593
1 INTRODUCTION
Radio communications in the VHF, MF/HF bands
havebeen,areandwillcontinuetoexistforefficient
and safe navigation. Since 1999, to improve
radiotelephone communication, a new Digital
SelectiveCalling(DSC)communicationsubsystemin
GlobalMaritimeDistressandSafetySystem(GMDSS)
has been introduced in operation. Hence
for two
decades of the GMDSS existence, the maritime
communicationsusingDSChasnotadaptedproperly
inthenavigationalcommunity.
Inouropinion,thereasonforthisistheneglectof
real user needs. The unfriendly nature of the user
interface of VHF and MF/HF equipment and the
complexityof
manualroutineswithincommunication
protocolusingDSCdonotsupporteffectiveusingof
equipmentforthepromptestablishmentofaddressed
radio communications. DSC imperfections appear
especially in emergency situations [1, 2] and may
adverselyaffectthesafetyofnavigation.
Thesystemsolutiontotheproblemoftakinginto
accountuserneeds
istheconceptofdesigningallthe
graphicalinterfaceson the vesselbridge instandard
manner‐S‐mode [3, 4]. From a technical point of
view,theS‐modeisaimedatreplacingthehardware
control of each individual device with the interface
connectionofthesedevicestoasingle
processorand
operating them from a single graphic display. This
conceptisfocusedprimarilyonmeetingtheneedsof
themassuser,atthesametimeleavingthepossibility
of introducing innovations and individual user
settings.
Within a framework of implementation the e‐
navigationsolutiontotheproblemofimprovingDSC
interfaceitisdesigningonthebaseoftheintegration
Standardization of Interface for VHF, MF/HF
Communication Using DSC within Its Integration with
INS in the Framework of e-Navigation Concept
V.Koshevyy&O.Shyshkin
NationalUniversity“OdessaMaritimeAcademy”,Odessa,Ukraine
ABSTRACT: Digital selective calling (DSC) has a certain drawbacks, which have led to the fact that it is
practicallynotusedinaddressradiocommunications.AttemptstoimproveitonlywithintheDSCsystemitself
didnotleadtoanynoticeableresultsdueto
neglectingofrealuserneeds.Thearticleproposesanapproachto
improvetheuserinterfaceofDSCbasedontheintegrationofVHFMF/HFDSCequipmentwiththeINSwithin
the three main outputs of strategic direction of e‐navigation development related to the integration of
communicationandnavigationsystems
and,inpa rticular,theS‐mode.Thisapproachallowsustosignificantly
simplify the DSCuser interface, based on the standardization of DSC integration for all three VHF MF/HF
communication sub bands. For implementation such standardization an additional inclusion into the
integrationasatelliteAISsystemshouldbedone.Thefeasibility
oftheproposalissupportedbytheexistenceof
relevant IEC standards and IMO documents. The possibility of increasing the cyber security level of AIS
messagesinthisinterfaceisalsoconsidered.
http://www.transnav.eu
the International Journal
on Marine Navigation
and Safety of Sea Transportation
Volume 13
Number 3
September 2019
DOI:10.12716/1001.13.03.15
594
ofDSCand AIS‐ECDIS[5‐8].However, thepractical
implementation ofsuch a project is limitedby three
factors: 1) the ECDIS is overloaded by navigation
tasks and 2) it should demands of the revising of
ECDIS Performance standards 3) that approach was
suggested only for VHF DSC. Therefore,
in the
present work, the Information Display of the
integratednavigation system(INS)is selectedasthe
graphical interface. Also for the user DSC interface
standardization in all terrestrial communications
bandsVHF,MF,HFitwas proposedinadditionalto
use the sat‐AIS technology to support the
standardized user
communication interface for
MF/HFDSC(onthebaseoftheircommonwithVHF
DSC communication protocol [9]). It should be
pointed, that the standardized mode of operation is
meant not only symbols unification, but also
standardization of operations, particularly
standardization of interface of VHF/MF/HF
communications using DSC within its integration
with
INS.
InthedocumentNCSR6/11/1,(Germany)theFirst
draft of resolution A.806 (19) is presented [20]. The
draftreferstorevisionofSOLASchaptersIIIandIV
for modernization of GMDSS. Particularly Germany
proposes to introduce the new text in the part A,
section4,suggestedtoimplementa
simpleprocessto
connect station based on the MF/HF DSC protocol
namely:
“4.2 The equipment should provide a standard
interface to enable the selections of frequencies and
settingofMMSItobecalledfromremotecontrolunit
(e.g.INS)byusingstandardizedinterfaces.
