnaissance and combat current threats from ballistic missiles (BM) and air-breathing targets (ABT) as well as from US Class 1 to 5 drones (miniature, small drones, tactical drones, MALE, HALE).

A component of a powerful system architecture of a GBAD are mobile optical long-range reconnaissance and observation systems (MOWABS; English also "long-range reconnaissance and observation systems", LORROS), which optical sensors such as CCD image sensors as day vision devices and forward-pointing multispectral infrared or Use thermal imaging cameras (“Forward Looking Infrared”, FLIR) as night vision devices to enable detection, classification and identification of potential GBAD targets.

Another component of such a system architecture are effector systems for combating airborne targets, which can have, for example, an effector unit such as an anti-aircraft missile with associated launch devices for starting the effector systems and/or loading units for loading a canister of a launch device with one or more effector units. In addition, radar systems for surveillance and target tracking as well as support units such as reconnaissance systems, reloading vehicles or logistics vehicles can also be integrated into the system architecture.

Finally, a command or operational command post takes over the tactical control of the effector system, the MOWABS and, if necessary, other sensor systems. A MOWABS or other sensor systems are instructed by the command or operational command post on a flying object known to the system and supply, for example, online image and/or online video data and/or radar target plots and/or radar HRR measurements (high range resolution) and/or radar JEM measurements (jet engine modulation) etc. of the tracked flying object in real time or close to real time to the command or operational command post. According to specified criteria for target acquisition, target classification, target identification, risk assessment and the rules of engagement (Rules of Engagement), based on the target data measured by the MOWABS or other sensor systems, a manual release of a target engagement in semi-automatic or manual combat mode or a manual blocking in fully automatic combat mode take place.

The command post of a GBAD fire unit can consist of several cabins: Command cabin with workstations for operational command and control; Additional combat cabin with workstations for operational planning; Logistics cabin with the on-site data center and with SASPF client workstations for connecting the GBAD fire unit to the logistics system of the military user.

A fire unit of the GBAD can have an additional combat cabin with workstation computers attached to the combat cabin, primarily for operational planning, in which case the additional combat cabin can accommodate the on-site data center, which represents an edge data center. If no auxiliary combat cabin is assigned to a GBAD fire unit, the logistic cabin of the GBAD fire unit can accommodate the on-site data center.

Alternatively, the on-site data center can also only be located at the level of the GBAD combat unit, which can include multiple fire units, ie an on-site data center for multiple fire units

The on-site data center can fill the "technical data" gap between the peripheral elements of a GBAD fire unit F and the home base data center of the GBAD, because operational data evaluations of a GBAD fire unit F cannot possibly be carried out exclusively in the home base data center. Because many processes within a GBAD fire unit require such quick decisions that the possible delays, the data transport and the analysis in the home base data center and the return transport of data or control commands would simply take too long. It is also not possible or useful to transfer all data directly to analyze in the peripheral adapters of the GBAD fire unit.

Robust radio communication paths between the connected command posts, operational command posts, sensor systems and effector systems are essential for a GBAD system in order to provide reliable and timely integrated operational situation images. Therefore, a network environment of a GBAD system always includes adequate tactical radio communication capability, which offers narrow bandwidths, interference immunity, IT security and security domain separation, protection against cyber attacks and network-centric warfare with heterogeneous systems.

Tactical radio communication systems within a network-centric GBAD system potentially represent an operationally critical bottleneck due to the many facets of requirements and the shared medium (free space with path attenuation). The connection quality and the data rate that can be achieved with it can change due to time-variant propagation conditions such as temporary interruptions, sometimes unpredictable, abruptly or continuously due to changing weather conditions or radio interference. This requires sufficient buffering when planning the connection in order not to overload the monitoring and control of the radio communication paths during operation and still make the best possible use of them. Furthermore, in the event of an impending overload or capacity saturation, technical countermeasures (alleviation) should be able to be initiated at an early stage, which are controllable and transparent for the operator in the management units.

The pamphlet DE 10 2007 007 404 A1 discloses a method and apparatus for remotely initiating at least one projectile fired from a weapon. The pamphlet US 4,641,801A discloses a system for data exchange between individual components of an air defense system via a fire control computer.

The pamphlet DE 10 2018 008 521 A1 discloses ground-based air defense systems that distinguish between a core structure and optional peripherals and combine the command or operational command post with a powerful, centrally managed radio communication system for the core structure. This allows a user of the air defense system to control and adaptably reconfigure the architecture and functionality of the core structure. The communication system consists of communication base station, edge gateways and peripheral adapters that can establish communication with peripheral devices such as sensors, effectors and support units such as reconnaissance systems, reloading vehicles or logistics vehicles. The peripheral devices can come from a wide variety of manufacturers with fundamentally different types of communication interfaces, which are indirectly connected to the core structure of the GBAD via the decentralized edge gateways and peripheral adapters.

The pamphlet DE 31 50 894 C2 discloses data protocol converters integrated into data processing equipment of an air defense system. The pamphlet EP 2 955 475 B1 discloses a central integration module with data protocol converters and central data distribution unit for an air defense system. With these solutions, internal communication networks are used that have the necessary data rates to allow the large amount of data to be collected in a central data processing module. The pamphlet U.S. 10,185,311 B2 discloses methods and apparatus for designing collaborative automation systems based on data distribution service middleware, comprising a clustered automation platform with one or more control servers connected to a local control network, and a plurality of self-contained process interface systems configured to receive electrical signals from one or more field instruments and forward the resulting data over an uplink to a local input/output network. The publication US 2019/0041830 A1 discloses self-describing control applications and software modules in the context of orchestrated distributed systems.

Therefore, one of the technical tasks is to dynamically harmonize the tactical, radio data-specific data load requirements of a GBAD system network with the variable data transfer capacities of a tactical radio communication system in the IT security domains used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the objects of the invention is therefore to find solutions for communication between components of a system for ground-based air defense (GBAD), which are compatible with the operation of components from different component manufacturers and which have the system sovereignty of GBAD -users and maintain them permanently, even if only limited data transmission capacities are available for the transmission of a large amount of data to be preserved for the GBAD users.

These and other objects are solved by the subject matter having the features of the independent claims.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for data load control in a communication system, in particular a communication system for use in a system architecture of a system for ground-based air defense as an element of integrated air defense, comprises the step of mediating a communication between one or more middleware masters (MW master ) in a communication base station associated with a core structure for a command post of the GBAD and one or more middleware slaves (MW slaves) in a radio distribution platform of a peripheral adapter for a peripheral element to be connected to the command post, the determination by a data load master (DL master) in the communication base station , a size of a current and an expected data transport volume by the middleware masters to the middleware slaves, the comparison, by the data load master in the communication base station, the determined size Size of the data transport volume with currently available transport capacities, which are measured by the middleware masters in real time, determining on the basis of comparing whether there is a saturation state for a data connection between one of the middleware masters and an associated middleware slave, and controlling by the data load master in the communication base station, from domain-specific data load slaves (DL slave) changing an operating state for the data connections between the middleware master and the associated one of the middleware slaves, for which it has been determined that a saturation state is present.

An essential idea of the invention consists in using a management functionality of the data load of a GBAD, which determines the data connection utilization in real time, to estimate the degree of saturation and to propose and/or automatically activate measures for reducing saturation to the operator of the GBAD. In particular, this idea is characterized by the fact that a lightweight middleware is extended by additional features and integrated with data load control functions to form a new function chain "data load management", which is part of the resource management of a GBAD fire unit. As a result, a saturation of the data transfer can be avoided through proactive action and consequently a collapse of the tactical communication system can be effectively prevented. Furthermore, there is the advantage that the data that is sufficiently relevant for combat operations can be transmitted in a timely manner and without restrictions, despite the limited transfer capacity.

Saturation is defined as the state that an entity, subsystem, or component experiences when there are more tasks to be performed than can possibly be performed. From the point of view of a GBAD fire unit, the following critical resources are relevant in this regard, the sensors and the tactical communication system. A GBAD fire unit is highly dependent on the performance of the listed resources to carry out its primary missions - providing a common, integrated aerial view and planning and conducting operations. Therefore, it is important to monitor the health and utilization status of these resources to detect degradation or failure and respond accordingly.

By running a GBAD system such as in the EP 3 648 417 A1 disclosed, which can be divided into the core structure and periphery in terms of data technology and whose military operator has the architecture and functionality of the core structure under permanent control, the control of the data volume, such as the prioritization of IP messages or MAC frames and the sensor utilization, can be integrated into the core structure ( and not in the peripheral elements), which advantageously simplifies their integration into the GBAD system. The data load management, which is formed by the data load control in the command post and the distributed middleware in the tactical communication system, advantageously prevents overloading of the individual data connections by adapting the current data transport requirement to the currently available bandwidth of each data connection. A distributed data load management functionality can determine data link utilization in real time, estimate the degree of saturation and suggest measures to the operator to reduce saturation or even activate them independently.

Advantageous refinements and developments result from the further dependent claims and from the description with reference to the figures.

According to some embodiments of the method for data load control, the middleware slaves can be configured and commanded by the associated middleware master.

According to some further embodiments of the method for data load control, the middleware slaves can read out connection quality data from a radio device of the peripheral adapter and to the associated middleware master. It may be possible in some embodiment variants that one of the middleware masters evaluates the connection quality data of the radio device that is used in the command post for tactical communication between the middleware masters and the middleware slaves and controls it based on the evaluation of this radio device.

According to some further embodiments of the method for data load control, the data load slaves can communicate with the middleware masters either directly or indirectly via a domain gateway.

The above configurations and developments can be combined with one another as desired, insofar as this makes sense. Further possible configurations, developments and implementations of the invention also include combinations of features of the invention described above or below with regard to the exemplary embodiments that are not explicitly mentioned. In particular, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the present invention.

character list

• 1 ein schematisches Blockschaubild der Netzwerkumgebung in einem System zur bodengebundenen Luftverteidigung gemäß einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• 2 ein schematisches Blockschaubild der Systemarchitektur eines Kommunikationssystems in einem System zur bodengebundenen Luftverteidigung gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• 3 ein schematisches Blockschaubild eines Peripherieadapters zur Anbindung einer Systemkomponente an eine Netzwerkumgebung eines Systems zur bodengebundenen Luftverteidigung gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• 4 ein schematisches Blockschaubild der Middleware- und Kommunikationskomponenten eines in 3 beispielhaft gezeigten Peripherieadapters;
• 5 ein schematisches Blockschaubild des Aufbaus eines Gefechtsstandes der 1 und 2; und
• 6 ein Flussdiagramm eines Verfahrens zur Datenlaststeuerung in einem Kommunikationssystem, insbesondere einem Kommunikationssystem eines Systems zur bodengebundenen Luftverteidigung, gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments given in the schematic figures. They show:

• 1 a schematic block diagram of the network environment in a system for ground-based air defense according to an embodiment of the invention;
• 2 a schematic block diagram of the system architecture of a communication system in a system for ground-based air defense according to another embodiment of the invention;
• 3 a schematic block diagram of a peripheral adapter for connecting a system component to a network environment of a system for ground-based air defense according to a further embodiment of the invention;
• 4 a schematic block diagram of the middleware and communication components of an in 3 peripheral adapter shown as an example;
• 5 a schematic block diagram of the structure of a command post 1 and 2 ; and
• 6 a flowchart of a method for data load control in a communication system, in particular a communication system of a system for ground-based air defense, according to a further embodiment of the invention.

The accompanying figures are intended to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the foregoing advantages will become apparent by reference to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with respect to one another. Directional terminology such as "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "above", "below", "horizontal", "vertical", "front", "back" and similar terms are used for descriptive purposes only purposes and are not intended to limit the generality to specific configurations as shown in the figures.

In the figures of the drawing, elements, features and components that are the same, have the same function and have the same effect--unless stated otherwise--are each provided with the same reference symbols.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Middleware within the meaning of the present invention refers to a collection of technologies and services that enable the integration of subsystems and applications in an overall system. Middleware can be classified according to its ability to meet non-functional requirements: It enables communication between heterogeneous components, an extension of their functionality via an open interface, maintenance of system performance even at higher loads, architecture-related resilience to hardware or software errors, a guarantee of Security guidelines and quality of service (QoS) requirements for real-time applications, as well as adaptability to dynamically variable applications and/or user requirements.

This middleware takes on recurring work such as converting protocols, filtering and redirecting (routing) messages and guarantees their secure delivery and event processing. A message-oriented middleware (e.g. based on JMS) reduces the overall complexity of a GBAD computer landscape, especially with a small number of network nodes communicating with one another. On the latent unreliability of radio communications and/or the mobility of peripheral elements, such middleware components can react quickly and reliably so that abrupt connection interruptions or changes in both the network topology and the resource availability no longer affect the tactical communication network of a distributed military system such as a GBAD system in particular.

A middleware within the meaning of the present invention can have the lowest possible memory requirement and little additional information required in data packets (“footprint”) for its operation. Middleware components do not have to have a state machine and can therefore remain stateless. User data can be serialized or deserialized very efficiently using a data representation protocol specific to the middleware, so that data redundancy can be kept as low as possible. The average information content of a packet payload of a data packet sent by the middleware components can be at least 90% of the maximum value.

To generate data packets it is possible to use data definitions from a UML model to automatically generate the data and software structures needed to implement Plug&Fight messages within the middleware and the corresponding evaluation and debugging tools . Furthermore, data packets can be identified as a service for applications with prioritization information, for which the respective application can be responsible for assigning priorities. Tactical Plug&Fight data packets can be transmitted according to specific message patterns between the participants in a tactical communication network.

