The Software Communications Architecture (SCA) facilitates the development of software for Software Defined Radios (SDR). It defines a common framework for the deployment, management, interconnection and intercommunication of waveforms components in embedded, multi-processor radios. The SCA separates the waveform from the radio’s operating environment allowing waveform portability across various radio types. It also allows radio developers to interchange and upgrade existing radio services and hardware without major system revisions. While the SCA is published and maintained by the Joint Program Executive Office for the Joint Tactical Radio System (JPEO JTRS), it has received wide support and use from the commercial radio developers and industry organizations.
SCA Next is more scalable, lightweight, and flexible than SCA 2.2.2. It is compatible with radio sizes ranging from small, single channel radios to prime-power, multi-channel sets. As a technology refresh, it incorporates advances in portability for Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processors and new design patterns for its Application Program Interfaces (APIs).
Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) is no longer required, permitting radio-specific middleware similar to Android’s Remote Procedure Call (RPC) for communication between software components and hardware devices. Registration of components and devices has been redesigned, incorporating a ‘push’ model that substantially reduces communication. This enhancement facilitates dynamic or static configurations and reduces startup times.
A flexible specification for the Application Environment Profile (AEP) defines the minimum operating system features required for a specific radio platform. Units of functionality permit a radio supplier to independently define optional services such as log, event, CORBA, multichannel, etc.
In March 2011 the JPEO JTRS released an updated SCA Next Draft Specification, Appendix C and Errata sheet (SCA Next Draft v1.0.0.1 Specification). The Specification is available for download from the JPEO JTRS Software Communications Architecture (SCA) website at http://www.public.navy.mil/jpeojtrs/sca/Pages/default.aspx.
PrismTech has extensive expertise in both the SCA and SCA Next, please Contact Us for further information about any of our SCA products or services.
