Abstract: An emissions management module for a mission management system of a moving platform, said emissions management module being configured to: —obtain attribute data representative of (i) prevailing emissions control parameters in the form of an emissions control region defined by the relative locations of said platform and another node; and (ii) a direction of said emissions control region with respect to said platform; —generate, using said attribute data, an emissions plan that complies with restrictions defined by said emissions control parameters, and includes at least an emissions limit defining: a) a maximum transmission power permitted to be utilised by an on-board antenna or portion of aperture antenna in a specified direction relative to said moving platform; and/or b) permissible antenna waveforms and/or a specified maximum emissions duration in said specified direction relative to said moving platform; and/or c) permitted or restricted usage of on-board sensors in a specified direction relative to sai

Abstract: A data transfer method and system includes at least one switch device (102) configured, in use, to transfer data, directly or indirectly, between a plurality of computing devices (104). The at least one switch device is configured to provide a plurality of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN), each said VLAN being configured as a Virtual Channel (VC) by receiving data from a said computing device designated as a sole source of data over the VC. The VC data is transmitted from the sole source computing device as Ethernet frames (200) tagged with a VLAN tag (202). The VCs are routed through the at least one switch device according to a VLAN Id field of the VLAN tag of a said frame, with fixed and pre-determined routing of the frame being determined by configuration of the at least one switch device.

Abstract: Apparatus for a communications system of a moving platform comprising a plurality of systems, at least one platform application, and a communications module comprising at least one wireless communications link and configured to effect wireless data communication, wherein said apparatus comprises a communications planning module configured to: —receive data representative of a communications requirement between said platform and a recipient node; —identify a communications link for supporting said communications requirement; —determine, using attribute data representative of a position and/or orientation of said platform relative to said recipient node, a distance and direction of said recipient node with respect to said platform; —receive data representative of prevailing emissions control restrictions including an upper emissions limit defining a maximum transmission power permitted N to be utilized by an on-board antenna or portion of aperture antenna; —determine a best achievable transmission power, within

Abstract: Apparatus for generating a connectivity map in respect of a communications system of a moving platform, said communications system comprising at least one platform application and being configured to effect wireless data communication between said platform and another node by means of one of a plurality of supported communications links in accordance with a communications plan, wherein said apparatus is configured to: —identify (700) a message or set of messages required to be transmitted from or received by said moving platform; —generate a connectivity map comprising a plurality of connectivity metrics by, for each of a plurality of different specified attitudes or orientations derived from one or more predicted trajectories of said moving platform: —identifying available transmitters for wireless transmission of said message or set of messages and/or identify available receivers for wireless reception of said message or set of messages; —for each identified transmitter, determining (702) a transmitter metr

Abstract: Apparatus for management of communications resources of a moving platform comprising a communications system configured to effect wireless data communication between the moving platform and a recipient node, the communications resources comprising a plurality of wireless communications links for facilitating the wireless data communication and a plurality of antennas associated therewith, the apparatus comprising an antenna analysis and selection module residing with the communications system and configured to: identify a communications requirement between the moving platform and a recipient node; receive attribute data representative of movement of the platform, the attribute data including platform movement data comprising future known movement of the moving platform and/or future predicted movement of the moving platform and/or the recipient node; determine, using the attribute data, suitability of each of a plurality of antennas and/or portions of aperture antenna for data transmission from the moving

Abstract: Apparatus for on-board management of communications in a mobile node comprising a communications system configured to effect wireless data communication between the mobile node and another node by means of at least one supported wireless communications link, wherein the apparatus comprises a node manoeuvre planning module and a dynamic route planner; the node manoeuvre planning module being configured to: identify that a wireless communications link associated with the mobile node (i) has been lost, degraded or is otherwise not optimal, and/or (ii) would violate an emissions control restriction; define a desired wireless communications link between the mobile node and the other node to (i) support wireless communications therebetween, and/or (ii) comply with the emissions control restriction; determine an attitude and/or position of the mobile node with respect to the other node required to support the desired wireless communications link; derive a node manoeuvre plan including data representative of the d