Middleware components can periodically or intermittently check whether an application is sending at least one P&F message packet within a configurable checking period. If this is not the case, one of the middleware components can send a P&F heartbeat message as a fallback. Middleware components generally have a freely configurable data output port through which the P&F message packets sent and received during a runtime session can be output as a data stream. In addition, middleware components can filter P&F message packets from the data stream of the data output connection, for example according to criteria such as message type, time period, visual representation of the sequences of the recorded data or the like.

The middleware within the meaning of the present invention has priority and subordinate components, so-called middleware masters (MW masters) and middleware slaves (MW slaves). Middleware slaves are used in the GBAD peripheral elements, middleware masters in the command post, with a matching pair of a middleware master and a middleware slave being provided (MW pair) so that the middleware slave can be configured and controlled by the associated middleware master. This controllability can be realized via state machines. The currently required data volume can be measured per MW pair, which applications request in the peripheral elements or in the command post for data transport through the middleware, for example via a domain-specific tracking function (data stream sniffer). The measured data volumes can be compared with the currently available transport capacity in each domain in a time-resolved manner in order to be able to implement measures that activate the data load control for data load regulation in each domain in real time or near real time.

In this case, tactical data packets can be prioritized via internal prioritization lists of the middleware components, so that applications of the peripheral elements do not have access to the packet priority. Prioritization can take place statically and/or dynamically, for example depending on the domain profile, message type and/or message criticality. Tracks can be packaged by the middleware components with different levels of accuracy and package volumes to relieve the applications of the peripheral elements. Message groups or even entire domains can be temporarily deactivated in their communication by the prioritization access of the MW master to its associated MW slave.

1 12 shows an exemplary illustration of a network environment 100 in a ground-based air defense (GBAD) system 200 . The network environment 100 of the 1 is built in star topology. For example, the central element 300 as a base network node can usually perform the function of the command post G and temporarily assume the functions of a base station for communication with a large number of network nodes 500 . The command post G can in particular be a command post or an operational command post. in particular, the command post G according to the in 4 shown configuration with different domains

If now the communication to the command post G is disturbed, fails or otherwise has become unreliable, the star topology can be dynamically adjusted. In doing so, a (in 1 (not explicitly illustrated) redundant replacement command post, which can then take over the command post function. The remaining network nodes 500 can then be dynamically reconfigured and now communicate in a star topology with the redundant backup command post as a functional star center.

In the 1 The components of the network environment 100 illustrated are only exemplary in nature and other components can be implemented in connection with the network environment 100. For example, it may be possible that more or less than the seven in 1 illustrated network node 500 are present in the network environment 100. In addition, it should be clear that the network connections shown between individual network nodes 500 or the network nodes 500 and the central element 300 in 1 are only shown as examples, and that between network nodes 500 among themselves or between network nodes 500 and the central element 300, between which in 1 a network connection is shown, a network connection does not necessarily or not permanently have to exist, and that between network nodes 500 among themselves or between network nodes 500 and the central element 300, between which in 1 no network connection is displayed, a network connection can be established temporarily or permanently.

The network nodes 500 are each equipped with network-enabled components or network interfaces, so that it is possible for each network node 500 to automatically contact other network nodes 500 via a shared communication medium and to set up a network connection via suitable communication protocols. For example, the communication medium can be free space or the atmosphere via which a wireless network connection can be established, such as WLAN according to IEEE 802.11 or other wireless transmission methods in the radio frequency range and IrDA or optical radio link in the infrared or optical frequency range. The established network connections can be unidirectional or bidirectional. Furthermore, the network environment created by the network connections can be meshed, for example through the formation of redundant radio links to increase network capacity, network security and/or resilience to external interference.

In advantageous variants, the network environment cannot have a meshed structure in order to minimize the additional data volume caused by potentially multi-stage hopping. In some variants, a one-stage or two-stage hopping (“dual-hop relay”) can be permitted, for example for data connections between operational command posts and effectors or support units, for example to bring a sensor system as close as possible to the expected target position or the sensor system as far away from it as possible to set up a command post. As a result, the range of the sensor system or its sensors can be increased in an advantageous manner.

Likewise, the failure of a communication link from the operational command post to one of the peripheral elements such as an effector or a support unit can be compensated for by one- or at most two-stage hopping if the corresponding network node 500 does not have an intact or reliable direct radio connection to the central element 300, but does have one Radio connection can be established to a neighboring network node 500 whose direct radio connection to the central element 300 is intact and reliable. For some network nodes 500 such as radar sensors, hopping can in principle be prevented due to the potentially high data volumes so that the high data rates only have to be transmitted via a direct radio connection to the central element 300 .

The network nodes 500 can be different participants in a tactical communication network of the air defense fire unit, such as radar stations R1, R2 for target tracking or target monitoring, launch devices S1, S2, sensors O such as optronic sensors, aircraft A or missiles F such as drones, cruise missiles or the like . Furthermore, a mobile, quasi-stationary or stationary command post G can be provided as the central element 300 of a network environment 100 . The network nodes 500 can exchange various types of data with each other and with the central element 300, for example tactical data, voice-over-IP data traffic, video data, status reports, commands, GPS data and the like. The data communication can preferably be based on packets, for example using a time-division multiplex transmission method (TDMA). Such communication networks may benefit from the improved resilience to disturbances and increased data rates of the network environment 100, for example.

2 12 shows a schematic block diagram of the system architecture of a communication system in a tactical air defense system, such as the GBAD 200 of FIG 1 . The System architecture comprises a tactical communications network of a fire unit F, which includes a command post 300, a communications base station 90, an on-site data center 400, peripheral adapters 80 and peripheral elements 500. A fire unit F is an operational, tactical unit of the GBAD, in which various peripheral elements 500 (sensors, effectors, support and communication elements) adapted to the threat and order (sensors, effectors, support and communication elements) are temporarily assigned to a command post 300 for operational management.

Optionally, one or more edge gateways 10 can also be present in a fire unit F, as described in the publication DE 10 2018 008 521 A1 is revealed. The edge gateways 10 are each addressable network nodes of the tactical communication network, with the help of which services and information from neighboring peripheral networks can be converted into services of the tactical communication network via interfaces 91 . The edge gateways 10 implement all the necessary functions in order to be able to carry out a complete conversion of the data and information received from the peripheral networks. For this purpose, the edge gateways can convert 10 formats and addresses from and to a network protocol of the tactical communication network, convert coding, buffer data packets and send and receive them with a time delay according to priority specifications, confirm received data packets, process confirmations about the receipt of sent data packets and the data flow in terms of data rates , transmission speeds and/or reception permissions.

The edge gateways 10 communicate by means of radio links H1 with the communication base station 90 as the central network element of the tactical communication network F. In the publication DE 10 2018 008 521 A1 The communication base station 90 disclosed is associated with the command post 300 and is connected thereto via a wired data network connection E3, such as a wired Ethernet connection. Via the communication base station 90 and one of the respective edge gateways 10, the command post 300 as the master can monitor and control one of many peripheral elements (represented as network nodes 500 in peripheral networks) by means of a network connection H1. However, the peripheral elements can communicate with one another via one of the edge gateways 10, the communication base station 90 and the command post 300, which transmits the respective messages to another peripheral element. The edge gateways 10 can then be used when peripheral adapters 80 within the meaning of the teaching of the document DE 10 2018 008 521 A1 be used. In this case, the edge gateways 10 create the radio infrastructure in order to exchange data between the communication base station 90 and the peripheral adapters 80 in accordance with a common communication protocol (Plug&Fight protocol). The peripheral adapters 80 are in turn coupled to one of the one or more edge gateways 10 via wired data network connections E1 and can integrate a peripheral element 500 as a network node into the communication system of the GBAD 200 in terms of data technology.

But it is also possible peripheral adapter 80 according to the explanations and technical conditions 3 to design. A communication link can then be established between the peripheral elements 500 and the command post using the radio link H2 or the cable link E2 between the peripheral adapter 80 and the communication base station 90 . The communication base station 90 assigned to the command post 300 can monitor and control one of many peripheral elements of the command post 300 as a master. In advantageous variants, there is no direct functional communication between the peripheral elements. In some variants, specific communication links between the peripheral elements can be established for a specific purpose, such as in the case of dual tracking of target tracking radars.

• - V1: Peripherieadapter 80 - Kabelverbindung E1 - Edge-Gateway 10 - Funkverbindung H1 - Kommunikationsbasisstation 90- Kabelverbindung E3 - Gefechtsstand 300 (wie in Druckschrift DE 10 2018 008 521 A1 offenbart),
• - V2: Peripherieadapter 80 - Kabelverbindung E2 - Kommunikationsbasisstation 90 - Kabelverbindung E3 - Gefechtsstand 300,
• - V3: Peripherieadapter 80 - Funkverbindung H2 - Kommunikationsbasisstation 90 - Kabelverbindung E3 - Gefechtsstand 300.

Thus, according to 2 the following connection options (V1, V2, V3) for connecting a peripheral adapter 80 and thus a peripheral element 500 to the communication base station 90 and thus to the command post 300 are given:

• - V1: peripheral adapter 80 - cable connection E1 - edge gateway 10 - radio connection H1 - communication base station 90 - cable connection E3 - command post 300 (as in pamphlet DE 10 2018 008 521 A1 disclosed),
• - V2: peripheral adapter 80 - cable connection E2 - communication base station 90 - cable connection E3 - command post 300,
• - V3: peripheral adapter 80 - radio connection H2 - communication base station 90 - cable connection E3 - command post 300.

The connection options V1 and V2 can then be used when the mechanical and electrical integration of the optional radio communication system 60 of a peripheral adapter 80 in a peripheral element 500 is associated with disproportionate effort or simply cannot be implemented due to lack of space or an incompatible energy supply. This includes the Peripheral adapter 80 in these cases no radio communication system 60 with antenna equipment including antenna mast, electric or hydraulic drives 63, antennas 64, radio device 61, switches 62 etc., so that an edge gateway 10 or a communication base station 90 can be connected directly to the encryption device 59 of a peripheral adapter 80 connected. This variant of the peripheral adapter 80 without a radio communication system 60 expands the number of types of sensors and effectors that can be coupled to the GBAD and thereby increases the range of target types that can be combated by the GBAD.

The connection option V3 can be used when a peripheral adapter 80 including a radio communication system 60 can be mechanically and electrically integrated into a peripheral element 500 at a reasonable cost. The operational application possibilities of a peripheral element 500 with a direct radio connection to the communication base station 90 are expanded, since no direct, local proximity (approximately max. 1 km) to an edge gateway 10 or to a communication base station 90 is required and the range (e.g. 10 km) of the radio link can be taken into account when dislocating the peripheral element 500, so that the potential range of action of a GBAD fire unit F increases.

In the 1 and 2 The network environments shown can be used to set up core cells KZ of a communication system, each of which has a communication base station 90 and optionally one or more edge gateways 10 and peripheral adapters 80, which can be coupled to the communication base station 90 via (wired or wireless) data network connections. The communication base station 90 is coupled via a wired data network connection E3 to a command post 300 of the GBAD fire unit F, for example a command command post or an operational command post, for example for operational command and/or operational planning. It may also be possible to provide redundant command posts 300' and/or redundant communication base stations 90' in the core cell KZ of the tactical communication system, which in the event of a permanent or temporary failure of the command post 300 or the communication base station 90 due to disruptions, technical defects, unwanted impairments can take over the function of the command post 300 or the communication base station 90 in the encryption or confidentiality classification or other error cases.

It is possible for the peripheral adapters 80 to be permanently integrated into a peripheral element 500 in each case or also to be provided as mobile devices, i.e. as support units, which are in a communicative data connection with a respective associated peripheral element 500.

To maintain communication control, the data network connections between the peripheral adapters 80 and the edge gateways 10 or the communication base station 90 on the one hand and between the communication base station 90 and the command post 300 on the other hand are designed to be tap-proof. It can be provided that there is no encryption between the peripheral adapters 80 and the communication base station 90 or the edge gateways 10, but special cable shielding is provided or fiber optic cables are used for wired data network connections.

Technical elements of a communication system over which the GBAD user wants to obtain control, monitoring and operational sovereignty can be combined in such a secured core cell KZ of a fire unit F. Elements such as sensors (surveillance radar devices, target tracking radar systems, electro-optical sensors, radio direction finders, etc.), effector systems (missile launch devices, anti-aircraft guns, grenade launchers, laser and jammer cannons for close-range and very short-range defense and high-power microwave or High-frequency weapons, for example to combat swarms of drones) and support units (reconnaissance systems, reloading vehicles, logistics vehicles, etc.) and networked with each other via the core cell KZ of the tactical communication system.

The peripheral elements can then come from different manufacturers, each working with proprietary, external interfaces. However, the elements of the periphery can still communicate with one another via the core cell KZ and with a command post located in the GBAD core K.

As in 2 indicated, the communication base station 90 can also be used to maintain radio links to the outside, such as a command post radio network Y2 between a plurality of command posts 300 of the GBAD 200 in different firing units F or F2, F3, F4. In addition, the communication base station 90 can communicate with hierarchically higher-ranking systems Z, such as a command level, via radio links Y1. Furthermore, a communication link Y3 with a home base RB (reach back) can be established in which, in addition to a central command post 600, there is also a central les home base data center 601 can be established.

The headquarters building with the IT equipment installed in it in the home country (reach back) represents an extension of a GBAD fire unit to the home base. Reach back means access to the constant, secure, broadband data connection with the home base and thus to further personnel and material resources such as computing power and storage capacity as well as national service providers.