4.3 A function to establish a connection between
stations of the mobile maritime service by simple
meansusingDSCshouldbeimplemented.”
The document “Displaying distress alert relay
information on shipboard navigation display
systems”NCSR5/9/4,(UnitedStates)[13]particularly
poses the question on graphic display of distressed
vessel on a navigation display unit and its possible
linking
toavailabletargetinformation“fordisplaying
a distressed vessel. In addition, digital selective
calling also is capable of providing of both: distress
alert information from vessels, as well as distress
alertsrelaysbroadcastfromshore.”
In document NCSR 6/7 [14], paragraph 12, it is
pointed that the guidelines’ conformance
requirementswould
needtostatethat“conformance
with Appendices 2 to 5 of these guidelines was
demonstratedbymeetingtheapplicablerequirements
of the Performance standards for the presentation of
navigation related information on shipborne navigational
displays(resolutionMSC191(79)andIECpublication
62288) and could not conflict with applicable
performancestandards
fornavigationequipmentand
would also mean adherence to the principles of
human‐centereddesign.
Inthispaperitisproposedthestandardizationof
interfaceforVHF/MF/HFcommunicationsusingDSC
within its integration with INS. The standardization
helpsrealizedthatintegrationbyanappropriateway
on the base of common communication
protocol for
all three DSC communication sub bands and
significantly simplifies the DSC user interface. This
approach is based on the three main outputs of e‐
navigationstrategicdirectiondevelopmentrelatedto
the integration of communication and navigation
equipment/systems, namely: Additional modules to
the revised performance standards for INS
(Resolution
MSC 252(83)) related to the
Harmonization of Bridge design and display of
information;Guidelines for the Harmonized Display
of navigation information received via
communication equipment and Guidelines for the
standardized modes of operation, S‐Mode.
Implementation of the standardization demands to
includeinthatintegrationthesatelliteAISsystem.
The
feasibilityoftheproposalissupportedbythe
existence of relevant IEC standards and IMO
documents. The peculiarities of including in the
integrationsatelliteAISsystemarealsoconsidered.
2 STANDARDIZECOMMUNICATION
PROTOCOLFORDSC
In documents NCSR 4/7 (annex 2) and NCSR 4/8
(annex) were pointed communication
equipment/systems,whichmay
beinterfacedwithan
INS including VHF/MF/HF DSC in the frame of e‐
navigationconcept.
E‐navigation concept is supposed to simplify the
exchange of information between ships, as well
between ships and shore by means effective, user
friendly tools with human factor principles
consideration (MSC 95/19/8). This solution must
be
basedonagreedguidelines.
The document NCSR 5/6/1 proposes the drafting
of Guidelines for integration and presentation of
available navigation‐related information exchange
providedviacommunicationequipmentbymeansof
interfacing VHF/MF/HF DSC with an Information
display (Conning display). An information display
(Conning Display) incorporates all the relevant and
important
informationforthevesselconningtogether
to oneplace. Conning Display may be implemented
in the frame of INS‐Module F for integration and
presentation of available navigation related
information exchange provided via communications
equipment.Inparticular,theConningDisplayshould
be capable of displaying VHF/MF/HF DSC
information(NCSR4.7
(Annex2),NCSR4.8(Annex))
and therefore should be connected to VHF DSC
controllerandMF/HFDSCcontroller.Thisdisplay, in
tern, is integrated within an INS (including AIS,
ECDIS,andsatelliteAIS).Allactionsoninformation
exchange by means of DSC are performed using
software of the Information display on
the base of
standardization of DSC interface using the common
communication protocol for VHF DSC controller as
wellasMF/HFDSCcontroller.
In order to provide connection to VHF DSC
controller and to MF/HF DSC controller the same
protocol may be used, which is described in NCSR
3/INF.15,paragraph8;
MSC97/19/9,paragraphs4,5,6;
NCSR 4/7/1, paragraph 6), where instead of the
software ECDIS the software of Conning Display is
used.Duetothisprotocolthenextactionsshouldbe
provided:
595
1 Clicks on the vessel’s AIS mark on the Conning
DisplayforautomaticallysendingtheMMSIfrom
ConningDisplaytoDSCcontrollerbytransferring
controllingcommandsto DSCfor providingDSC
callbythis;
2 DisplaythecallingvesselbyablinkingAISmark
on the called vessel’s Conning Display
(a red
blinkingmarkincaseofdistresscall),transferring
MMSI from DSC controller to Conning Display
automaticallyforidentificationofthecallingvessel
onConningDisplaybythis;
3 Open exchange of information, without wasting
anytimeonworkingoutwhoiswho.Theworking
channel (frequency) can be
set by default (or
maybe chosen manually, if necessary, using
standardcomputeractions).