Abstract: Apparatus for communications management in a communications system of a moving platform comprising a plurality of systems and/or functions and at least one platform application, the communications system comprising at least one transmitter for transmitting data received from the at least one platform application and being configured to effect wireless data communication thereof by means of one of a plurality of supported communications links, wherein the apparatus comprises a data management module configured to: receive a control message indicative that no suitable communications links are available for transmission of platform application data; obtain a classification in respect of platform application data to be transmitted to at least one recipient node; determine, from a stored ruleset, an action to be taken in respect of the platform application data according to the respective classification thereof, wherein the action comprises one of storing or discarding the platform application data; and generat

Abstract: Apparatus for communications management in respect of a moving platform having a dynamic planner (40) configured to generate a communications plan utilising one or more of a plurality of communications planning strategies, at least one platform application (14, 16, 18, 20, FIG.

Abstract: Apparatus for management of communications resources of a moving platform comprising an on-board communications system configured to effect wireless data communication between said moving platform and another node, said communications resources comprising a plurality of wireless communications links and a plurality of antennas associated therewith, the apparatus comprising an antenna analysis and selection module residing with said communications system and configured to: —receive, during a mission from one or more systems/subsystems and/or functions of said moving platform, attribute data representative of said emissions control criteria, said attribute data comprising (i) location data representative of a specified emissions control region, and/or (ii) position and/or attitude and/or velocity data representative of an adversary node defining an emissions control region; —determine, using said attribute data and based on said emissions control criteria, suitability of one or more on-board antennas and/or por

Abstract: Apparatus for management of communications resources of a moving platform comprising a communications system configured to effect wireless data communication between the moving platform and a recipient node, the communications resources comprising a plurality of wireless communications links for facilitating the wireless data communication and a plurality of antennas associated therewith, the apparatus comprising an antenna analysis and selection module residing with the communications system and configured to: identify a communications requirement between the moving platform and a recipient node; receive attribute data representative of movement of the platform, the attribute data including platform movement data comprising future known movement of the moving platform and/or future predicted movement of the moving platform and/or the recipient node; determine, using the attribute data, suitability of each of a plurality of antennas and/or portions of aperture antenna for data transmission from the moving

Abstract: Apparatus and method for management of communications in respect of a moving platform comprising at least one platform application and a communications system for transmitting data received from the at least one platform application and being configured to effect wireless data communication thereof by means of one or more supported communications links, wherein the apparatus comprises a link analysis and selection module which is configured to reside within a dynamic planning and management function on board the moving platform and: receive, during mission execution, attribute data representative of platform movement and/or emissions control restrictions affecting a current communications link; determine, using the attribute data and based on the platform movement and/or emissions control restrictions, suitability of one or more communications links in respect of a communications requirement between the moving platform and another node; determine a quality metric for each of a plurality of communications l

Abstract: A method and apparatus for management of communications of a moving platform comprising a plurality of platform applications, a communications system configured to transmit data received from the at least one platform application and to effect wireless data communication by means of one of a plurality of supported communication links, and a data management module, the apparatus and method being configured to: receive performance data indicative of a current available bandwidth of the or each communications link allocated to or associated with the platform applications; identifying, for each platform application, data to be transmitted thereby to a recipient node, and comparing a bandwidth requirement of data to be transmitted with a current available bandwidth of the respective communications link allocated thereto or associated therewith; in the event that, as a result of the comparing, a current available bandwidth of a communications link is determined to be insufficient in relation to the bandwidth req

Abstract: Apparatus for a communications system of a moving platform comprising a plurality of systems, at least one platform application, and a communications module comprising at least one wireless communications link and configured to effect wireless data communication, wherein said apparatus comprises a communications planning module configured to: —receive data representative of a communications requirement between said platform and a recipient node; —identify a communications link for supporting said communications requirement; —determine, using attribute data representative of a position and/or orientation of said platform relative to said recipient node, a distance and direction of said recipient node with respect to said platform; —receive data representative of prevailing emissions control restrictions including an upper emissions limit defining a maximum transmission power permitted N to be utilised by an on-board antenna or portion of aperture antenna; —determine a best achievable transmission power, within