Wide area data networks 99 of military or civilian users can be used for one or more of the communication links Y1, Y2 or Y3. In addition to the Internet, these can be long-distance networks with encrypted communication based on fiber optic lines or deployable, completely IP-based basic line networks for information transfer in the areas of data, voice and video. The communication links Y1, Y2 or Y3 can be used for communication between the command posts 300 and 600, the on-site data centers 400 of individual fire units F, the central command post 600 and the central home base data center 601.

The command post 300 is connected to an on-site data center 400, a so-called local "on-premises" data center. There, data or sensor raw data, which can be collected, checked and/or annotated decentrally in the peripheral adapters 80 during basic and operational operation, can be processed centrally. The on-site data center 400 can determine operating status conditions of the connected peripheral elements 500 and carry out error analysis, error diagnosis, error elimination and mission analysis as part of an offline analysis.

An on-site data center 400 of a GBAD control unit F could, for example, have two analytics servers for the offline analytics functions and 6 storage servers for the databases, each with a storage capacity of 25 terabytes of SSD and 20 terabytes of RAID level 6 for the data storage of all IT domains , if a GBAD fire unit F has, for example, three radar sensors 500, an electro-optical sensor 500, four missile launchers 500, a reloading vehicle 500, a reconnaissance vehicle 500, a maintenance vehicle 500, a communications base station 90, a combat cabin and a logistics cabin.

The algorithms required for this, such as for health reporting, load monitoring, error image generation, reference error image comparisons, mission analysis, mission replay, can be developed in the home base data center 601 (cloud) and, after successful verification, implemented by remote transmission in the on-site data center 400 (closed loop machine learning architecture). For this purpose, the home base data center 601 has a sufficiently large database for data analysis, data mining, big data processing and machine learning as well as for fleet management of the GBAD.

Among other things, fleet management focuses on systemic errors that affect the entire tactical GBAD 200. The goal of fleet management is to ensure the highest possible reliability of the GBAD 200. Therefore, all processed data of the peripheral elements 500 or their components in the home base data center 601 are available to the fleet management. One challenge is to identify negative trends and take action early on. Mission-critical and security-critical systems and components of the peripheral elements 500 are of particular importance here, but also all systems and components that are necessary for successfully carrying out missions (mobility, communication, tactical function). Anomalies and correlations in the totality of the collected data can be identified in order to be able to make decisions that can have a positive impact on the reliability of the overall tactical GBAD.

The home base data center 601, which functions as a core data center in a GBAD 200, is unique. It collects the data already processed in the on-site data centers 400 of the fire units as needed (e.g. before a mission) or when necessary (e.g. after a mission), so that for each component of a peripheral element 500 or for each peripheral element 500 one in the course The individual database that is constantly growing over time is created, which is the basis for methods of data analysis, data mining and machine learning as well as for GBAD fleet management. The home base data center 601 has the character of a private cloud. The main functions of the home base data center 601 are: data preparation and storage (databases) and offline analytics (data analysis, data mining, machine learning).

The peripheral adapters 80 of the peripheral elements 500 connected to the firing units F1 and F2 can collect operating data during training and operations, store them and transfer them to the respective on-site data center 400 via the operations management function. Data from the command post functions, operational management and operational planning, can also be stored in the respective on-site data center 400 are stored. The logging data collected in the on-site data centers 400 can be transferred to the home base data center 601 .

In the home base data center 601, based on the expanding database, for example, threshold adjustments, new algorithms for health report generation, for anomaly detection and for reference error image design, improved parameters for inference machines can be developed and then, after successful verification and validation or certification, the on-site data centers 400 and the peripheral elements 500 are made available.

The home base data center 601 is connected, for example, to the corresponding headquarters building in the home country by means of a wide-area data network Y3, which in turn has communication links to the operational GBAD combat or GBAD fire units F, which are on exercise or in action.

The home base data center 601 of a GBAD 200 could, for example, have three deep learning servers for the machine learning function, three analytics servers for the data analysis and data mining functions and 8 storage servers (RAID level 6) for the databases, each with a storage capacity of 25 terabytes of HDD and 20 Have terabytes of RAID level 6 for data storage in all IT domains if the service life of the GBAD 200 was 30 years and an average of 2 GBAD fire units F were in operation for 2500 hours each year.

A GBAD fire unit F primarily uses radio connections that are as broadband and far-reaching as possible for data exchange between the command post 300 and the peripheral elements 500. The disadvantage here can be that, in contrast to wired communication (e.g. via fiber optics), there is a higher susceptibility to interference, limited frequency spectrum availability and path losses ( free space loss, atmospheric loss, polarization loss, alignment loss, obstacle loss) can occur.

This can be at least partially compensated for by prioritizing the transport of messages between the command post 300 and peripheral elements 500 . The priority information is routed through a code-transparent middleware in the core cell KZ of the tactical communication system and mapped in the IP header of a transported message. Therefore, no quality of service functions (QoS parameters) of their own are required or used by the middleware used. In order to implement the appropriate middleware, network interfaces can be provided in the communication base station 90, optionally in the edge gateways 10 and in the peripheral adapters 80, as described below in connection with FIGS 4 and 5 explained and shown in more detail.

Peripheral elements 500 such as sensors, effectors or support elements can be operated operationally without an operator, so that a man-machine interface for the control and operation of all peripheral elements 500 connected to the command post 300 is implemented in the command post 300 itself, for example via an edge Dashboard 301 implementing software used in command post 300. This software can be run on one of the workstations in the 300 Command Post container. The edge dashboard 301 is able to intuitively and meaningfully present the results and status of the processing steps in the peripheral elements 500 or the peripheral adapters 80 to the fire manager. The fire director can control access to the peripheral adapters 80 via the edge dashboard 301 .

The data communication between the peripheral adapters 80 and the edge dashboard 301 takes place via a tactical communication network, with prioritization of the data transfer of tactical “Plug&Fight” messages. Data connections from additional combat containers and logistics containers make it possible to transmit information and pre-processed data from the peripheral adapters 80 to the command post 300, so that the fire commander can react immediately to events such as component failures or deteriorating functionality conditions of a peripheral element 500, for example by updating the mission plan or a Activation of a maintenance crew.

Peripheral adapters 80 can temporarily store the data obtained in a ring memory 72 and, if necessary, have an archive memory 73 that is secure against overwriting. The edge dashboard 301 can display status information regarding memory usage, memory demand and memory health for each connected peripheral adapter 80 . The edge dashboard 301 also provides the fire manager with control elements that make it possible to transfer data from the ring memory 72 to the non-overwritable archive memory 73 that are recognized as critical or important, for example messages within a certain period of time before a certain result occurs, messages of predefined ones message types. Fire controls can be accessed from the Edge Dashboard 301 Rings also delete memory 72 and archive memory 73 partially, completely or not at all. For this purpose, detected anomalies can be visualized on the edge dashboard 301 based on peripheral elements as part of a PBIT, CBIT or IBIT monitoring as well as a monitoring of configuration information, threshold values, limit values, sets of rules, databases, PoFs (Physics of Failure). To this end, predefined color schemes can provide the fire chief with an easier overview. For example, in a graphic representation of peripheral elements 500, symbols for elements of the GBAD fire unit F can be colored differently. For example, a yellow tone can be used for warnings, a red tone for critical states, a green tone for correct states and a blue tone for unclear situations. Of course, other color tones can also be used, such as pink tones, violet tones, gray tones or orange tones. It may also be possible to use mixtures of color tones or graphic effects such as blinking, changing colors or changing the brightness, luminescence or contrast values of a symbol at intervals. In addition, textual, acronym-based or visual information can be given.

The edge dashboard 301 enables viewing of the operational status, configuration, database and inference results of the following inference engines: radar profile inference engine, infrared inference engine, visible light inference engine, anomaly inference engine, prognostic inference engine Machine, intrusion detection inference machine, disinformation detection inference machine. In addition, the edge dashboard 301 offers the fire commander operating functions that enable the automatic annotation of radar profiles, optical images or video sequences to be controlled.

3 shows a schematic block diagram of a peripheral adapter 80 for connecting a peripheral element 500 to a network environment of a system for ground-based air defense, GBAD. The peripheral adapter 80 can be found, for example, in 1 and 2 network environment 100 of GBADs 200 shown as an example.

The main functions of a peripheral adapter 80 der 3 include a data and protocol conversion between a peripheral element 500 and the central Plug&Fight communication protocol of the tactical communication network F. For this purpose, the peripheral adapter 80 can be a terminal via the user interface for data exchange, such as video data or voice data, with the command post 300 or peripheral elements 500 include. As a terminal, a local laptop can be used as an input/output device.

The peripheral adapter 80 functionally comprises two halves - the peripheral domain PE and the core interface domain. From a functional point of view, the core interface domain can be counted among the core cell KZ of the communication system of the fire unit F or the core K of the GBAD. The operator of the communication system can thus carry out configurations of the core cell KZ at his own discretion.

The peripheral interface 44 can be considered to belong to the peripheral domain PE of the corresponding peripheral element 500 . For this purpose, the peripheral adapter 80 can have a development environment that is as open as possible, especially for software, which enables a manufacturer to use the functions of the peripheral interface 44 (e.g. a peripheral element driver, a peripheral element data memory and/or a data protocol converter) according to the requirements of the selected instantiation of the connected peripheral element 500 to program. The peripheral interface 44 implements a proprietary collection of interface functions that enable the transfer of data to and from the processing components of the peripheral element 500 . The peripheral interface 44 is provided by the manufacturer of the peripheral element 500 to the user of the GBAD, follows the client-server model and is used by the data protocol converter 53 as a server, is used by drivers of the peripheral element 500 both as a client and as a server depending on the respective function and provides the core cell-associated components of the peripheral adapter 80 to be processed raw data of the peripheral element 500.

In particular, the data protocol converter 53 can use the software library offered in the peripheral interface 44 by the user of the GBAD in order to convert the proprietary data of the peripheral element 500 into the central communication protocol of the GBAD. This means that the manufacturer of the peripheral element 500 is not responsible for the data adaptation of the peripheral element 500, but the user of the GBAD himself. This means that a general contractor of the GBAD or its system integrator can ensure the consistency and integrity of the GBAD much better than an external manufacturer Peripheral element 500. The protocol conversion thus belongs in the core structure domain and not in the peripheral element domain.

The peripheral interface 44 is part of a connectivity and control unit 47 (“Connectivity and Control Unit", CCU), which in turn has a data protocol converter 53 coupled to the peripheral interface 44 and a plug and fight state machine 54 coupled to the data protocol converter 53. The plug and fight state machine 54 is implemented on a plug and fight controller 55 which is coupled to a radio distribution platform 56 . The elements of the CCU 47 are used for information processing for the respective core cell KZ in each 500 peripheral element of a GBAD firing unit F. The CCU 47 acts as an abstract bridge to the manufacturer-specific, native communication protocol of the peripheral element 500 via the peripheral interface 44. The CCU 47 thus implements all the necessary Communication artefacts for the communication of the command post 300 in the core cell K with the respective peripheral element 500.

The data protocol converter 53 implements the translation layer in the core cell KZ and not in the peripheral element domain PE and uses the native driver of the peripheral interface 44 as a client Format and content meet the requirements of the relevant Plug&Fight core structure messages. Corresponding conversions of target data or position data in GBAD's own reference systems, additions of detailed status information of the peripheral element to an overall status indicator, completion of commands for the peripheral element in the proprietary format of the native driver and/or adjustments to cycle times for update messages can be made.

Interactions with peripheral elements 500 can be templated and generically preconfigured for radar sensor, electro-optical sensor, other sensor, missile effector, gun effector, laser effector, multi-effector, reload element, scout element, logistic element, other Support element, operational command post, command command post, superior command post. This means that generic Plug&Fight interface patterns are available in the peripheral adapter 80, with which the command post 300 can communicate with the peripheral elements 500 after appropriate instantiation. The Plug&Fight interface patterns differ in the type and scope of the data that is exchanged between the respective instance and the command post of the core structure K and that is defined by the information and communication needs of the operational command post 300. Another distinguishing feature is the interaction mechanism (state machine, interaction rules) that is specified between the respective entity and the command post.

A Plug&Fight state machine 54 instantiated in the core cell KZ can be instantiated according to the peripheral element type and enables the command post 300 to efficiently control the peripheral element 500. For this purpose, the command post 300 can typically control the following states of the peripheral element 500: inactive, local readiness, local test, safety -Delay, Remote Readiness, Remote Test, Combat, Automatic Emergency Disable, Training. For some states, such as ready and combat, substates can be defined. It is also defined for each status which Plug&Fight messages can be exchanged between the command post 300 and the peripheral element 500 .

The Plug&Fight state machine 54 is the logical control instance of the CCU 47 and thus the local control partner of the command post 300. The Plug&Fight state machine 54 uses the data protocol converter 53 as a client, the radio distribution platform 56 and a core module control device 81 and the latter also as a server. The Plug&Fight state machine 54 enables the command post 300 to control the associated peripheral element 500 and has the following states, for example: inactive, local readiness with procedures for integrating (attach) the peripheral element into the tactical communication of the fire unit, local test, safety Delay, remote readiness with procedures for detaching the peripheral element from the fire unit's tactical communications, remote test, combat, automatic emergency shutdown and training.