The additional connection sat‐AIS to Conning
Displayshouldbedone(forMF/HFDSC).Allactions
according to the protocol are fulfilled using special
software of Conning Display using of a common
maritime data structure, based on the
work of IHO
and their S‐100 data structure. The principle of
layeringofnewinformationoverexistingonemaybe
used.Alloftheseenabletoavoidintroducingchanges
to PS ECDIS (resolution MSC. 232 (82)) for
implementationofthecommunicationprotocol.
The integration scheme for proposed
communicationprotocol
implementationisshownin
Fig.1.
Tokeepthesameapproachforcommunicationsat
medium and long distances in the MF/HF bands,
satelliteAISmustbeapplied.
Figure1.VHF,MF/HFDSC–AIS/Sat‐AISintegrationonthe
base of unified communication interface for proposed
communicationprotocolimplementation.
3 PERCULARITESOFSATELLITE‐AIS
APPLICATION
Satellite‐AIS currently operate for global monitoring
via LEO satellites and supports ship‐to‐satellite‐to‐
coaststation data transmission mode. Satellite‐based
AIS(Sat‐AIS)usesexistingAIStechnologytoimprove
tracking capabilities and overall maritime
surveillance. Sat‐AIS is based on monitoring signals
from ship’s AIS transponders using low‐Earth orbit
(LEO)satellites.ThesatellitesreceiveAIS information
fromthevesselsandtransmittheAISinformationto
ground elements and/or other vessels and coast
stations.ThemainprobleminSat‐AISoperationisthe
separation of signals received by the satellite
simultaneously from
a large number of ships borne
AIS.BecauseofDopplerfrequencyshiftarisingfrom
the satellite motion the received signals may be
selectedbyfrequency.Anotherfactoristhedifference
in time delaytransmission from eachvessel. Also is
used spatial selection of signals on the base of
Synthetic Array Patterns
realized due to satellite
motion.So,Sat‐AISisabletoreceiveanddistinguish
messages from various vessels in satellite foot‐print
area. The additional parameters of signals, are
pointed above, that are appeared due a satellite
motion, may be used also for increasing of Sat‐AIS
cybersecurity comparatively to
usual vessel’s AIS,
which is very vulnerable to different sorts of cyber
attacks.
In additional for using Sat‐AIS technology it
shouldbeforeseenofusingpartofConningDisplay
screen, if necessary, to interface the region where a
vesselislocatedforMF/HFcommunication.
4 ADDITIONALSYMBOLS
The proposed standardization
is demanded to
introducenewsymbolswhichshouldbedescribedfor
possibleadditiontoSN.1/Circ.243/Rev.1.
When the sours is DSC the additional symbols
may be used as presented in document NCSR 4/8,
appendix (with possible corrections NCSR 5/6/1).
Particularly, these additional symbols include
symbols for graphically displaying of distressed
vessel
on Information display and can be used for
bothdistressalertinformationfromvesselsaswellas
distress alerts relays broadcast from shore NCSR
5/9/4,(seedocumentparagraph4).
The proposed in NCSR 4/8 new symbols are
showninFig.2
Figure2.Proposed DSCrelated symbols uponAIS targets:
a) another calling vessel, b) the vessel to be called, c)
distressed vessel [19], which are complied with suggested
communicationprotocol.
596
5 CONCLUSION
The standardization of interface for VHF, MF/HF
communicationusingDSCwithinitsintegrationwith
INShelpstorealizethatintegrationbyanappropriate
wayonthebaseofcommoncommunicationprotocol
for all three DSC communication sub bands and
significantly simplifies the DSC user interface. This
approach is
based on the three main outputs of e‐
navigationstrategicdirectiondevelopmentrelatedto
the integration of communication and navigation
equipment/systems, including standardized mode of
operation(S‐mode).
Implementation of the standardization due to a
need of providing common communication protocol
forVHFDSCandMF/HFDSCdemandstoinclude
in
this integration the satellite AIS system (for MF/HF
DSC).
Thestandardization ofinterface forVHF, MF/HF
communications using DSC within its integration
with INS in framework of e‐navigation concept
realizes user‐friendly solution with human element
considerationasaresultofDSCintegrationwiththe
Information display. This integrated
system allows
getting the new quality which could not be reached
using any of specified systems separately. Such an
integrated system should enhance the quality of
informationavailabletotheofficerofthewatch.The
feasibilityoftheproposalissupportedbytherelevant
IECstandardsandIMOdocuments.
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