Abstract: Apparatus for on-board management of communications in a mobile node comprising a communications system configured to effect wireless data communication between the mobile node and another node by means of at least one supported wireless communications link, wherein the apparatus comprises a node manoeuvre planning module and a dynamic route planner; the node manoeuvre planning module being configured to: identify that a wireless communications link associated with the mobile node (i) has been lost, degraded or is otherwise not optimal, and/or (ii) would violate an emissions control restriction; define a desired wireless communications link between the mobile node and the other node to (i) support wireless communications therebetween, and/or (ii) comply with the emissions control restriction; determine an attitude and/or position of the mobile node with respect to the other node required to support the desired wireless communications link; derive a node manoeuvre plan including data representative of the d

Abstract: Apparatus for generating a connectivity map in respect of a communications system of a moving platform, said communications system comprising at least one platform application and being configured to effect wireless data communication between said platform and another node by means of one of a plurality of supported communications links in accordance with a communications plan, wherein said apparatus is configured to: —identify (700) a message or set of messages required to be transmitted from or received by said moving platform; —generate a connectivity map comprising a plurality of connectivity metrics by, for each of a plurality of different specified attitudes or orientations derived from one or more predicted trajectories of said moving platform: —identifying available transmitters for wireless transmission of said message or set of messages and/or identify available receivers for wireless reception of said message or set of messages; —for each identified transmitter, determining (702) a transmitter metr

Abstract: Apparatus for management of communications resources of a moving platform comprising an on-board communications system configured to effect wireless data communication between said moving platform and another node, said communications resources comprising a plurality of wireless communications links and a plurality of antennas associated therewith, the apparatus comprising an antenna analysis and selection module residing with said communications system and configured to:—receive, during a mission from one or more systems/subsystems and/or functions of said moving platform, attribute data representative of said emissions control criteria, said attribute data comprising (i) location data representative of a specified emissions control region, and/or (ii) position and/or attitude and/or velocity data representative of an adversary node defining an emissions control region;—determine, using said attribute data and based on said emissions control criteria, suitability of one or more on-board antennas and/or porti

Abstract: An emissions management module for a mission management system of a moving platform, said emissions management module being configured to: —obtain attribute data representative of (i) prevailing emissions control parameters in the form of an emissions control region defined by the relative locations of said platform and another node; and (ii) a direction of said emissions control region with respect to said platform; —generate, using said attribute data, an emissions plan that complies with restrictions defined by said emissions control parameters, and includes at least an emissions limit defining: a) a maximum transmission power permitted to be utilised by an on-board antenna or portion of aperture antenna in a specified direction relative to said moving platform; and/or b) permissible antenna waveforms and/or a specified maximum emissions duration in said specified direction relative to said moving platform; and/or c) permitted or restricted usage of on-board sensors in a specified direction relative to sai

Abstract: Apparatus for communications management in a communications system of a moving platform comprising a plurality of systems and/or functions and at least one platform application, the communications system comprising at least one transmitter for transmitting data received from the at least one platform application and being configured to effect wireless data communication thereof by means of one of a plurality of supported communications links, wherein the apparatus comprises a data management module configured to: receive a control message indicative that no suitable communications links are available for transmission of platform application data; obtain a classification in respect of platform application data to be transmitted to at least one recipient node; determine, from a stored ruleset, an action to be taken in respect of the platform application data according to the respective classification thereof, wherein the action comprises one of storing or discarding the platform application data; and generat

Abstract: Apparatus for communications management in respect of a moving platform having a dynamic planner (40) configured to generate a communications plan utilising one or more of a plurality of communications planning strategies, at least one platform application (14, 16, 18, 20, FIG.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in an ad hoc network, comprising: a node transmitting an extended allowable hold time value to a further node; the node changing its transmission behavior such that the further node stops receiving transmission from the node for an extended period, for example by pausing transmission at least in the direction of the further node; and the further node treating the link to the node as intact during the extended allowable hold time. The transmitting of the extended allowable hold time value may be performed earlier than a next routine transmission of routine allowable hold time value would have been sent. The method may further comprise the node being instructed to maintain topology information for an extended time.