The Plug&Fight state machine 54 can perform various actions, such as checking the Plug&Fight state commands and other Plug&Fight messages for admissibility and compatibility with the Plug&Fight control unit 55, forwarding admissible messages to the data protocol converter 53, refusing to convert commands with corresponding error feedback on inadmissibility to the command post 300, monitoring of the activity and error-free communication with the command post 300, for example via heartbeat signals, a reaction to recognized communication faults or failures to the command post 300 by an automatic change to a predefined state such as a readiness state, a plausibility check of messages from the peripheral element 500 and forwarding to the radio distribution platform 56 for sending to the command post 300, a conversion of commands from the command post 300 into control signals for the core module control device 81, forwarding of result signals from the core module 85 received from the core module control device 81 to the radio distribution platform 56 for transmission to the command post 300, configuring a data collection device 82 according to the input signals at a local input interface 81 or according to the configuration messages from the command post 300 , a transfer of internal data to the local data collection device 82.

The Plug&Fight state machine 54 can optionally simulate the behavior of the peripheral element 500, so that the peripheral element 500 does not necessarily have to be activated. The interaction with the command post 300 can be fully active, so that the team can train in the command post. The simulation behavior can be configured using the local terminal via the user interface 88 or by P&F commands from the command post 300.

The Plug&Fight state machine 54 also has a central maintenance mechanism that can be used to notify the fire commander in the command post 300 about important fault events in the peripheral element 500 or in the peripheral adapter 80 by means of Plug&Fight messages.

The data recording system 70 of the peripheral adapter 80 acquires, records and stores data from the peripheral element 500, internal data of the peripheral adapter 80 and from the tactical radio network F received or transmitted data. For this purpose, the data recording system 70 has a central logging server 71 (see RFC 5424, RFC 5424, RFC 3410) for each IT security domain, which interacts with the local data collection devices 82 (data logging client, see RFC 5424) in the peripheral elements and in the peripheral adapter itself. In this case, logged data are stored in a ring memory 72 (logrotate) so that they are overwritten after a certain time. In parallel there is an archive store 73 which is protected against overwriting. Critical or important data from the ring memory 72 can be transferred to the non-overwritable archive memory 73 or saved or immediately stored in the archive memory based on Plug&Fight commands from the command post 300. Criteria can be, for example: all messages within a certain period of time in minutes related to the occurrence of an event or all messages of predefined message types.

Data to be stored are checked for plausibility by the logging server 71 so that only valid measured values are stored and generally only when the content changes to reduce the data volume.

• - Zustandskommandos und sonstige Kommandos, aktueller Ist-Zustand und andere Rückmeldungen, Konfigurationsdaten, Bedienereingaben,
• - Betriebsinformationen wie Betriebsstunden, Hinweise, Warnungen, Alarme, IT-Sicherheitsereignisse,
• - Physikalische Messwerte von Sensoren des Peripherieelementes (z.B. Strom, Spannung, Temperatur, Feuchtigkeit, Druck, Stoß, Vibration, Durchfluss) und von speziellen zusätzlichen, prognostischen Sensoren (beispielsweise mechanische Zug/Druck, Torsion), aber auch GPS-, Galileo- und Navigationsdaten,
• - On-Board-Diagnose-Daten (OBD) des Trägerfahrzeuges des Peripherieelementes 500 (beispielsweise Öldruck, Ladedruck, Motordrehmoment, Fahrstrecke mit Zeitstempel), die mittels der On-Board-Diagnoseschnittstelle des Trägerfahrzeuges ausgelesen werden können,
• - Gemessene Zeiten bzgl. Zustandsübergänge, Handshakes, Interaktionen, Rückmeldung auf Kommandos, Kühl/Heizvorgänge, Bewegungen von mechanischen Elementen (z.B. Ein/ausfahren von Hydraulikzylindern), reversible / irreversible Phasen der Startsequenz eines Flugkörpers etc.,
• - Testergebnisse von PBIT, CBIT, IBIT,
• - Non-fatale Fehlerbilder, fatale Fehlerbilder die Rahmen von PBIT, CBIT und IBIT wie sie in der Druckschrift DE102012015363B4 offenbart sind,
• - Taktische Ereignisse (beispielsweise Sensor lock-on, Trackergebnisse, erreichte Endlagen) sowie empfangene und gesendete Plug&Fight-Botschaften,
• - Systemhoheitsrelevante Daten beispielsweise wie
  • - Kommandos und -Rückmeldungen für / vom Kernmodulsteuergerät 81 beziehungsweise Kernmodulen 85,
  • - Rohdaten: IR/VIS-Bilder/Videosequenzen, Radarprofile, Zeitreihen von prognostischen Messdaten von kritischen Baugruppen, Zeitreihen von als auffällig erkannter MAC-Frames,
  • - Klassifikations-Ergebnisse und Teilergebnisse (Faltungsschichten, Merkmalsextraktion) der Inferenz-Maschinen der Kernmodule 85: klassifizierte / identifizierte Objekte (VIS, IR, Fusion), ermittelte Remaining useful Life (RUL) von kritischen Baugruppen, erkannte IT-Eindringversuchereignisse (Intrusion Detection),
  • - Automatisch annotierte Rohdaten,
• - Auffällige Message-Sequenzen des taktischen Funkverkehrs, VoIP-Sprechfunkverkehr.

The following data from a peripheral element 500 can, for example, be collected by the local data collection device 82 (logging client) and transferred to the logging server 71 for storage:

• - status commands and other commands, current actual status and other feedback, configuration data, operator inputs,
• - Operational information such as operating hours, notices, warnings, alarms, IT security events,
• - Physical readings from sensors of the peripheral element (e.g. current, voltage, temperature, humidity, pressure, shock, vibration, flow) and from special additional, prognostic sensors (e.g. mechanical tension/pressure, torsion), but also GPS, Galileo and navigation data,
• - On-board diagnostic data (OBD) of the carrier vehicle of the peripheral element 500 (e.g. oil pressure, boost pressure, engine torque, route with time stamp), which can be read out using the on-board diagnostic interface of the carrier vehicle,
• - Measured times regarding state transitions, handshakes, interactions, feedback on commands, cooling/heating processes, movements of mechanical elements (e.g. retraction/extension of hydraulic cylinders), reversible/irreversible phases of the launch sequence of a missile, etc.,
• - Test results of PBIT, CBIT, IBIT,
• - Non-fatal error images, fatal error images the frameworks of PBIT, CBIT and IBIT as specified in the publication DE102012015363B4 are revealed
• - Tactical events (e.g. sensor lock-on, track results, end positions reached) as well as received and sent Plug&Fight messages,
• - Data relevant to system sovereignty, for example such as
  • - Commands and feedback for / from the core module control unit 81 or core modules 85,
  • - Raw data: IR/VIS images/video sequences, radar profiles, time series of prognostic measurement data from critical assemblies, time series of MAC frames recognized as conspicuous,
  • - Classification results and partial results (convolution layers, feature extraction) of the inference engines of the core modules 85: classified / identified objects (VIS, IR, Fusion), determined remaining useful life (RUL) of critical assemblies, detected IT intrusion attempts events (intrusion detection) ,
  • - Automatically annotated raw data,
• - Conspicuous message sequences of tactical radio traffic, VoIP voice radio traffic.

The occupancy of the archive memory 73 and the ring memory 72 are monitored and reported to the command post 300. The logging server 71, the data collection device 82 and the memory (ring memory 72, archive memory 73) are configured on site via a user interface 88 or “remotely” via the command post 300 using appropriate P&F messages. The online visualization of the logged data in the ring memory 72 or archive memory 73 for error analysis takes place on site via the user interface 88 using an analysis tool. The stored data (ring memory 72, archive memory 73) is transferred to the on-site data center 400 by copying the data to a laptop via the user interface 88, transporting the laptop to the command post and reading the data into the storage media of the on-site data center 400. The logging data transfer (mass data) does not normally take place “over-the-air” due to the reduced bandwidth and the susceptibility to interference of the tactical radio communication system. However, this radio transmission can optionally take place outside of operational usage times and if there is sufficient bandwidth.

The local data collection device 82 (logging client) collects relevant data from the internal sources of the respective domain of the peripheral adapter 80 and from the peripheral element 500. The local data collection device 82 converts the collected data into special formats that are particularly suitable for data storage and data analysis, and forwards them the processed data to a data recording system 70 of the peripheral adapter 80, for example in the form of UDP messages. The local data collection device 82 collects operational information, notices, warnings, alarms, IT security events, non-fatal error images, critical error images, emergency error images, operator inputs, tactical events, received and transmitted Plug&Fight messages from the radio distribution platform 56, relevant data from the core modules 85, such as Raw data from IR/VIS images, video sequences, radar profiles, time series of prognostic measurement data from critical assemblies of the peripheral element 500, time series of MAC frames recognized as conspicuous, which are received at the peripheral adapter 80, results of the inference machines of the core modules 85 such as annotated Data from classified or identified objects, prognostic data determined from critical assemblies of the peripheral element 500, detected IT intrusion attempt events, automatically annotated raw data of the monitored teaching of the inference engines of the core modules 85) as well as debug information for integration, testing and troubleshooting. To reduce the data volume, measured values can only be sent to the data recording system 70 when the content changes.

The radio device 61 of the communication subsystem 60 of a peripheral adapter 80 is mounted on an antenna mast of the antenna device 63 together with radio antennas 64 integrated in the antenna device 63 . The radio antennas 64 (sector, directional radio antenna) can be aligned electrically in the azimuth angle and in the elevation angle by means of the antenna device control panel of the antenna device 63 . Multiple sector antennas or directional radio antennas 64 are preferably used to increase communication range or bandwidth compared to omnidirectional antennas. Radio antennas 64 are mounted together with the radio device 61 on a tubular mast at least 10 meters high with the associated erection unit. The erecting unit can lift or tilt the antenna mast in the operating position (perpendicular to the container) or in the transport position (horizontal to the container). In the operating position, the antenna mast can be leveled accordingly. A telescopic function of the antenna mast enables the height of the mast to be continuously adjusted. The antenna mast is operated with electrical or hydraulic energy. The IP-enabled radio 61 can, according to the publication DE 10 2017 007 290 B3 Be pronounced. At least one switch 62 directs the internal data traffic of the communication subsystem 60.

The Plug&Fight control unit 55 configures the local data collection device 82 with regard to the data volume based on inputs from the local input interface 88 or on Plug&Fight commands from the command post 300. The local data collection device 82 can also automatically annotate measured sensor raw data, which is used for the monitored Belernen required assignment of identity information, such as flying object type, position, speed and orientation of the flying object in space, position and identifier of the measuring sensor system, etc. to a measured raw sensor data. The local data collection device 82 can carry out this assignment or the annotation when the raw sensor data, the associated identity information and a corresponding command from the command post 300 are in the local data collection device 82 via the Plug&Fight state machine 54 lay. Annotated raw sensor data is then passed to the data recording system 70 for storage.

The radio distribution platform 56 ensures the interoperability of the various objects, some of which have very different technical systems. The radio distribution platform 56 implements software layers that reside between the operating system layer and the application layer and perform translations from the various technical systems of the objects and the applications. The purpose of the radio distribution platform 56 is the efficient transport of data between the peripheral element 500 or the peripheral adapter 80 and the command post 300 via the tactical radio core network KZ. The radio distribution platform 56 can assign an individual priority to each generated TCP socket connection between the radio distribution platform 56 and the command post 300 and assign priority levels to each IP data packet, so that a corresponding classification in the associated TCP socket channel can take place. The assignment of the priority to the IP data packet can be preconfigured or manipulated dynamically by the command post 300. In the encryption device 59 coupled to the radio distribution platform 56, the DSCP is read from the IP header before the entire packet is encrypted and transferred to the PCP field. If an encrypted IP data packet reaches the encryption device 59, the assigned priority is implemented by the channel access method implemented in the radio distribution platform 56 of the peripheral element and in the base station. The radio distribution platform 56 and the encryption device 59, like the IT security unit 57 and the time synchronization unit 58, belong to the preliminary stage of the radio communication subsystem 60, with which the peripheral adapter 80 can set up point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections, OFDM Methods for wireless high-speed data transmission supported, military-relevant frequency bands supported, ensures low latency for bandwidth-intensive real-time applications, implemented extended interference suppression with automatic transmission power control and adaptive modulation, can be operated together with radio antennas (sector, directional radio or rod antenna), has an antenna alignment unit and - is light in weight and small in size for direct mounting to an antenna mast.

The core module control unit 81 is coupled to the Plug&Fight state machine 54 of the Plug&Fight control unit 55 . It has an intermediary function between the Plug&Fight state machine 54 and various core modules 85 that can be connected to the core module control device 81 and controlled by the core module control device 81. The core module control device 81 carries out in particular the local control and configuration of the installed core modules 85, determines which core module 85 is in the peripheral adapter 80 are installed, activates and deactivates core modules 85 in the peripheral adapter 80 according to various commands from the command post 300, converts requests from the command post 300 for a forecast estimate or a flying object classification into the communication protocol of the relevant core module 85, controls the continuous anomaly monitoring of the internal and external data traffic of the peripheral element 500 Initiates core module 85 self-tests and triggered tests, drives identification modules 86 such as ADS-B receivers or secondary radar, contributes local inference engines the automatic annotation of flying objects, monitors and controls updates of the local algorithms, such as threshold functions, load determination algorithms, key parameters, physical or data-driven models for inference machines, converts operating status reports and result signals from core modules 85 into corresponding Plug&Fight messages for the command post 300 and sends own data and data of the core modules 85 to the local data collection device 82 for internal data recording.

