Design and Development of a Computer-Based Message Transfer System for the Air Force Logistics Command Packet Radio Network

摘要

The Air Force Logistics Command Packet Radio Network (PRN) is a specialized communications network that enables communication between eight logistics command centers throughout the continental United States. The PRN communications by transferring a message from a microcomputer onto a broadcast radio channel. This thesis effort designs, and partially develops the design for, a computer-based message transfer system that operates the PRN. First, system requirements are established, a logical system model is constructed, and validation tests are detailed. The computer-based message transfer system has two fundamental requirements--that it be easy to use and that it provide automatic routing through the network. Next, the design is built supporting a hierarchical program structure, modularity and information hiding. After the computer code, detailed by design, is written, it is tested. Testing involves a comparison of the validation tests detailed earlier with the computer program's operation. The results show that this thesis effort resulted in an operational computer-based message system for the PRN that satisfies the two fundamental requirements of ease of use and automatic routing. (KR)