CORDIS Archive : ISTweb | KA4 | Mobile & Satellite

Areas of current work

Re-configurable radio systems & networks

Objectives:: To allow the radio network, including terminals and base stations, to adaptively/automatically adjust to traffic and user requirements.
Focus:: Re-configurable system, architecture and network concepts applied to emerging 3rd generation cellular systems, advanced wireless local area networks including broadband wireless fixed access, mobile broadband systems, applied to a range of interactive and distributive services. A key goal is the study of mechanisms for secure applications code downloading and of open architectures enabling the development and coexistence of multifunctional applications operating over integrated/heterogeneous networks.

Terrestrial wireless systems and networks

Objectives:

To study, develop and validate advanced wireless systems and networks related to:

the provision of interactive multimedia services for mobile terrestrial broadcasting, the multimedia home platform, and broadband wireless access;
the evolution of UMTS phase 1 with packet and circuit traffics towards Internet Protocol (IP) networks.

Focus:

The work relates to the gradual introduction of IP (Internet Protocol) in the access network with focus on seamless service provision and transparency across a multiplicity of (environment/user dependent) radio accesses and in relation to intra/inter-network hand over, Internet Protocol (IP) Quality of Service evaluation and management, support of discrete and cellular mobility, radio resource control mechanisms and protocols (considering Quality of Service and low-power requirements). It also covers the optimisation of network performance in heterogeneous contexts with a variety of asymmetric services (e.g. call admission policy, customisation of user environment) and multiple radio environments, associated technologies for efficient dynamic spectrum usage/sharing, and technological/system aspects for the roaming of location services exploiting terrestrial or satellite location data.

Integrated satellite systems and services

Objectives:: To develop and validate technologies and architectures for the satellite delivery of interactive multimedia services.
Focus:: Enhancement of legacy systems, with provision of interactivity (Ku or Ka band), optimised caching architecture and competitive delivery of Internet Protocol (IP) services. Optimised (technical and economic) architectures for interworking with terrestrial IP (Internet Protocol) based networks, integrated network management and radio resource optimisation for both S-UMTS and broadband multimedia systems (Ku, Ka or V bands). Transparent connection of user equipment to alternative wireless (satellite or not) accesses, re-configurable terminals for access to multiple space segments and technologies allowing efficient radio resource and spectrum usage are common objectives.

Fourth Generation system and network concepts for wireless communications

Objectives:

With a long-term perspective the objective will be to prepare the ground for the likely technological and service evolution from current cellular and wireless systems and networks.

Focus:

To investigate and develop advanced and innovative concepts and technologies for self-aware, self-organising ad-hoc wireless networks;
To develop innovative air interface schemes allowing for scalable wireless connectivity.
To assess potential spectrum requirements and co-existence issues, including the study of strategies and the development of appropriate tools allowing a distributed flexible management of the spectrum resources.