Core modules 85 are standardized slide-in computing elements of a defined size and shape, with several core modules 85 being able to be built into the support frame of a peripheral adapter 80 as required. A core module 85 contains general and special computing capacities, for example a "General Purpose Processing Module" with Intel cores and graphics processors and a "Special Purpose Processing Module" specialized for AI applications and various interface functions. Various possible core modules are radar profile inference engines, prognosis inference engines, intrusion detection inference engines or anomaly detection algorithms. Furthermore, the core modules 85 are the computing basis for the CCU 47 to perform the functions of the core module control unit 81, the Plug&Fight control unit 55, the local data collection device 82, the data recording system 70, the radio distribution platform 56, the data protocol converter 53, the IT security unit 57, the time synchronization unit 58 and all native drivers to implement.

For the automatic detection of flying objects in VIS/IR images or video sequences, various classes such as civil airliners, fighter-bombers, military transport aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, helicopters or similar, which differ significantly in their essential characteristics, must be discriminated. Depending on the class, different types must be identified that are mission-specifically relevant in the military context. Each class or each type is also assigned a mission-dependent classification in the command post 300, such as "friend", "enemy" or "unclear". The aim of the classification / identification of flying objects on two-dimensional VIS/IR images or in a VIS/IR video sequence is to map a selected area of an image (segmentation) onto a feature vector (feature extraction) in order to be able to identify flying objects in real time or near real time. To locate, classify and identify classes and types in the VIS/IR image or in a VIS/IR video sequence. Local object recognition (image segmentation, feature extraction and feature classification, object classification and identification) in peripheral adapter 80 by corresponding core modules 85 can effectively prevent data latency and possibly compromise data security. There is no radio link between the image generation in the sensor system and the processing modules (inference machines of the core modules 85), so that interception or unauthorized manipulation of the data is made significantly more difficult. For this purpose, this type of core module 85' for object classification and identification has one or more inference machines, which process image information from the sensors sensor-specifically in real time or at least close to real time (ie with at least one image per second) by machine object recognition and deliver classification and identification results .

Machine learning (ML) as the core technology of "weak" artificial intelligence (AI) offers an alternative to conventional programming and describes a sub-area of computer science that is characterized by algorithms that are able to improve themselves and thus learn. ML is mostly based on the use of artificial neural networks (ANN). ML algorithms require data sets for training and verification of these ANN. Deep Learning (DL), here supervised learning, is a sub-area of ML and refers to one or more linked ANNs with a large number of layers, for example convolution layers, max or average pooling layers and fully meshed layers between the input and output layers. An ANN such as a convolutional neural network (CNN) provides valid classification and identification results when, for example, a configurable detection threshold has been exceeded.

An inference machine represents a concrete instance of a learned ANN and, generally speaking, derives new facts from an existing database that is the result of a machine training or learning process. During this process, the network parameters, such as weights and biases, of the ANN forming the inference engine are defined by multiple training iterations in the central data center 601 of the GBAD 200 . The verification data is then used to determine whether the required object recognition performance of the ANN has been achieved, which may necessitate further training and verification iterations.

When the performance is reached, the ANN network parameters obtained in this way are loaded into the operational inference machines of the respective core modules.

An inference machine processes the sensor raw data received from a sensor module of a peripheral element 500 in real time or at least near real time (i.e. with at least one image per second) with a constant throughput time. The classification and identification results inferred in the process are transferred to the core module control device 81 by the inference machine. The classification and identification results only represent probabilities with which an annotated object can be assigned to a specific classification or identification.

For object classification and identification in the aircraft sector, an inference engine can discriminate, classify and identify (CDI) various classes such as civil airliners, fighter-bombers, military transport aircraft, drones, cruise missiles or the like. Depending on the class, different types can be identified that can be relevant in a military context. Each class or each type can be assigned a mission-dependent classification such as "friend", "enemy" or "unclear" with a certain probability of detection.

The sensor modules can capture raw sensor data, for example from flying objects to be identified, classified and tracked as part of integrated air surveillance. Any sensor modules such as lidar sensors, radar sensors, infrared sensors or any combination thereof can be provided. For example, infrared cameras can each be used in different infrared ranges from about 0.78 to 1.4 (NIR) or 1.4 to 3 µm (SWIR) or 3 to 8 µm (MWIR) or 8 to 15 µm (LWIR). Likewise, video cameras or VIS sensors specially designed for long ranges in daylight and/or twilight with a spectral sensitivity of 400 to 760 nm can be used. Such video cameras or VIS sensors can have a Use CCD image processing chip and have a focal length of 50 to 1550 mm.

The processing of optical image data takes place in independent inference machines. At the command of the Plug&Fight state machine 54, the core module control device 81 can control the transfer of raw sensor data to the respective inference machines. Results of the inference machines, which provide corresponding result vectors at periodic intervals, i.e. lists with classes/types and inferred pseudo-probability, are checked for consistency by the core module control device 81 and forwarded to the command post 300 by means of the Plug&Fight state machine 54 and the radio distribution platform 56 if configurable detection thresholds of certain types of flying objects are exceeded.

On the edge dashboard 301 in the command post 300, the results of the diagnostic and prognostic engine of the peripheral adapter 80 in the peripheral element 500 can be displayed, so that maintenance teams can be controlled from the command post 300 remotely. The maintenance personnel can also use a user interface 88 to read out these results locally, if necessary. The local analytics of the diagnostic and prognostic machine implements a -detection of anomalies and errors by means of integrated tests such as PBIT or IBIT and the continuous monitoring (CBIT) of relevant measurement data, a load and threshold value monitoring, a monitoring of key measured values or - parameters that are identified through the use of big data methods (correlation) in the home base data center 601 and that have been empirically proven to be indicators of imminent component defects, prognosis of wear or failure probabilities of mission-critical components using key indicators, data models or physical models. These algorithms are developed in the central home base data center 601 on the basis of the collected data from all peripheral elements 500 and, after successful verification, are loaded into the core modules 85 of the various peripheral adapters 80, resulting in a continuous increase in the performance of the local analytics.

• - Peripherieelement Radarsensor mit Radarprofile Inferenz-Maschine, Prognostik Inferenz-Maschine, Intrusion Detection Inferenz-Maschine, Inferenz-Maschine zur dezentralen Selbstkoordination.
• - Peripherieelement Optronischer Sensor mit IR Inferenz-Maschine, VIS Inferenz-Maschine, Prognostik Inferenz-Maschine, Intrusion Detection Inferenz-Maschine, Inferenz-Maschine zur dezentralen Selbstkoordination.
• - Peripherieelement Effektor mit Prognostik Inferenz-Maschine, Intrusion Detection Inferenz-Maschine, Inferenz-Maschine zur dezentralen Selbstkoordination.
• - Peripherieelement Unterstützungseinheit mit Prognostik Inferenz-Maschine, Intrusion Detection Inferenz-Maschine, Inferenz-Maschine zur dezentralen Selbstkoordination.

Different inference machines can be installed in the core modules 85 of the peripheral adapters 80 of a GBAD firing unit F, for example:

• - Peripheral element radar sensor with radar profiles inference engine, prognosis inference engine, intrusion detection inference engine, inference engine for decentralized self-coordination.
• - Peripheral element Optronic sensor with IR inference engine, VIS inference engine, prognostic inference engine, intrusion detection inference engine, inference engine for decentralized self-coordination.
• - Peripheral element effector with prognosis inference machine, intrusion detection inference machine, inference machine for decentralized self-coordination.
• - Peripheral element support unit with prognostic inference engine, intrusion detection inference engine, inference engine for decentralized self-coordination.

In addition, the command post 300, on which the edge dashboard 301 is implemented, can also be equipped with the following inference engines on a workstation: Prognostics inference engine, intrusion detection inference engine, air situation assessment inference engine, inference engine for detection of disinformation.

5 FIG. 12 shows a schematic block diagram of the structure of a command post 300 and a communication base station 90, such as in connection with the network environment of FIG 1 or the system architecture of a communication system in a system for ground-based air defense 2 illustrated. The command post 300 and the communication base station 90 may represent separate modules or components - alternatively, it may also be possible to integrate the functions and components of the communication base station 90 into the command post 300.

The command post 300 has in the example 5 two domains A and B, each associated with domains of a GBAD fire unit. Domains within the meaning of the present invention are isolated IT network areas with predeterminable security guidelines, encryption levels, QoS guidelines and user rights. In the respective domains A and B, applications 31 and 33 (for example, operational planning and operational management functions) are provided, which are coupled to data load management D either directly or via a data load gateway 37 . In this case, domain-specific interface objects can be interposed for protocol conversion.

The data load management D includes a central data load master 35, which in the example 5 is included in the domain A - it may also be possible to arrange the data load master 35 in another domain of the command post 300. The central data load master 35 forms the interface to the operational functions of the operations management of the command post 300, which are implemented in the applications 31 and 33 respectively. For each of the domains A and B, a data load slave 34 or 36 that is dependent on the data load master 35 and can be configured is provided, both of which are controlled by the central data load master 35 .

The data load slaves 34 and 36 are designed to connect middleware masters 39 and 40 or 41 and 42 of middleware instances in the command post 300 to the command post in terms of data communication technology. The middleware masters 39 and 40 or 41 and 42 are higher-level middleware modules that control and configure the respective middleware slaves for the GBAD peripheral elements 500 such as effectors, sensors and/or other support elements. Each of the middleware masters 39 and 40 or 41 and 42 in the command post 300 interacts with a middleware slave as a partner in the corresponding peripheral element 500. The middleware slaves and their role in the peripheral elements 500 or peripheral adapters 80 is related to 4 are explained in more detail below.

All middleware masters 39 and 40 or 41 and 42 in a domain A or B are monitored and controlled by the associated data load slave 34 or 36 in domain A or B, respectively. The number of middleware masters is only an example with four in 5 specified, but it may also be possible to provide more or fewer than four middleware masters or to design the number of middleware masters differently per domain. The number of middleware masters depends in particular on the number of peripheral elements 500 or peripheral adapters 80 connected to the command post 300 and the number of applications active in a peripheral element 500 .

The Middlewaremaster 39 and 40 or 41 and 42 of 5 are coupled via a communication base station 90, which has a radio subsystem 95, to the middleware slaves and to the peripheral elements 500 or peripheral adapters 80. The radio subsystem 95 can, for example, work with a stochastic channel access method “enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA)” according to IEEE 801.11e, as for example in the publication DE 10 2017 007 290 B3 revealed and explained. As an alternative to this, the radio subsystem 95 can also work with a deterministic method with time slices (slots), which can redistribute the slots to the radio subscribers during operation.

The functionality of the data load management D is a sub-function of the resource management of the command post 300. A distinction is made between data load master 35 and data load slaves 34 and 36 on the other hand. The data load master 35 is coupled to a data load dashboard 32, which shows an operator of the command post 300 the loading and utilization of the tactical radio data links H1 and H2 and can give recommendations as to which measures to reduce data saturation could be activated. In addition or as an alternative to this, the data load master 35 can independently initiate measures for data load control in accordance with the set degree of autonomy and the specified priorities. The data load master 35 determines the size of the current and expected data transport volume and compares it with the currently available transport capacities, which are measured by the middleware instances in real time. The result of this comparison can indicate whether a saturation state is present or will be present, and can be visualized by means of the data load dashboard 32 for the current states of the radio links within the GBAD fire unit.

The command post 300 of a GBAD fire unit can create and distribute integrated air situation images, determine the identity of all tracks, warn of tactical ballistic missiles, evaluate threats that tracks pose to friendly units, and assume operational control of subordinate units or support elements. To carry out these tasks, the command post 300 can use a GBAD fire unit of resource management, which has data load control via data load management D as a sub-function.

The data load master 35 is designed to evaluate the data from operational management functions (e.g. managing system traces, discriminating / classifying / identifying (CDI), analyzing threats, issuing combat orders and executing combat) and resource management (e.g. controlling sensor loads), the information about the provide expected and current data volume and relevance. Furthermore, the data load master 35 can compare the data link utilization rates reported by the data load slaves 34 and 36 of the existing data links of the command post 300 to the connected peripheral elements 500 in a domain-specific manner with configurable thresholds. The preferred operating state (normal operation, reduced operation, minimum operation, switched off) for each data link can be derived from these comparisons. The data load master 35 can configure and control the data load slaves 34 or 36 accordingly. The data load master 35 is also designed to, in the current situation, the Rele to determine vanz or importance of the data transfers of the connected peripheral elements 500 and thus to determine peripheral element-specific specifications for the prioritization of the associated P&F messages. For example, the sensor-specific specifications for prioritizing the P&F messages can be derived from the system traces, with which sensor tracks/plots and logically dependent information are transmitted. Status information is transmitted to the data load dashboard 32 in order to visualize the information implemented by the data load master 35 . The data load dashboard 32 also serves as a user interface for accepting commands and configuration settings.

The data load slaves 34 and 36 provide a current indicator for the actual data link utilization of the respective data link between command post 300 and peripheral element 500 for their assigned domains A and B. The data load master 35 compares the data load slaves 34 and 36 reported Actual data link utilization with 32 individually adjustable threshold values on the data load dashboard. From these comparisons, the data load master 35 in each case derives the operating state (normal operation, reduced operation, minimum operation, switched off) for each data link and the corresponding, domain-specific commands to the data load slaves 34 and 36, respectively. The data load slaves 34 and 36 are designed to control the middleware masters 39 to 42 in the associated domains A and B, in particular the implementation of the operating modes commanded by the data load master 35 for each data link and domain. The data load slaves 34 and 36 can also determine the actual data link utilization per data link from the current actual transfer capacities, target data volumes and actual data volumes of the data links, as well as the sensor track relevance in the transport prioritization of the IP headers implement sent data packets.

