Method for communication in a tactical network

#The field of the disclosure relates generally to routing data within a global network and, more specifically, to methods for automatically managing network topology, discovering services, and improving performance at local gateways in communication with IP-based and non-IP-based (whether networked or non-networked) nodes.

#Gateway solutions are needed to seamlessly interconnect the global information grid (GIG) with current and future purpose-built networks consisting of Internet Protocol (IP) and non-IP waveforms. The GIG provides command and control features and information sharing to deliver classified and unclassified IP services to key operating locations worldwide. This global network is designed with redundant routes between points to ensure connectivity is not disrupted by a failure at single point. Communication is protected from interception and forgery through the use of High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryption (HAIPE) architecture and protocol services. This results in significant network overhead and associated latency but is necessary to make the GIG a robust, highly reliable network.

#As implied above, directly connecting tactical devices to the GIG introduces a risk of communication latency between tactical devices in an operating location. Furthermore, directly connecting tactical devices to the GIG is feasible only for IP-enabled nodes and requires manual address and/or routing configuration each time a node connects to a router, disconnects from a router, or moves from one router to another. Even in the absence of significant latency, network bandwidth may constrain application performance at a local node accessing data from a remote node via the GIG. In addition, network nodes often require data processing services but may be poorly suited to perform such services themselves.

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a gateway connecting tactical nodes to a Global Information Grid (GIG) in one embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a user computing device operated by a user.

#FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary configuration of a server computing device.

#In various embodiments, a system and a method for communicating in a tactical network via a gateway are described. One embodiment may include a tactical embedded gateway and is described herein with relation to the Global Information Grid (GIG) as an example for purposes of this disclosure. A tactical embedded gateway may be installed in a fixed location (e.g., an operational facility), tethered to a fixed location (e.g., coupled to a balloon), installed in a manned or unmanned vehicle (e.g., a wheeled unit, tracked unit, floating unit, submersible unit, or flying unit), or portable (e.g., in a backpack), though any configuration consistent with the embodiments described herein is contemplated.

#To automatically route data to a tactical node, a gateway may detect the presence of the tactical node and a local identifier for the tactical node and then acquire a global network address for the tactical node. The gateway is configured to determine a name for the tactical node and then associate the name with the global network address in an address resolution service. The gateway configures itself to subsequently receive data using the global network address and transmit the data to the tactical node using the local identifier. The gateway may later determine the tactical node is no longer present, at which time the gateway removes any configuration corresponding to the tactical node, including the gateway's routing configuration (e.g., association of the tactical node with the global address, name, and local identifier) and the name-address association in the address resolution service. The gateway includes software implementing a service-oriented architecture (SOA) to ease the process of installing and upgrading software services. Furthermore, gateways may interact with each other to provide distributed processing, distributed storage, optimized routing, and/or redundancy.

#This written description refers to communication using Internet Protocol (IP), Link 16, and serial interfaces. IP includes, but is not limited to, IP version 4 (IPv4) and IP version 6 (IPv6) standards. References to Link 16 are exemplary and should be understood to also include Link 11, Link 22, and/or other non-IP, networked standards. Serial interfaces include, but are not limited to, Recommended Standard (RS)-232, RS-422, RS-423, RS-432, RS-485, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C), System Management Bus (SMBUS), Universal Serial Bus (USB), and/or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface. The use of other communication standards and/or interfaces is also contemplated.