Welcome to CERMUSA's Prototype Detail Page

Saint Francis University’s Center of Excellence for Remote and Medically Under-Served Areas (CERMUSA) has developed a voice radio to IP bridging solution that provides a simple method to extend licensed radio frequency voice communications into areas unreachable by radio repeaters. By using non-licensed frequency wireless local area network (WLAN) access points (in 900 MHz and 2.4/5.8GHz ISM bands) as point to point “shots,” CERMUSA can convert radio voice traffic into TCP/IP data and back.

This process is achieved by using a unique combination of commercially-available off-the-shelf (COTS) products and was developed in response to needs stated by the Johnstown Fire Department. The Fire Department approached CERMUSA for assistance in gaining radio coverage within several buildings. According to Fire Department staff, voice radio service was largely unavailable in many facilities because the handheld radios were not capable of making contact with the radio repeater tower due to physical obstructions from building structures, foliage, or geography.

CERMUSA performed a wide market analysis and found that no complete off-the-shelf solution existed. As such, CERMUSA staff members identified a series of components that could be combined to provide a radio “bridge” between the interior and exterior of the building. This bridge was accomplished by attaching hand-held voice radios to battery powered WLAN access points via a Raytheon device known as the NXU-2A Network Extension Unit. These access points were also developed at CERMUSA to operate in mesh architecture (2.4/5.8GHz) or in a point-to-point mode (900MHz) for the purposes of data connectivity. The WLAN units are rugged, water-resistant, and capable of continuous operation for 8-10 hours without an external power source. Additionally, these devices can be powered by AC and 12 Volt batteries and include a solar trickle-charger on the top of each box.

Although the Raytheon NXU-2A Network Extension Unit is marketed to call centers to allow operators at 911 or other operational buildings to receive incoming calls from a number of remote two-way radio systems via IP, this device was never intended for use as an IP bridging device in point-to-point two-way radio conversations. CERMUSA’s concept of combining this unit with the existing integrated WLAN enclosures for the purposes of bridging voice communications was documented in two patent applications (design and mechanical) in May, 2007. That documentation represents the first patent applications in the history of Saint Francis University.

CERMUSA’s Radio over IP Bridging Solution possesses the following unique attributes:

1. CERMUSA RF to IP Bridge System units operate in multiple networking standards (900Mhz, 2.4/5.8GHz 802.11 a/b/g) as opposed to a single standard (2.4GHz 802.11b)

2. CERMUSA RF to IP Bridge System units are capable of operating off of multiple power sources with modular interfaces (i.e. battery terminals) and are equipped with solar trickle charge capability.

3. CERMUSA RF to IP Bridge System units are highly modular and allow for components (external high-gain antennas, larger batteries, etc…) to be quickly added to the system.

4. Based on an exhaustive patent and commercial search, no other group in the country is performing conversion between licensed RF voice and IP traffic and back again for the purposes of extending coverage within structures. Mr. David Wolfe, a specialist in RF technologies at CERMUSA, is the inventor of this solution.