For each sensor data link that is controlled by one of the data load slaves 34 or 36, the respective data load slave processes the associated sensor track relevance list and determines the associated transport priority from the sensor track relevance assigned to a sensor track, which is specified in the IP header is mapped. A number of priority levels can be defined, each of which is implemented by its own TCP/IP socket connection (channel), to which different DCSP codes are assigned during socket initialization. Before encrypting an IP frame, the encryption device 92 or 93 copies the DCSP into the PCP field of a newly formed MAC header, as for example in the publication DE 10 2017 007 290 B3 revealed and explained. The DCSPs determined in this way are added to the sensor track relevance list as an additional attribute for each data record of a sensor track/plot and passed to the respective middleware master of the peripheral element 500 .

The two data load slaves 34 and 36 provide an indicator for the actual data link utilization of the respective data link between command post 300 and peripheral element 500 for their domains A and B for each connected peripheral element 500. It can be assumed that uplink and downlink each use the same modulation scheme, for example when both the command post 300 and the peripheral elements 500 use sector antennas.

The data load slaves 34 and 36 control all the middleware masters 39 to 42 assigned to the respective peripheral elements 500, i.e. the number of middleware masters 39 to 42 to be controlled depends on the number of peripheral elements 500 connected to the command post 300. The number of middleware masters 39 to be controlled to 42 may vary during the operational time of a GBAD fire unit as peripherals 500 are dynamically added or deregistered. For each sensor data link, the data load slaves 34 and 36 each have an internal state machine (normal operation, reduced operation, minimum operation, switched off).

The data load master 35 commands the desired operating state depending on the threshold comparison of a data link. Specific data load measures are assigned to each status, which can then be converted into concrete commands to the middleware masters 39 to 42. The operator authorized to do so can specify the assignment of data load measures to operating modes on the data load dashboard 32 . Data load measures can, for example, vary the P&F message types used, packaging of sensor tracks for certain P&F message types, variation of the transfer update rate of sensor tracks, possibly depending on the data relevance or transport prioritization or the P&F message types, temporarily blocking selected P&F message types or group(s) and/or temporarily switching off a peripheral element 500.

To implement the data load measures, the data load slaves 34 and 36 use special interface functions for each dependent middleware master 39 to 42 via the API of the middleware master 39 to 42, so that the respective data load slave acts as a client and each middleware master acts as a server. The data load slave can, for example, use the following API functions of a middleware master to control the data link between command post 300 and the peripheral element 500 use: Transfer of the respective, extended sensor track relevance list including the generated transport priorities DCSP per sensor track/plot, the information per sensor track/plot, whether packaging should be used or not, the information per sensor track/ Plot whether the default transfer rate should be reduced or not and, if necessary, with what delta to the default transfer rate to the dependent middleware master, activation or deactivation of P&F message groups of a data link between command post 300 and a peripheral element 500, activation or Deactivating the complete P&F communication between the middleware master and its associated middleware slave, switching the priority profile for a data link between command post 300 and a peripheral element 500.

With the data load dashboard 32, the data load control has its own man-machine interface, which shows the operator a display of the loading and utilization of the tactical radio data links and a representation of the activated data load measures, a configuration of the behavior of the data load master 35 and the data load slaves 34 or 36 of domains A and B, recommendations as to which measures to reduce data saturation could be activated, activated data load measures after authorization by the operator, and/or independently activated data load measures according to the set degree of autonomy and the specified priorities, the DL measures. The following information regarding the current status of the tactical radio links of the GBAD fire unit can be visualized via the data load dashboard 32: Graphical overview of the current nodes of the tactical communication network of the GBAD fire unit and the currently connected domains of the peripheral elements, current actual transfer capacities the radio devices involved in each data link (command post - peripheral element), the tactical target P&F data volume currently to be transported by the middleware masters and the respective associated middleware slaves, as well as actual P&F data volumes, which contain the tactical P&F messages transferred by the middleware masters and the middleware slaves include. For this purpose, middleware masters and middleware slaves use integrated sniffer functions to determine middleware key figures such as the number and volume of correctly sent or received P&F messages, volume of P&F payload data sent and volume of P&F payload data received, average response times, number of incorrectly received or sent P&F messages, message loss rate, payload data loss rate and a general capacity indicator per priority channel (TCP/IP socket channel). The data load dashboard 32 can also display actual PDU data volumes of the radio connections, current actual operating modes of the data load slaves, active data load measures for each of the operating modes, threshold values currently used by the data load master 35 to determine the target operating states, operating state change indicators, and existing prioritization profiles. The displays and graphics of the data load dashboard 32 can be organized hierarchically, for example from a general overview through several menu levels to increasingly detailed data.

Only an authorized operator can use the data load dashboard 32 to set the thresholds for selecting the data load master 35, the internal operating states of the data load slaves, the assignment of the data load measures to the operating states, the prioritization profiles to be used by default, the static priorities of the P&F messages of a prioritization profile, and the Configure the degree of autonomy of the data load control. Each mode change to a lower level mode can be configured and executed accordingly by the authorized operator in two ways: in automatic mode, mode changes configured as automatic are executed without requiring operator permission; in semi-automatic mode, operational state changes selected for semi-automatic execution must be authorized by the operator.

• - Unterscheidung zwischen Datenlastmaster und Datenlastslave,
• - enthält ein Datenlast-Dashboard, das dem Operator die Be- und Auslastung der taktischen Funkdatenlinks anzeigt und ihm empfiehlt, welche Maßnahmen zur Minderung der Datensättigung aktiviert werden könnten und ergreift gegebenenfalls entsprechend dem eingestellten Autonomiegrad und der vorgegebenen Prioritäten die Maßnahmen selbstständig,
• - ermittelt die Größe des aktuellen und des erwartenden Datentransportvolumens und vergleicht dies mit den aktuell vorhandenen Transportkapazitäten, welchen von der Middleware vermessen werden,
• - stellt durch Vergleich des Transportbedarfs mit den Transportkapazitäten fest, ob ein Sättigungszustand vorliegt oder vorliegen wird,
• - visualisiert mittels des Datenlast-Dashboards die aktuellen Zustände der Funkverbindungen innerhalb der GBAD-Feuereinheit,
• - empfiehlt mittels des Datenlast-Dashboards, welche Maßnahmen zur Sättigungsminderung in Anspruch genommen werden können und ergreift gegebenenfalls Maßnahmen selbstständig.

In summary, data load control as a sub-function of data load management D is characterized by the following features:

• - Differentiation between data load master and data load slave,
• - contains a data load dashboard that shows the operator the loading and utilization of the tactical radio data links and recommends which measures to reduce data saturation could be activated and, if necessary, takes the measures independently according to the set degree of autonomy and the given priorities,
• - determines the size of the current and expected data transport volume and compares this with the currently available transport capacities, which are measured by the middleware,
• - determines by comparing the transport requirement with the transport capacities whether a state of saturation exists or will exist,
• - visualizes the current status of the radio connections within the GBAD fire unit using the data load dashboard,
• - recommends which measures can be taken to reduce saturation using the data load dashboard and takes measures independently if necessary.

The middleware can transport message patterns according to a request-response communication scheme between command post 300 and peripheral elements 500, the implementation of which can be realized, for example, by means of "message patterns" such as request-reply, push-pull, exclusive pair, etc. of a message-oriented software library. In the case of a GBAT fire unit, the tactical messages to be transported by the middleware can be divided into different functional groups. The detailed content (payload) of each message is primarily defined from the perspective of the command post 300 and not on the basis of the technical possibilities of the respective peripheral element 500.

For each peripheral element 500 connected to the command post 300, there is a middleware master 39 to 42 in the command post 300, which are each controlled and configured by the responsible data load slaves 34 and 36, respectively. One of the tasks of a middleware master 39 to 42 is the domain-specific processing of the P&F communication between the applications 31 of the command post 300 and the applications of the respective peripheral element 500 via the respectively assigned middleware slave 65 or 66. The middleware master 39 to 42 uses IP for this -Socket connections and can use a subsequent speed measurement to check how high the available bandwidth is and whether a middleware slave 65 or 66 is connected via radio devices 95 or 61 to the communication base station 90 or a peripheral adapter 80.

Middleware masters 39 to 42 control the respectively assigned middleware slaves 65 or 66 with regard to operating states (for example init, configure, check capacity, mass data transfer, communicate, silent, communication lost to host), message priority, track types, packaging, to/ Switching off of messages / domains and the slot distribution of the radio devices 95 and 61 based on the commands of the responsible data load slaves 34 or 36. Furthermore, the middleware masters 39 to 42 determine associated middleware codes and transmit them together with the middleware codes of the middleware slaves 65 or 66 the associated data load slaves 34 and 36. Middleware masters 39 to 42 can be addressed from the outside as a state machine and can be controlled by the command post 300 in terms of state.

A middleware master is controlled by the central sequence control of the command post 300 in terms of status. The central sequence control determines and reads out the states (e.g. Init, Configure, Check Capacity, Mass Data Transfer, Communicate, Silent, Communication Lost to Slave) of all middleware masters 39 to 42 residing in command post 300 and thus all data links between command post 300 and the connected peripheral elements 500 are established. This central sequence control is therefore individual for each data link according to the tactical situation. A middleware master converts the status commands of the central sequence control into its own status changes and into P&F message interactions with the middleware slave using various P&F message types. The activation or deactivation of communication via VoIP, mail or chat - such as implemented in the servers 38 of domain B - via the tactical radio communication network is not primarily the task of the middleware master 39 to 42, but can be done by the data load slave 36 of domain B directly these servers 38 running in the command post 300 are commanded. Alternatively, the server 38 can also activate or deactivate the communication by means of VoIP, mail or chat by the respective middleware masters 39 to 42 . With this constellation it would be advantageous that the middleware slaves could then control the respective clients (VoIP, mail, chat) accordingly. A special TCP/IP socket channel, which has a very high transport priority, is used for the P&F messages mentioned for controlling the middleware slaves.

The middleware masters 39 to 42 determine the overall data load indicators of the associated data link connection, i.e. data transfer indicators from the following sources: indicators of the radio device 95 assigned to the command post 300, middleware indicators of the middleware masters 39 to 42, which characterize the P&F message traffic from the point of view of the middleware masters 39 to 42 , code numbers of the radio device 61 in the respective peripheral element 500, and middleware code numbers of the middleware slaves, which characterize the P&F message traffic from the point of view of the middleware slaves. The middleware masters 39 to 42 combine these key figures into a data block and transmit it to the responsible data load slave 34 or 36 or indirectly to the data load dashboard 32 for visualization purposes.

Communication between the middleware masters 39 to 42 and the radio device 95 assigned to the command post 300 can take place directly via corresponding domain-specific crypto devices 92 or 93 or via a communication filter 94 . The data load slaves 34 and 36 can NEN in turn communicate directly with the middleware masters 39 to 42 or indirectly via a domain gateway 37, which mediates inter-domain communication.

For each tactical TCP / IP socket channel between middleware masters 39 to 42 and the middleware slaves 65 and 66 in a middleware module 56 of a peripheral adapter 56, each middleware master in domains A and B uses an integrated sniffer function for a configurable period to determine certain key figures to estimate the quality of the tactical P&F radio communication between middleware master and middleware slaves from the perspective of the middleware master. In the same way, the middleware slaves 65 and 66 determine the corresponding middleware code numbers of the data link from the opposite perspective and periodically send this information back to the middleware master in the respective domain using specific P&F message types.

The middleware master can also request the middleware key figures from the middleware slaves using other P&F message types. In this way, the middleware key figures of a data link connection are determined from the point of view of the middleware master and the middleware slave and combined by the middleware master to form a middleware data record. In this way, the load and saturation of a P&F data link can be monitored in real time, allowing a data load master and data load slave pair to determine whether or not a saturation condition exists. It should be noted that these middleware metrics only cover the P&F message traffic transferred through the middleware, however broken down by priority channel. Other wireless data traffic such as for network management or for VoIP, mail, chat or video is not recorded.

• - Paket-Statistik des Knotens (beispielsweise Anzahl verworfener Pakete im Zyklus, Knoten nicht synchronisiert, Zieladresse unbekannt, Anzahl Pakete mit max. Lebensdauer erreicht, Anzahl Pakete mit max. Anzahl Wiederholungen erreicht, zu viele nicht korrigierbare Fehler),
• - Funkgeräte-Status des Knoten (beispielsweise Knoten-ID, Sync-Status, Datenrate Senden, Datenrate Empfangen, Paketrate Senden, Paketrate Empfangen),
• - Knoten Statistik je Knoten im Zyklus (beispielsweise TX SNR, RX SNR, PDelay, PDU gesendet, PDU empfangen) und Hardware Status.

A designated middleware master 40 of command post 300 periodically reads connection quality data from radio device 95 via a communication filter 94, which provides information about the current quality of the encrypted radio connection(s) of peripheral element 500, for example:

• - Packet statistics of the node (e.g. number of discarded packets in the cycle, node not synchronized, destination address unknown, number of packets with max. lifetime reached, number of packets with max. number of retries reached, too many uncorrectable errors),
• - Node radio status (e.g. Node ID, Sync Status, Transmit Data Rate, Receive Data Rate, Transmit Packet Rate, Receive Packet Rate),
• - Node statistics per node in the cycle (e.g. TX SNR, RX SNR, PDelay, PDU sent, PDU received) and hardware status.

