US-20260128946-A1 - DYNAMIC INFORMATION PROVISIONING IN COMBAT CLOUD ENVIRONMENTS

US20260128946A1US 20260128946 A1US20260128946 A1US 20260128946A1US-20260128946-A1

Abstract

A combat cloud environment performs dynamic adaptation of a mission model. The combat cloud environment includes a plurality of nodes and a dynamic information provisioning (DIP) system. The nodes perform a mission in the combat cloud environment, receive first data via a data communication network, and transmit second data via the data communication network. The DIP system transmits the first data via the data communication network and receives the second data via the data communication network. The DIP system dynamically modifies the first data in response to detecting changes in one or a combination of network conditions of the data communications network, requirements of the mission, and a status of the mission, as indicated by the second data. The DIP system automatically disseminates the modified first data indicating the adaptation of the mission model to the plurality of nodes so as to facilitate real-time operational adjustments.

Inventors

Stephane Yannick Blais
Michael Hassan Atighetchi

Assignees

RTX BBN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251230

Claims (20)

1 . A method for performing dynamic adaptation of a mission model in a combat cloud environment, comprising: establishing a publish/subscribe communication system between a DIP system and a plurality of nodes performing a mission according to mission requirements within the combat cloud environment, and utilizing the publish/subscribe system to distribute mission-critical information based on predefined information exchange requirements (IERs); dynamically modifying the IERs based at least in part on the mission requirements to generate an adaptation of the mission model; and automatically disseminating the adaptation of the mission model to the plurality of nodes so as to facilitate real-time operational adjustments.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detected changes in the network conditions include at least one of a broken communication link, increased latency, reduced throughput, and changes in jitter.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating Monitoring Information Objects (MIOs) that report a state of the data communication network to a command center, enabling the dynamic modification of the IERs.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the MIOs include one or both of data indicating a health status of network paths in the data communication network and data indicating an availability of data routes in the data communication network.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mission model is disseminated through an adaptive overlay network that routes information across at least one encrypted tactical data link protocol.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of nodes are mobile nodes configured to transmit the mission critical information indicating one or both of the requirements of the mission and the status of the mission.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transforming the data to be sent across the data communication network to different security domains using cross domain solutions (CDS).
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the mission model includes prioritizing traffic across the data communication network based on updated mission requirements generated in response to disseminating the adaptation of the mission model.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the publish/subscribe system caches information throughout the data communication network and shapes a distribution of information using mission-based utility functions that minimize impact on the data communication network.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the mission-based utility functions adjust a fidelity of information provided to end-users based on a criticality of a mission phase included in the mission and a current capacity of the data communication network.
11 . A combat cloud environment configured to perform dynamic adaptation of a mission model, the combat cloud environment comprising: a dynamic information provisioning (DIP) system configured to communicate with a data communication network, the data communication network configured to exchange data with a plurality of nodes performing a mission in the combat cloud environment, to receive first data via the data communication network, and to transmit second data via the data communication network; wherein the DIP system is configured to transmit the first data via the data communication network and receive the second data via the data communication network, wherein the DIP system dynamically modifies the first data in response to detecting changes in one or a combination of network conditions of the data communications network, requirements of the mission, and a status of the mission, as indicated by the second data, and wherein the DIP system automatically disseminates the modified first data indicating the adaptation of the mission model to the plurality of nodes so as to facilitate real-time operational adjustments.
12 . The combat cloud environment of claim 11 , wherein the first data includes predefined information exchange requirements (IERs) contained in the mission model, and the second data includes mission critical information indicating the network conditions of the data communications network, the requirements of the mission, and the status of the mission.
13 . The combat cloud environment of claim 11 , wherein the detected changes in the network conditions include at least one of a broken communication link, increased latency, reduced throughput, and changes in jitter.
14 . The combat cloud environment of claim 11 , wherein the second data further includes Monitoring Information Objects (MIOs) that report a state of the data communication network.
15 . The combat cloud environment of claim 14 , wherein the MIOs include one or both of data indicating a health status of network paths in the data communication network and data indicating an availability of data routes in the data communication network.
16 . The combat cloud environment of claim 11 , wherein the data network is an adaptive overly network, and wherein the mission model is disseminated through the adaptive overlay network via at least one encrypted tactical data link protocol.
