John A. Maurer

An adaptive, distributed airborne tracking sysem

This paper describes a United States Air Force Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) that applied value-based scheduling to produce an adaptive, distributed tracking component appropriate for consideration by the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) program. This tracker was designed to evaluate application-specific Quality of Service (QoS) metrics to quantify its tracking services in a dynamic environment and to derive scheduling parameters directly from these QoS metrics to control tracker behavior. The prototype tracker was implemented on the MK7 operating system, which provided native value-based processor scheduling and a distributed thread programming abstraction. The prototype updates all of the tracked-object records when the system is not overloaded, and gracefully degrades when it is. The prototype has performed extremenly well during demonstrations to AWACS operator and tracking system designers. Quantitative results are presented.This paper describes a United States Air Force Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) that applied value-based scheduling to produce an adaptive, distributed tracking component appropriate for consideration by the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) program. This tracker was designed to evaluate application-specific Quality of Service (QoS) metrics to quantify its tracking services in a dynamic environment and to derive scheduling parameters directly from these QoS metrics to control tracker behavior. The prototype tracker was implemented on the MK7 operating system, which provided native value-based processor scheduling and a distributed thread programming abstraction. The prototype updates all of the tracked-object records when the system is not overloaded, and gracefully degrades when it is. The prototype has performed extremenly well during demonstrations to AWACS operator and tracking system designers. Quantitative results are presented.

Information survivability for evolvable and adaptable real-time command and control systems

MITREs Evolvable Real-Time C3 (command, control and communications) project has developed an approach that would enable current real-time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. This paper first summarizes the design and implementation of an infrastructure for an evolvable real-time C3 system. Then, a detailed discussion of the infrastructure requirements for a survivable real-time C3 system is presented. Finally, security issues for survivability, as well as open implementation of the infrastructure are described. In particular, adaptable middleware for survivable systems is discussed.

Dependable real-time data mining

In this paper we discuss the need for real-time data mining for many applications in government and industry and describe resulting research issues. We also discuss dependability issues including incorporating security, integrity, timeliness and fault tolerance into data mining. Several different data mining outcomes are described with regard to their implementation in a real-time environment. These outcomes include clustering, association-rule mining, link analysis and anomaly detection. The paper describes how they would be used together in various parallel-processing architectures. Stream mining is discussed with respect to the challenges of performing data mining on stream data from sensors. The paper concludes with a summary and discussion of directions in this emerging area.

Real-time data mining of multimedia objects

Whereas much of the previous work on data mining has focused on mining data in relational databases, we discuss mining objects. Object models are very popular for representing multimedia data, and therefore we need to mine object databases to extract useful information from the large quantities of multimedia data. We first describe the motivation for multimedia data mining with examples and then discuss object mining with focus on text, image, video and audio mining. We also address the need for real time data mining for multimedia applications.

CORBA-based real-time trader service for adaptable command and control systems

The paper describes an approach to building adaptable real time command and control (C2) systems. In particular it presents an overview of the Adaptable Real-Time Distributed Object Management (ARTDOM) project in progress at the MITRE Corporation. This project is currently developing real time extensions for the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) Trading Object Service. The goal of the project is to demonstrate how current C2 systems can be more easily upgraded and made more adaptable by using emerging distributed computing technology. This goal is being accomplished by investigating and developing real time middleware that is reflexive (i.e., capable of examining its current state and processing demands) and self adapting (i.e., capable of reconfiguring itself based on its reflective findings).

Mission Effectiveness and European Airspace: U.S. Air Force CNS/ATM Planning for Future Years

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) uses the term Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) for capabilities that allow its aircraft to use civil airspace and air traffic control services. The resulting ability to interoperate with air traffic control systems around the world supports the USAFs global, multi-faceted mission, but entails great expense in on-board equipage and training. It is important to understand the trade-offs that the USAF must make in assessing the value of specific CNS/ATM capabilities. In this paper, we describe a model-driven analysis to assess mission effectiveness. The analysis is accomplished via a five-step process involving military route generation, simulation of the civilian airspace activity, simulation of delay events for military flights, and evaluation of several figures of merit. The software modules used for these activities were a combination of existing packages and some newly-developed programs. The analysis accounts for planned USAF CNS/ATM capabilities by aircraft type, as well as any airspace and operational restrictions that might be encountered in specific geographic regions when the aircraft does not have the required capabilities. Two layers of interactions are investigated: first, within the USAF enterprise, specifically, between the fighter and tankers assets and, second, between the USAF and civilian ATM.

Adaptable real-time distributed object management for command and control systems

Between now and the early part of the next century, significant portions of todays real-time command, control, and communication (C3) systems will become either functionally inadequate or logistically insupportable. Furthermore, due to the continuing budget reductions, new developments of next generation real-time C3 systems may not be possible. Therefore, current real-time C3 systems need to become easier, faster and less costly to upgrade in capability, and easier to support. What is needed is an approach to evolve current real-time C3 systems into the extensible systems required for the future. This paper describes our Adaptable Real-time Distributed Object Management (ARTDOM) approach for command and control systems. We have constructed a testbed environment and experimented with a Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) Object Request Broker (ORB). This project is a three year initiative and is expected to be completed at the end of 1999.

Object-Oriented Data Management and Distribution for Real-Time Command and Control Systems

This paper describes requirements and a proposed design for object-oriented data management and distribution services for real-time command and control systems. These systems are used to manage situation awareness information in a military environment. They exhibit both soft and hard real-time characteristics. In the past, these systems have been especially difficult to build and maintain, due to their complexity and the general lack of commercial solutions.

Benchmarking real-time distributed object management systems for evolvable and adaptable command and control applications

The paper describes benchmarking for evolvable and adaptable real time command and control systems. MITREs Evolvable Real-Time C3 initiative developed an approach that would enable current real time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. We designed and implemented an infrastructure and data manager so that various applications could be hosted on the infrastructure. Then we completed a follow-on effort to design flexible adaptable distributed object management systems for command and control (C2) systems. Such an adaptable system would switch scheduling algorithms, policies, and protocols depending on the need and the environment. Both initiatives were carried out for the United States Air Force. One of the key contributions of the work is the investigation of real time features for distributed object management systems. Partly as a result of our work we are now seeing various real time distributed object management products being developed. In selecting a real time distributed object management systems, we need to analyze various criteria. Therefore, we need benchmarking studies for real time distributed object management systems. Although benchmarking systems such as Hartstone and Distributed Hartstone have been developed for middleware systems, these systems are not developed specifically for distributed object based middleware. Since much of our work is heavily based on distributed objects, we developed benchmarking systems by adapting the Hartstone system. The paper describes our efforts in developing benchmarks.

Object technology for the integration of the infrastructure, data manager, and tracker for command and control applications

Mitres evolvable real-time C3 (command, control and communications) initiative attempts to develop an approach that would enable current real-time systems to evolve into the systems of the future. Bensley et al. (1996) described the design and proof-of-concept object-oriented implementation of the infrastructure and data manager. In this paper, we describe the object technology-based integration of the real-time software infrastructure, data manager and tracking application.