GNU Radio for Satellite Communications

Jordan Otomo
<jotomo@skyboximaging.com>

Skybox Imaging

2012 GNU Radio Conference

September 25, 2012
Outline

1. Introduction

2. Design

3. Performance

4. Demonstration

5. Conclusion

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 2

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Design

3. Performance

4. Demonstration

5. Conclusion

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 3

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

About Skybox Imaging

• Founded in 2009
• Developing LEO micro-satellites for timely delivery of
high-resolution imagery
• Raised over $90 million
• 80 employees
• Located in Mountain View, California

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 4

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

About Skybox Imaging

The Skybox Vision:

• Constellation of high
resolution micro-satellites
• End-to-end image & video
acquisition & processing
• Automated analytics via
cloud-based web platform
• Timely global insights
delivered to businesses

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 5

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

System Overview

Source: Wikimedia Commons-Orbitalaltitudes.jpg

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 6

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Communications Overview

S-band TT&C uplink:

• 16 kbit/s
)
ps
• FSK kb ps
)
16 kb
k( 64
lin k( s)
X-band TT&C downlink: up lin bp
&C wn 6k
TT do 1
nd te k(
ba -ra lin h)
• Dual data-rate S-
hi
gh own s/c
ed bp
&C ra
t M
(16 & 64 kbit/s) TT w- 1 00
nd lo k(
ba &C lin
X- TT wn
o
• DE-BPSK -b
an
d
ad
d
X y lo
pa
d
• FEC 1/2 X -b
an

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 7

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Design Considerations

• Cost
• Limited capital in startup; every penny counts
• Time
• Limited resources
• Extremely aggressive schedule
• Flexibility
• Design requirements frequently changing
• Performance
• Highly robust
• Low implementation loss

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 8

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Original Design (Fixed Hardware Approach)

HR PSK
Rx

X to L-band
X-band

downconverter LR PSK
Rx
LNA
HR PSK
Rx (Red.)

Doppler Correction

Network
LR PSK
L-Band Rx (Red.)
S-band

UHF FSK
Tx
PA
FSK
UHF to X-band Tx (Red.)
upconverter

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 9

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

USRP/GNU Radio Design

X to L-band
X-band

downconverter

L-Band
LNA
USRP+WBX

Network
S-band

USRP+WBX
PA (Red.)

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 10

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Design

3. Performance

4. Demonstration

5. Conclusion

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 11

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Overview

Doppler
L-band Frontend Demodulator Backend Packetizer TCP
Correction

• Frontend: provides CIC response compensated IQ samples

• Doppler Correction: compensates for Doppler frequency shift
• Demodulator: extracts symbols from IQ samples
• Backend: forms data packets from symbol stream
• Packetizer: forms TCP packets from received data and receiver
metadata

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 12

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Design: Demodulator

Doppler
L-band Frontend
Correction Demodulator Backend Packetizer TCP

Resampler/
LP Filter

AC Couple

Automatic
Gain Control

Freq-locked
Loop

Symbol
Synchronizer

Phase-locked
Loop

Adaptive
Equalizer

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 13

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demodulator Signals: Input Spectrum

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 14

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demodulator Signals: Resampler/LPF Spectrum

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 15

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demodulator Signals: FLL Spectrum

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 16

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demodulator Signals: FLL Samples

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 17

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demodulator Signals: Symbol Synchronizer IQ

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 18

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demodulator Signals: PLL IQ

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 19

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demodulator Signals: Adaptive Equalizer IQ

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 20

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Design: Backend

Doppler
L-band Frontend
Correction
Demodulator Backend Packetizer TCP

Packet Framer
SNR Est/ Soft-decision Differential
Complex2Real Viterbi Dec Decoder
BER Meter

Constellation
Visualizer

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 21

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Design: Full Receive Path

The beauty of GNU Radio:

Doppler
L-band Frontend Demodulator Backend Packetizer TCP
Correction

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 22

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Design: Full Receive Path

The beauty of GNU Radio:

Doppler High-rate High-rate High-rate

L-band Frontend TCP
Correction Demodulator Backend Packetizer

Low-rate Low-rate Low-rate

TCP
Demodulator Backend Packetizer

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 22

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Design: Full Receive Path

The beauty of GNU Radio:

Constellation
Visualizer
Spectrum
Visualizer

Doppler High-rate High-rate High-rate

L-band Frontend TCP
Correction Demodulator Backend Packetizer

Low-rate Low-rate Low-rate

TCP
Demodulator Backend Packetizer

Constellation
Visualizer

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 22

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Design

3. Performance

4. Demonstration

5. Conclusion

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 23

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Performance
BER vs. Eb/N0 for TT&C 64 kbps Receiver
0
10
BPSK (Theory)
BPSK (Measured)
DE−BPSK (Theory)
−1
10 DE−BPSK (Measured)
Coded BPSK (Simulated)
Coded BPSK (Measured)
Coded DE−BPSK (Measured)
−2
10

−3
10
BER

−4
10

−5
10

−6
10

−7
10
−1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Eb/N0 (dB)

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 24

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Performance
BER vs. Eb/N0 for TT&C 16 kbps Receiver
0
10
BPSK (Theory)
BPSK (Measured)
DE−BPSK (Theory)
−1
10 DE−BPSK (Measured)
Coded BPSK (Simulated)
Coded BPSK (Measured)
Coded DE−BPSK (Measured)
−2
10

−3
10
BER

−4
10

−5
10

−6
10

−7
10
−1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Eb/N0 (dB)

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 25

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Receiver Performance
Histogram of Synchronization Time for 64 kbps Receiver Histogram of Synchronization Time for 16 kbps Receiver
200 200

150 150
count

count
100 100

50 50

0 0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 0 100 200 300 400 500 600
time [ms] time [ms]

CDF of Synchronization Time for 64 kbps Receiver CDF of Synchronization Time for 16 kbps Receiver

1 1

0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6
CDF

CDF

0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2

Gamma Fit Gamma Fit

0 Data 0 Data

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 0 100 200 300 400 500 600
time [ms] time [ms]

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 26

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Design

3. Performance

4. Demonstration

5. Conclusion

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 27

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Investors LOVE Demos!

Development workflow:

Learn
Demo
GNU Radio

Prototype Demo

Add Features/
Demo
Optimize

Deploy

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 28

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demos: Learn GNU Radio (gr-noaa)

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 29

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demos: Learn GNU Radio (gr-noaa)

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 30

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demos: Prototype

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 31

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Demonstration

Spacecraft
Radio

USRP

Host

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 32

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Design

3. Performance

4. Demonstration

5. Conclusion

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 33

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Conclusion

Takeaways:
• GNU Radio is awesome for prototyping
• Very easy to debug and add/remove features
• Low implementation loss using USRP and GNU Radio
Improvements/Feedback:
• Transmit flow control
• CIC compensation in USRP

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 34

 Introduction
Design
Performance
Demonstration
Conclusion

Questions

Jordan Otomo <jotomo@skyboximaging.com> GNU Radio for Satellite Communications 35