Sony CSL: Realization of TCP / IP communication in the stratosphere and low earth orbit:

Sony CSL: Realization of TCP / IP communication in the stratosphere and low earth orbit:

-Co-development of technology with JAXA-

-Successful demonstration of complete data file transfer-

Sony CSL
JAXA

January 27,

Indispensable for “optical communication business in the stratosphere / low earth orbit”

Succeeded in demonstrating “complete data file transfer technology under error environment”.

Error prone,
By simulating a low quality communication environment
Demonstration was successful by ground experiment.

Practical use of “high altitude free space optical communication”:

In the practical application of high altitude free space optical communication such as stratosphere and space,

“Lightening of communication equipment, power saving, and high speed of communication” are required.

File transfer technology under error environment:

It is extremely difficult for the receiving device to stably receive the laser beam.

Between communication devices, due to changes in the attitude of the aircraft
The emission laser light of the transmitting device,
Stable and accurate reception is not possible on the receiving device side.

Application of TCP / IP protocol:

“Signal errors in digital signals due to noise caused by the inside of the receiver and the environment” often occur.

“TCP / IP protocol that is premised on use with stable communication quality” cannot be applied.

Developed by Sony CSL and JAXA:

Available between low earth orbit satellites and between stratospheric unmanned aerial vehicles,

Aiming at the optical internet service business, we have promoted J-SPARC and developed technology.

This demonstration experiment:

Experimentally construct a Gigabit Ethernet line, simulate the code error rate of free space optical communication,

Created a communication environment with low quality and no internet communication.

446Mbps full file transfer:

Sony CSL and JAXA:

It succeeded in transferring a complete data file without loss at a communication speed of 446 Mbps.

Based on laser light reading technology:

It is based on the laser light reading technology that the Sony Group has cultivated over many years for Blu-ray Discs and optical devices.

Sony CSL:
Developed error correction (FEC) technology for laser light reading.

JAXA:
Combined with JAXA’s Delay Tolerance Network (DTN) technology.

It was realized by using both two signal processing technologies.

Realization of high-speed / large-capacity / low power consumption communication:

In low earth orbit and the stratosphere
Necessary for optical internet between two points,
High-speed / large-capacity / low power consumption communication can be realized.

from now on,

Low Earth orbit satellite constellation,
For communication services between optical terminals of stratospheric unmanned aerial vehicles
It is expected that the business can be expanded widely.

–PC Watch

https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1383828.html

Sony CSL and JAXA Successfully Demonstrate Complete Data File Transfer in Error-Prone Environment, Forming Technical Foundations for Internet Service in Stratosphere & Outer Space

January 27, 2022

JAXA
Sony CSL

as part of JAXA’s Space Innovation through Partnership and Co-creation (J-SPARC)1 program,

have successfully conducted an experiment to transfer a complete data file in a simulated low-quality and error-prone communications environment.

Accomplishing transfer data in a strict environment is key to future stratospheric and low-Earth orbit optical communications,

Sony CSL and JAXA have established the technical foundations for the commercialization of this technology.

For free-space optical communication to become practical in the extreme altitudes of the stratosphere and beyond,

communications equipment must be compact, energy-efficient, and capable of fast transmission speeds.

Additionally, the long distances between communications devices mean that

any changes to their orientation
can result in laser signals from the sending device not being stably received by the receiving device.

Signal noise
could also occur in the environment and the receiving device causing signal errors.

Because of these factors,
the standard internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) is unable to secure stable communications link between devices in such environments.

The partnership between Sony CSL and JAXA

aims to establish an optical internet service between low orbit satellites and unmanned aircraft for stratospheric telecommunications.

An experimental environment with the bit error rate of free-space optical communication built on a Gigabit Ethernet line

was simulated in such a manner that communications through general Internet communication was impossible due to low quality.

The data file was successfully transferred, complete and uncorrupted, at a speed of 446 Mbps2 under such conditions.

This result indicates
the possibility for high-quality and high-speed communications similar to a terrestrial internet service, albeit free-space optical communication.

The communication
was done using a signal processing method which combines Sony CSL’s Forward Error Correction (FEC),

which is based on the Sony Group laser reading technology that has been refined through the development of optical technologies such as Blu-ray, and JAXA’s Delay/Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN).

With this successful demonstration,
a solution is in sight to the high speed, high bandwidth, and low energy consumption requirements of point-to-point optical internet service in the stratosphere or low-Earth orbit.

We expect this to lead to future business development opportunities for communication services,

such as small optical communication terminals installed on low-Earth orbit satellite constellations,5 or unmanned aircraft for stratospheric telecommunications.

https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2022/01/20220127-1_e.html