EAGER: Collaborative Research: Towards a Unified Wireless Network Involving Reconfigurable Devices

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

This EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) project considers a vision of a future wireless network where all mobile devices in the network consist of one or more software-defined radios that support multiple communication modes and access schemes and where the network actively manages the access modes of the constituent terminals. The research seeks to realize this vision by combining expertise in network architectures, physical layer issues, and network layer issues and by considering cross-layer co-design. The project aims to: (i) improve understanding of the roles and impacts of next-generation software-defined radios on future wireless systems; (ii) produce a device model that accurately represents the capabilities and limits of next-generation software-defined radios; and (iii) develop new techniques for managing bandwidth in such a unified wireless network. With respect to intellectual merit, the research has the potential to produce a novel resource allocation scheme that provides a set of services over a heterogeneous wireless infrastructure considering the capabilities and limitations of software-defined radios. The project will develop preliminary results related to these approaches and preliminary cost and performance models for the overall system framework. With respect to broader impact, the research has the potential to impact future wireless communications networks with a variety of applications including emergency response, telehealth, and entertainment. If successful, there are longer term prospects of a more robust and a more efficient, especially with respect to spectrum, wireless network. The project introduces students to a comprehensive and integrated view of mobile devices and wireless networks, thus preparing them to deal with the design of complex systems.