17 . The combat cloud environment of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of nodes are mobile nodes configured to transmit the second data indicating the one or both of the requirements of the mission and the status of the mission.
18 . The combat cloud environment of claim 11 , wherein the DIP system includes an information gateway configured to map content exchanged between at least two of the nodes or between the DIP and at least one of the nodes, and transforms the data to be sent across security domains included in the data communication network via Cross Domain Solutions (CDSs).
19 . The combat cloud environment of claim 12 , wherein updating the mission model includes prioritizing traffic across the data communication network to achieve the requirements of the mission corresponding to the adaptation of the mission model.
20 . The combat cloud environment of claim 19 , wherein the DIS and the plurality of nodes establish a publish/subscribe communication system that caches information throughout the data communication network and shapes a distribution of the data exchanged using mission-based utility functions that minimize impact on the data communication network mission-based utility functions adjust a fidelity of information provided to end-users based on a criticality of a mission phase included in the mission and a current capacity of the data communication network.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/661,132 filed May 10, 2024, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/525,838 filed Jul. 10, 2023, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. GOVERNMENT LICENSE RIGHTS This application was made with government support under Contract No. FA8750-21-C-0003 awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The U.S. Government may have certain rights in this invention. BACKGROUND Adapting information exchange in response to changes in mission needs and environmental conditions is a key capability needed to support Command and Control in contested edge environments. Emerging resilient information management systems based on the publish/subscribe paradigm have recently seen adoption for use in combat cloud environments, where information is shared via overlay networks across multiple tactical data links and information is mapped between disparate representation formats. While mission models containing Information Exchange Requirements per mission phase are already supported by these substrates, these conventional mission models lack flexibility in dynamic conditions and are vulnerable to disruptions. Conventional mission models also face difficulties in efficiently managing and sharing information across different platforms and security domains. SUMMARY According to a non-limiting embodiment, a method for performing dynamic adaptation of a mission model in a combat cloud environment is provided. The method comprises receiving, via a dynamic information provisioning (DIP) system in communication with a data communication network, data from a plurality of nodes performing a mission according to mission requirements within the combat cloud environment. The method further comprises establishing a publish/subscribe communication system between the DIP system and the plurality of nodes, and utilizing the publish/subscribe system to distribute mission-critical information based on predefined information exchange requirements (IERs). The method further comprises dynamically modifying the IERs in response to detecting changes in one or both of network conditions of the data communications network and the mission requirements to generate the adaptation of the mission model. The method further comprises automatically disseminating the adaptation of the mission model to the plurality of nodes so as to facilitate real-time operational adjustments. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, the detected changes in the network conditions include at least one of a broken communication link, increased latency, reduced throughput, and changes in jitter. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, the method further comprises generating Monitoring Information Objects (MIOs) that report a state of the data communication network to a command center, enabling the dynamic modification of the IERs. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, the MIOs include one or both of data indicating a health status of network paths in the data communication network and data indicating an availability of data routes in the data communication network. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, the mission model is disseminated through an adaptive overlay network that routes information across at least one encrypted tactical data link protocol. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, each of the plurality of nodes are mobile nodes configured to transmit the mission critical information indicating one or both of the requirements of the mission and the status of the mission. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, the method further comprises transforming the data to be sent across the data communication network to different security domains using cross domain solutions (CDS). In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, updating the mission model includes prioritizing traffic across the data communication network based on updated mission requirements generated in response to disseminating the adaptation of the mission model. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, the publish/subscribe system caches information throughout the data communication network and shapes a distribution of information using mission-based utility functions that minimize impact on the data communication network. In any one or combination of the embodiments disclosed herein, the mission-based utility functions adjust a fidelity of information provided to end-users based on a criticality of a mission phase included in the mission and a current capacity of the data communication network. According to another non-limiting embodiment, a combat cloud environment is configured to perform dynamic adaptation of a mission model. The combat cloud environment com