This captures the entire packet traffic of the radio: tactical P&F messages, VoIP, video, network management, messages for IT security, etc. However, there is no breakdown by packet type and priority channel, so it is a summary view. The entire packet traffic of the radio device 95 of the communication base station 90 assigned to the command post 300 is thus recorded in summary form. A designated middleware slave 66 of a peripheral element 500 or in a peripheral adapter 80 also determines the connection quality data of the radio device 61 of the peripheral adapter 80 via a communication filter 67 and reports these key figures periodically to the middleware master 40 in the command post 300, who there transmits the connection quality data of the radio device 95 to the command post 300 associated communication base station 90 reads. The middleware master 40 in the command post 300 also reads the key figures of the connection quality data from the respective middleware slave 66 of a peripheral element 500 per data link and forwards all received key figures of the peripheral elements 500 to the associated pair of data load master and data load slave for data load control (saturation, data load reduction) and to the data load dashboard 32 for visualization. In this way, the codes of the radio devices 95 and 61 of the tactical radio communication system are determined from the point of view of the command post 300 and the connected peripheral elements 500 and combined by a middleware master 40 to form an overall code data set.

In the command post, the middleware master 40, which reads out and evaluates the connection quality data from the radio set 95, is responsible for controlling the radio set 95 that is used in the command post 300 for tactical P&F communication. In the peripheral element 500, the middleware slave 66 controls the radio device 61, which reads out the connection quality data and forwards it to the middleware master 40. The radio device control includes, among other things, the commanding of the operating mode (e.g. test, calibration, configuration, operate, silent) and, in the case of radio devices with time slice methods in deterministic channel access, the assignment of the time slices to the radio devices. This assignment is distributed via the command post radio using P&F control messages, as well as the commands that trigger the implementation of this new assignment.

If the measures to reduce the data load are within the currently assigned time cry ben are no longer sufficient, the peripheral element 500 affected in each case can be allocated further time slices and therefore bandwidth, which is done at the expense of other participants in the tactical radio communication system. A new connection of a further peripheral element 500 can take place via a time slice reservation, via which the connection then takes place. If necessary, the time slices are then redistributed during ongoing tactical communication. With a channel access method according to IEEE 801.11e, such a time slice redistribution is not required, since there are no explicit time slices in this method and the channel access can be made via contention parameters.

4 shows a schematic block diagram of the middleware and communication components of the in 3 peripheral adapter 80 shown as an example. The peripheral interface 44 in the peripheral element domain PE of the peripheral adapter 80 mediates the communication between applications in a peripheral element 500 with a data protocol converter 53 via interface converters 510 and 520. This data protocol converter 53 couples to a “Plug&Fight” state machine 54, which in turn is in operative communication with the radio distribution platform 56 . The data protocol converter 53, the “Plug&Fight” state machine 54 and the radio distribution platform 56 are arranged in a core structure domain associated with the core structure K or KZ. Incidentally, the communication architecture of the in 4 illustrated peripheral adapter 80 can also be integrated directly into a peripheral element 500 in whole or in part.

Middleware slaves 65 and 66 for domain-specific communication are implemented in the radio distribution platform 56 . One of the middleware slaves 65 and 66 acts as a service provider for the respective applications of the peripheral element 500. One of the main tasks of the middleware slaves 65 and 66 is to carry out the P&F radio communication with the associated middleware master in the command post 300. The middleware slaves 65 and 66 are managed by the associated Middleware master controlled by specific P&F control messages. Depending on the connected peripheral element 500, the middleware slaves 65 and 66 can take on different functions, such as DSCP prioritization based on the P&F control commands of the respective middleware master, using different message types based on the command of the responsible middleware master, and/or packaging sensors -Tracks/plots based on the command of the responsible middleware master.

In the peripheral adapter 80 or peripheral element 500, each middleware slave 65 or 66 has an interface converter 510 or 520 upstream of the respective application, which decouples the characteristics and specifics of the respective application from the standardized, tactical Plug&Fight communication of the core structure domain KZ, so that the Middleware slave 65 or 66 is not concerned with the specific communication details of the peripheral element 500. Interface converters 510 or 520 can thus be used to decouple the algorithmic applications in the command post 300 or in the peripheral element 500 from P&F communication details, to encapsulate the device-specific capabilities, data and functions, in particular states, performance values, algorithms, simulations, and to standardize an interface between Applications and the tactical communication system contribute.

Middleware slaves 65 and 66 are configured and commanded by the associated middleware master of the command post 300 . If necessary, software updates of the middleware slaves 65 or 66 also take place via the associated middleware master. In order to make it easier to command, the middleware slaves 65 and 66 are designed as state machines that can be externally controlled using suitable P&F control messages.

• Zustand „Init“:
  • - Initialisierungszustand mit Aufbau der Socket-Kanäle des Middlewareslaves zum zugehörigen Middlewaremaster,
  • - Dateninitialisierungen: laden der Zuordnungen Priorität zu DCSP, der Prioritätsprofile, der Data Logging Parameter, Timeouts etc.,
  • - das Default-Prioritätsprofil wird aktiviert (statische Priorisierung),
  • - automatische Transition nach Zustand Silent, wenn Init beendet ist.
• Zustand „Silent“:
  • - automatische Transition vom Zustand Init,
  • - Möglichkeit zur Abschaltung von einzelnen Domänen, in denen der Middlewareslave aktiv ist, dient für Emission Control,
  • - sendet keine P&F-Botschaften, unterstützt keine empfangenden P&F-Botschaften (One/TwoWay),
  • - leitet keine Daten von der Applikation weiter, die Applikation kann aber den Middlewareslave Zustand abfragen, die Kommunikation zur Applikation wird aber aufrechterhalten,
  • - antwortet nur auf ein valides P&F-Zustands-Kommando des Middlewaremasters und wechselt dann in den jeweils kommandierten Zustand.
• Zustand „Configure“:
  • - laden und übernehmen von Konfigurationsdaten: z.B. Prioritätsprofile, TCP-Retries, Slots/Framing, Zuordnung Slots zu Radios etc.,
  • - kann von der Middlewaremaster oder von einem externen Laptop kommandiert werden,
  • - Konfigurationsdaten können vom Middlewaremaster oder mittels eines externen Laptop geladen werden.
• Zustand „Check Capacity“:
  • - hier wird ein Speed Test aktiviert, um für jede Funkkommunikationsverbindung Middlewaremaster - Middlewareslave das max. Datenvolumen abzuschätzen, das aktuell übertragen werden kann; Der Speed Test wird vom jeweiligen Middlewaremaster angestoßen und gesteuert,
  • - dazu wird eine TwoWay-Botschaft benutzt mit jeweils großen Datenvolumen für In- und Output, wobei die Laufzeiten für Request (In), Reply (Out) und TCP-Ack jeweils gemessen werden. Die Laufzeiten sind vom aktuell vom IP-fähigen Funkgerät benutzten Modulationsschema (z.B. QPSK 1/3 bis 16QAM 2/3) abhängig (je höherwertiger das Modulationsschema desto kürzer die Laufzeit). Es werden dazu TwoWay-Botschaften mit schrittweise größer werdenden Nutzlasten für Request des Middlewaremasters (Reply des MW-Slaves ohne Nutzlast) verwendet, wobei die Laufzeiten zwischen Request und Reply jeweils vom Middlewaremaster gemessen werden, so dass abgeschätzt werden kann bei welcher Nutzlastgröße die Fragmentierung einer Protocol Data Unit (PDU) durch das Funkgerät einsetzt, d.h. sie passt nicht mehr in den Sendeslot des Middlewaremasters,
  • - aus Slotdauer (beispielsweise 10ms), max. Nutzlastgröße ohne Fragmentierung (z.B. 7400byte) und zugeordneten Slots ergibt sich ein Schätzwert für die Datentransferkapazität des Downlinks. Auf gleiche Weise wird die Kapazität des Uplinks vom Middlewareslave zum Middlewaremaster ermittelt, wobei diesmal die Nutzlast des Replies schrittweise bis zur PDU-Fragmentierung vergrößert wird und der Request ohne Nutzlast ist.
  • - der Speed Test kann zu Beginn eines operationellen Einsatzes nach Beziehen der Stellungen ausgeführt werden, aber auch nach Bedarf während des taktischen Datenverkehrs,
  • - die so ermittelte Datentransferkapazität wird dem Benutzer am Datenlast-Dashboard angezeigt. Bei der operationellen Initialisierung der Kommunikationsverbindungen können die so ermittelten Verbindungskapazitäten berücksichtigt werden.
• Zustand „Communicate“:
  • - operationelle P&F-Kommunikation zwischen dem Middlewareslave und der zugehörigen Partner Middlewaremaster, sowie Zustandssteuerung durch die Middlewaremaster,
  • - dynamische Priorisierung (Profil, Botschaftstyp, Botschaftsindividuum, Tracktyp), alle zu transferierenden P&F-Botschaften (OneWay: TCP-Request, TCP-Ack;TwoWay: TCP-Request, TCP-Reply, TCP-Ack) erhalten im IP-Header den der Priorität zugeordneten DSCP gemäß Prioritätsprofil, wobei der zugehörige Middlewaremaster mittels spezieller Kommandos die Zuordnung der Priorität zu den P&F-Botschaften (Profile, Botschaftstyp, Botschaftsindividuum) kommandiert basierend auf den Datenlastmaßnahmen des Datenlastslaves der jeweiligen Domäne. Nicht die Applikation des Peripherieelementes setzt die Priorität einer P&F-Botschaft, sondern die Middleware bzw. die Datenlaststeuerung, wodurch die Priorisierung des taktischen P&F-Funkdatenverkehr im Kern des GBAD residiert,
  • - dynamisches Zu- und Abschalten von Gruppen von P&F-Botschaften, Paketierung von Ziel-Tracks in einer P&F-Botschaft,
  • - Berechnung der Datenlastkennzahlen je Prioritätskanal zwischen dem Middlewareslave und dem Middlewaremaster und der Kapazitätsmaßzahl des Funkgerätes aus der Knoten- und Paketstatistik.
• Zustand „Mass Data Transfer“:
  • - zum Transfer beispielsweise von Logging Daten von der Middlewareslave zur Middlewaremaster oder für ein Software-Update der Middlewareslave,
  • - alle verfügbaren Slots des Funkgerätes werden verwendet bei entsprechende hoher Priorisierung der verwendeten P&F-Botschaft.
• Zustand „Communication lost to Host“:
  • - Kommunikation zur Middlewaremaster funktioniert, unterbrochene Kommunikation zur Applikation des Peripherieelementes, was mittels einer entsprechenden P&F-Botschaft an die Middlewaremaster gemeldet wird.
• Zustand „Communication lost to MW-Master“:
  • - Kommunikation zur Applikation des Peripherieelementes intakt, unterbrochene Kommunikation zum Middlewaremaster und entsprechende Meldung an die Applikation.

For example, a middleware slave can have the following states and state transitions:

• "Init" state:
  • - Initialization state with structure of the socket channels of the middleware slave to the associated middleware master,
  • - Data initializations: loading priority assignments to DCSP, priority profiles, data logging parameters, timeouts, etc.,
  • - the default priority profile is activated (static prioritization),
  • - automatic transition after state silent when init is finished.
• "Silent" state:
  • - automatic transition from the Init state,
  • - Possibility to switch off individual domains in which the middleware slave is active, serves for emission control,
  • - does not send P&F messages, does not support receiving P&F messages (One/TwoWay),
  • - does not forward any data from the application, but the application can use the middleware slave Query status, but communication with the application is maintained,
  • - Responds only to a valid P&F status command from the middleware master and then changes to the respectively commanded status.
• "Configure" state:
  • - Load and accept configuration data: e.g. priority profiles, TCP retries, slots/framing, assignment of slots to radios, etc.,
  • - can be commanded from the middleware master or from an external laptop,
  • - Configuration data can be loaded from the middleware master or using an external laptop.
• "Check Capacity" state:
  • - a speed test is activated here in order to estimate the maximum data volume that can currently be transmitted for each radio communication connection middleware master - middleware slave; The speed test is initiated and controlled by the respective middleware master,
  • - A two-way message is used for this, each with large data volumes for input and output, with the runtimes for request (in), reply (out) and TCP ack being measured in each case. The propagation times depend on the modulation scheme currently used by the IP-enabled radio device (e.g. QPSK 1/3 to 16QAM 2/3) (the higher the modulation scheme, the shorter the propagation time). Two-way messages with gradually increasing payloads are used for requests from the middleware master (reply from the MW slave without payload), with the run times between request and reply being measured by the middleware master so that it can be estimated at which payload size the fragmentation of a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) used by the radio device, ie it no longer fits into the transmission slot of the middleware master,
  • - From the slot duration (e.g. 10ms), max. payload size without fragmentation (e.g. 7400byte) and assigned slots, an estimated value for the data transfer capacity of the downlink results. The capacity of the uplink from the middleware slave to the middleware master is determined in the same way, but this time the payload of the reply is gradually increased up to PDU fragmentation and the request has no payload.
  • - the speed test can be carried out at the beginning of an operational mission after moving into position, but also as required during tactical data traffic,
  • - The data transfer capacity determined in this way is displayed to the user on the data load dashboard. The connection capacities determined in this way can be taken into account during the operational initialization of the communication links.
• Communicate state:
  • - operational P&F communication between the middleware slave and the associated partner middleware master, as well as state control by the middleware master,
  • - Dynamic prioritization (profile, message type, message individual, track type), all P&F messages to be transferred (OneWay: TCP request, TCP ack; TwoWay: TCP request, TCP reply, TCP ack) receive the IP header the priority assigned DSCP according to the priority profile, with the associated middleware master using special commands to assign the priority to the P&F messages (profile, message type, message individual) based on the data load measures of the data load slaves of the respective domain. It is not the application of the peripheral element that sets the priority of a P&F message, but the middleware or the data load control, whereby the prioritization of the tactical P&F radio data traffic resides in the core of the GBAD,
  • - dynamic switching on and off of groups of P&F messages, packaging of target tracks in a P&F message,
  • - Calculation of the data load figures per priority channel between the middleware slave and the middleware master and the capacity figure of the radio device from the node and packet statistics.
• "Mass data transfer" state:
  • - for the transfer, for example, of logging data from the middleware slave to the middleware master or for a software update of the middleware slave,
  • - All available slots of the radio are used with a correspondingly high priority of the P&F message used.
• Status "Communication lost to host":
  • - Communication to the middleware master works, interrupted communication to the application of the peripheral element, which is reported to the middleware master by means of a corresponding P&F message.
• "Communication lost to MW master" status:
  • - Communication to the application of the peripheral element intact, interrupted communication to the middleware master and corresponding message to the application.

