ELMSFORD, N.Y., 7 February 2005. HYPRES, Inc. has received two contracts totaling more than $2.2 million from the Department of Defense to develop new, digital RF linearization technology for the military's future wireless communications systems.
The company won a $1.492-million Navy Phase II SBIR contract-awarded by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) on behalf of the Program Executive Office, Command, Control, Computers, Communication, Intelligence and Space (PEO C4I & Space), and a $730,000 Army Phase II SBIR contract.
Under the terms of the contracts, HYPRES will harness the power of its SME technology to develop and produce the wireless industry's first RF digital linearization circuits for wideband applications. RF linearization will greatly improve high power amplifier efficiency-resulting in improved range and link closure with reduced power in multi-channel and wideband signal transmissions, including the JTRS Wideband Networking Waveform and Link-16.
These RF linearization projects are directly related to HYPRES' recently-awarded Missile Defense Agency RF linearization STTR project, which the company is working on in conjunction with the University of Rochester (N.Y). The three projects together will provide new RF linearization capability across the entire JTRS 2 MHz to 2 GHz frequency coverage.
"These awards strategically position HYPRES to improve transmit efficiency for all JTRS waveforms-a critical issue to achieving Objective performance, size and power consumption in JTRS," said Richard Hitt, HYPRES general manager. "This is an outstanding opportunity for our team and demonstrates DoD recognition of the unique contribution Superconductor MicroElectronics technology provides to future wireless communications."
RF linearization, also referred to as pre-distortion, uses the speed of superconducting digital electronics to remove unwanted noise (commonly referred to as distortion) from wireless high power transmit signals. Current techniques within the industry are limited by the use of conventional silicon-based electronics that are unable to provide RF linearization, except for a few limited applications. This limitation contributes to excessive power consumption and low operating efficiency of high power amplifiers, which increases cost and causes significant operational problems.
"We are able to implement real-time, digital linearization directly at the RF signal thanks to the unparalleled speed of our SME-based digital circuitry," explained Jack Rosa, CEO of HYPRES. "Our technology represents a major shift in the basic paradigm of wireless communications and results in better use of operating bandwidth and fewer total high power amplifiers per system-a major cost savings when fielding multi-channel communications systems."
HYPRES, Inc., formed in 1983, develops and commercializes Superconductor MicroElectronics (SME) that provide unparalleled economic and performance advantages for defense and commercial wireless network industries, and a host of other markets. HYPRES SME technology is widely recognized as the leading solution to achieve a single radio set that is interoperable across all required waveforms and spectrum ranges.
Headquartered in Elmsford, N.Y., HYPRES is widely known as the most advanced in its field with the most accomplished collection of superconductor specialists in the world. HYPRES has delivered more different and complex SME circuits than any other institution worldwide. For more information, see www.hypres.com.