In a peripheral element 500 or peripheral adapter 80, it is the responsibility of a designated middleware slave 66 to control the radio device 61. It is the same middleware slave 66 that reads out and evaluates the connection quality data of this radio device 61 . The radio device control includes, among other things, the commanding of the operating mode (e.g. test, calibration, configuration, operate, silent) and, in the case of radio devices with time recording methods in deterministic channel access, the assignment of the time slices to the radio devices participating in the tactical communication network. This assignment is distributed via the radio device 95 of the command post 300 by means of P&F control messages to the middleware slaves 65 or 66, which load it into the radio device 61 of the peripheral element 500 or peripheral adapter 80.

• - Unterscheidung zwischen Middlewaremaster und Middlewareslave,
• - Middlewareslaves in den GBAD-Peripherieelementen und Middlewaremaster im Gefechtsstand,
• - je ein zusammengehöriges Paar Middlewaremaster - Middlewareslave, wobei der Middlewareslave vom MW- Middlewaremaster dominiert (konfiguriert, gesteuert) wird,
• - Zustandsautomat, um die Steuerbarkeit zu ermöglichen,
• - Messen des aktuellen Datenvolumens, das die Anwendungen in den Peripherieelementen bzw. im Gefechtsstand für den Datentransport durch die Middleware anfordern,
• - Messen des tatsächlich aktuell transportierten Datenvolumens in jeder Domäne durch Snifferfunktion,
• - Messen der aktuellen Transportkapazität in jeder Domäne durch ein Steuerinterface jeweils zum Funkgerät,
• - Umsetzen der Maßnahmen, die die Datenlaststeuerung zur Datenlastregulierung in jeder Domäne aktiviert,
• - Priorisierung der taktischen Datenpakete als interne Funktion der Middleware, die von der Datenlaststeuerung gesteuert wird, so dass kein Zugriff auf die Paketpriorität durch die Applikationen der Peripherieelemente vorhanden ist,
• - statische und dynamische Priorisierung der Datenpakete: Profile, Botschaftstyp, Botschaftsindividuum,
• - Paketierung von Tracks, Track Botschaftstypen mit unterschiedlicher Genauigkeit und Datenvolumen, so dass die Applikationen der Peripherieelemente von dieser Aufgabe entbunden sind,
• - temporäres Ab/Anschalten von Domänen, Botschaftsgruppen, Botschaftsindividuen
• - im Falle von Funkgeräten mit deterministischem Kanalzugriffsmethode wie beispielsweise Zeitmultiplexübertragungsverfahren (TDMA): dynamische Umverteilung der TDMA-Zeitscheiben an die beteiligten Funkgeräte, wobei ein Middlewaremaster (Gefechtsstand) als zentraler Verteiler dient.

In summary, the following features are involved, with which an available, lightweight middleware is enriched as an element of data load management D according to this invention:

• - Differentiation between middleware master and middleware slave,
• - Middleware slaves in the GBAD peripherals and middleware masters in the command post,
• - a pair of middleware masters and middleware slaves that belong together, with the middleware slave being dominated (configured, controlled) by the MW middleware master,
• - state machine to enable controllability,
• - Measurement of the current data volume that the applications in the peripheral elements or in the command post request for data transport through the middleware,
• - Measurement of the actually currently transported data volume in each domain by sniffer function,
• - Measurement of the current transport capacity in each domain through a control interface to the radio device,
• - Implementation of the measures that activate the data load control for data load regulation in each domain,
• - Prioritization of the tactical data packets as an internal function of the middleware controlled by the data load control, so that there is no access to the packet priority by the applications of the peripheral elements,
• - static and dynamic prioritization of the data packets: profiles, message type, message individual,
• - Packing of tracks, track message types with different accuracy and data volume, so that the applications of the peripheral elements are released from this task,
• - temporary switching off/on of domains, message groups, message individuals
• - In the case of radio devices with a deterministic channel access method such as time division multiplex transmission (TDMA): dynamic redistribution of the TDMA time slices to the radio devices involved, with a middleware master (command post) serving as the central distributor.

• - ein zentraler Datenlastmaster in Domäne A für die Domänen einer GBAD-Feuereinheit,
• - der zentrale Datenlastmaster bildet die Schnittstelle zu den operationellen Funktionen der Einsatzführung des Gefechtsstandes,
• - ein Datenlastslave, je einer in den Daten transportierenden Domänen, die vom zentralen Datenlastmaster gesteuert werden,
• - alle Middleware-Instanzen im Gefechtsstand sind Middlewaremaster, um die Middlewareslave in den GBAD-Peripherieelementen (Effektor, Sensor, Unterstützungselement) zu steuern,
• - alle Middleware-Instanzen in den GBAD-Peripherieelementen sind Middlewareslaves,
• - jeder Middlewaremaster im Gefechtsstand interagiert mit einem Middlewareslave als Partner im entsprechenden Peripherieelement,
• - alle Middlewaremaster und alle Middlewareslaves einer Domäne werden vom jeweiligen Datenlastslave der Domäne überwacht und gesteuert,
• - die Anzahl der Middlewareslaves ist abhängig von der Anzahl der an den Gefechtsstand angebundenen Peripherieelemente und der Anzahl der in einem Peripherieelement aktiven Applikationen,
• - die Anzahl der Middlewaremaster im Gefechtsstand korrespondiert wiederum mit der Anzahl der Middlewareslaves der GBAT-Feuereinheit,
• - im Peripherieelement hat jeder Middlewareslave als Schnittstellenumsetzer zur Applikation ein Interface-Objekt vorgeschaltet, das die Eigenheiten und Spezifika der jeweiligen Applikation von der standardisierten, taktischen Plug&Fight-Kommunikation des GBAD-Kerns entkoppelt, so dass der Middlewareslave nicht mit den speziellen Kommunikationsdetails des Peripherieelementes befasst ist.

According to this invention, the data load management D with the middleware and data load control subfunctions can have the following functional topology:

• - a central data load master in domain A for the domains of a GBAD fire unit,
• - the central data load master forms the interface to the operational functions of the operations management of the command post,
• - a data load slave, one in each of the data transporting domains that are controlled by the central data load master,
• - all middleware instances in the command post are middleware masters to control the middleware slaves in the GBAD peripheral elements (effector, sensor, support element),
• - all middleware instances in the GBAD peripherals are middleware slaves,
• - each middleware master in the command post interacts with a middleware slave as a partner in the corresponding peripheral element,
• - all middleware masters and all middleware slaves of a domain are monitored and controlled by the respective data load slave of the domain,
• - the number of middleware slaves depends on the number of peripheral elements connected to the command post and the number of applications active in a peripheral element,
• - the number of middleware masters in the command post corresponds in turn to the number of middleware slaves in the GBAT fire unit,
• - In the peripheral element, each middleware slave has an upstream interface object as an interface converter to the application, which decouples the peculiarities and specifics of the respective application from the standardized, tactical Plug&Fight communication of the GBAD core, so that the middleware slave does not deal with the special communication details of the peripheral element is.

• - zur Entkopplung, so dass algorithmische Applikationen im Gefechtsstand bzw. im Peripherieelement von den Plug&Fight-Kommunikationsdetails entkoppelt und damit nicht befasst sind,
• - zur Kapselung der gerätespezifischen Fähigkeiten, Daten und Funktionen, insbesondere Zustände, Leistungswerte, Algorithmen, Simulationen,
• - als standardisierte Schnittstelle zwischen Applikationen und dem taktischen Kommunikationssystem (Middleware).

Thus, an interface object is used

• - for decoupling, so that algorithmic applications in the command post or in the peripheral element are decoupled from the Plug&Fight communication details and are not involved with them,
• - to encapsulate the device-specific capabilities, data and functions, in particular states, performance values, algorithms, simulations,
• - as a standardized interface between applications and the tactical communication system (middleware).

6 shows a method N for data load control in a communication system, in particular a communication system of a system for ground-based air defense (GBAD). The method N can, for example, in a GBAD 200 of 1 and 2 be used, which has one or more command posts 300, communication base stations 90 and one or more peripheral adapters 80. In particular, the method N can use a divided middleware with priority and subordinate components, so-called middleware masters and middleware slaves. The data load control of the method N der 6 is in particular on the data load management D a sub-function of the resource management of a command post of a GBADs, such as the command post 300 of 2 and 5 . For data load control, the method N per domain uses one or more pairs of a data load master and an associated data load slave, of which the data load master is the interface to the operational functions of command and control of the command post and the DL slave is the interface to the middleware components for the communication-related connection of a or more applications of a peripheral element of the GBAD.

As a first step N1, the method N comprises mediating a communication between one or more middleware masters 39; 40; 41; 42 in a communication base station 90 associated with a core structure KZ for a command post 300 of the GBAD 200 and one or more middleware slaves 65; 66 in a radio distribution platform 56 of a peripheral adapter 80 for a peripheral element 500 to be connected to command post 300.

Then, in a second step N2, a data load master 35 in the communication base station 90 calculates the size of a current and an expected data transport volume through the middleware masters 39; 40; 41; 42 to middleware slaves 65; 66 determined. In a step N3, the data load master 35 can compare this determined size of the data transport volume with currently available transport capacities, which the middleware masters 39; 40; 41; 42 can be measured in real time.

On the basis of the result of the comparison, it can be determined in a fourth step N4 whether a data connection between one of the middleware masters 39; 40; 41; 42 and an associated one of the middleware slaves 65; 66 there is a saturation state. If this is the case, the data load master 35 in the communication base station 90 can in a fifth step N5 domain-specific data load slaves 34; 36 for changing an operating state for the data connections between the corresponding middleware masters 39; 40; 41; 42 and the associated middleware slaves 65; 66 drive. In this way, a domain-specific data load saturation can be prevented or counteracted. The data load control in command post 300 and the middleware components in the communication between command post 300 and peripheral elements 500 prevents the individual tactical data connections from being overloaded by adapting the current data transport requirements to the currently available bandwidth for each data connection. This advantageously allows each peripheral component of the GBAD to fulfill its tactical tasks even in saturation scenarios.

In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features have been grouped together in one or more examples to improve the rigor of presentation. However, it should be understood that the above description is merely illustrative and in no way restrictive. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents of the various features and embodiments. Many other examples will be immediately and immediately apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the above description.

The exemplary embodiments were selected and described in order to be able to present the principles on which the invention is based and its possible applications in practice in the best possible way. This allows those skilled in the invention and optimally modify and utilize their various embodiments with respect to the intended use. In the claims and the description, the terms “including” and “having” are used as neutral terms for the corresponding terms “comprising”. Furthermore, the use of the terms “a”, “an” and “an” should not fundamentally exclude a plurality of features and components described in this way.

Claims (5)

Method (N) for data load control in a communication system of a system for ground-based air defense, GBAD (200), with the steps: Mediation (N1) of communication between one or more middleware masters (39; 40; 41; 42) in a communication base station (90) associated with a core structure (KZ) for a command post (300) of the GBAD (200) and one or more middleware slaves ( 65; 66) in a radio distribution platform (56) of a peripheral adapter (80) for a peripheral element (500) to be connected to the command post (300); Determining (N2), by a data load master (35) in the communication base station (90), a size of a current and an expected data transport volume by the middleware masters (39; 40; 41; 42) to the middleware slaves (65; 66); Compare (N3), by the data load master (35) in the communication base station (90), the determined size of the data transport volume with currently available transport capacities, which are measured in real time by the middleware masters (39; 40; 41; 42); determining (N4), based on the comparing (N3), whether a data connection between one of the middleware masters (39; 40; 41; 42) and an associated one of the middleware slaves (65; 66) is in saturation; and Activation (N5), by the data load master (35) in the communication base station (90), of domain-specific data load slaves (34; 36) to change an operating state for the data connections between the middleware master (39; 40; 41; 42) and the associated middleware slaves (65; 66) which have been determined to be in a saturation condition. Method (N) according to claim 1 , The middleware slaves (65; 66) being configured and commanded by the associated middleware master (39; 40; 41; 42). Process (N) according to any one of Claims 1 and 2 , The middleware slaves (65; 66) reading out connection quality data from a radio device (61) of the peripheral adapter (80) and transmitting it to the associated middleware master (39; 40; 41; 42). Method (N) according to claim 3 , wherein one of the middleware masters (39; 40; 41; 42) receives the connection quality data of the radio device (95) in the command post (300) for the tactical communication between the middleware masters (39; 40; 41; 42) and the middleware slaves (65; 66) is used, evaluates and controls on the basis of the evaluation of this radio device (95). Process (N) according to any one of Claims 1 until 4 , The data load slaves (34; 36) communicating with the middleware masters (39; 40; 41; 42) either directly or indirectly via a domain gateway (37).

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