Objective
Main Objective
ACCORD mainly aims at the validation, from both a theoretical and an experimental view point, of a truly global broadband mobile communication system consisting of multiple (satellite/terrestrial) system components (or segments) with different complementary characteristics. To achieve the overall objective of this project, the promising cross-fertilisation of four ongoing ACTS projects SECOMS, MEDIAN, EXODUS and SAMBA, is proposed for complementing each other's coverage, service and personal mobility and (in high degree) terminal mobility in multi-mode conditions.
For users roaming outside their office or home network, any visited network should be transparent to the call procedures the roaming user is accustomed to.
Technical Approach
The above mentioned four ongoing ACTS projects will complement each other in terms of:
-Coverage: the combination of the segments will provide a unique coverage area enabling the users to have seamless access to systems while roaming.
-Services: the mutually complemented segments will enable the users to take advantage of having access to a wide range of services, with different data rates from 32 Kb/s to 150 Mb/s, according to the application used and the type of access available in rural open area, dense urban or indoor environment.
-Mobility: personal and (in higher level) terminal mobility using a modular multi-mode and multi-functional terminals.
The study phase will identify the Mobile Broadband Integrated Network supporting the SECOMS, EXODUS, SAMBA, and MEDIAN access networks, through the use of an advanced core network. In the target system these networks fully inter-work with each other to provide broadband multimedia services for the users through any of the above-mentioned access networks in a seamless manner. It is hence desired for the target network to support Personal mobility, Terminal mobility and Service portability. In order to gain this, the user will have access to a Modular Multi-mode Terminals (MMTs) (only defined but not implemented), where the terminal will actually consist of a Mobile Broadband Module (MBM) featured with all MB signalling needed to communicate with the core network. This will be over a Common Host Part (CHP) capable of interfacing different access networks via the appropriate Access Modules (AMS).
The following issues will be studied, investigated and partially demonstrated:
-Appropriate level of integration/interworking between all the access networks and the EXODUS core network
-Design of the required signalling for supporting personal and terminal mobility between SECOMS and EXODUS
-Design of the required signalling procedures for supporting personal mobility between SECOMS and MEDIAN via EXODUS core network
-Design of the required signalling procedures for partially supporting terminal mobility between SECOMS and SAMBA via EXODUS core network
-Design and implementation of the MMT
-Inter-segment Handover (simulation activities based on measurement data) Depending on time and resource limitations, the demonstration phase , which is the focus of the project, will validate a subset of critical functionality of the target system to be selected and implemented.
Summary of Trial
Through a series of trials, ACCORD aims to demonstrate how the SECOMS system, which is tailored to a Geostationary (GEO) satellite environment, can be complemented with a set of terrestrial systems; namely MEDIAN (indoor), EXODUS (pico-cell outdoor, medium data rate) and SAMBA (pico-cell outdoor, high data rate) which are all tailored to particular terrestrial environments. More precisely, through the field trials a selection of the critical interworking/interfacing issues highlighted by the target system studies will be investigated. The terrestrial systems considered for trials within the scope of this project, i.e. EXODUS, MEDIAN, SAMBA, and the satellite component SECOMS, which exploit dissimilar air-interfaces and therefore dissimilar stack of protocols, are deployed in the access network. The core network is an ATM based platform enhanced with IN capability set and distributed database and processing capabilities to support mobility management, including enhancements of B-ISDN signalling. The EXODUS access network bases its control plane on DECT access technology, and SECOMS, MEDIAN and SAMBA access system on their own specific protocols. Hence, an interworking functionality will be required to adapt the access networks protocols to that of core network. Furthermore, to achieve this goal, the proposed IN capabilities of the ATM-based core network need to be further enhanced in order to support multiple levels of mobility and address multimedia service requirements in terms of QoS as well as service mobility across different systems. Adopting the minimum development approach for the ACCORD demonstrator, the natural configuration would have the EXODUS ATM-based core network with IN capabilities as the network behind the ACCORD demonstrator.
The integration of various demonstrator components would therefore consist of the following main stages:
-SECOMS - ATM-based core network interfacing
-MEDIAN - ATM-based core network interfacing
-SAMBA - ATM-based core network interfacing (minimum intervention at signalling level)
The necessary enhancement process of the SECOMS, MEDIAN and SAMBA access networks consists of two main steps:
-the insertion of the ATM UT with signalling fully compatible with EXODUS MB-UNI into existing SECOMS, MEDIAN and SAMBA terminals. The UT will be capable of supplying the same set of applications in all demonstrator segments.
-the insertion of three tailored IWUs between the MEDIAN and SAMBA Base Stations, SECOMS satellite gateway station, and the EXODUS MB-UNI, which are capable to inter-work with the Q.2932 protocol complemented by the EXODUS mobility management protocol/procedures.
The final process of integration should allow to implement the envisaged set of joint-trials for personal and terminal mobility functionality. After the necessary signalling, the user should be able to make, as well as receive, calls through the new access network. A comprehensive terrestrial/satellite vehicular channel measurement campaign will also be carried out.
Expected Achievements
A consolidated network demonstrator which validates several relevant key elements for the implementation of the global Mobile Broadband System (MBS) consisting of multiple (satellite/terrestrial) system components (or segments) with different complementary characteristics.
The trials will emphasise the real value of using satellite broadband system as effective support to the MBS/WLANs, for complementing service capabilities of terrestrial infrastructures, covering zones where they are not available or not effective, with a rapid service deployment and wide coverage area.
Expected Impact
ACCORD will expedite the transition to Mobile Broadband System deployment by tackling fundamental issues in the field of broadband mobile service supported by a B-ISDN with an IN network. The results of the MMT investigations will feed pre-competitive R&D activities for mutually complemented (satellite / terrestrial) mobile terminals for vehicular and portable terminals.
Main contributions to the programme objectives:
Main deliverables
Validation through trials in real environments of a truly global broadband mobile communication system consisting of multiple (satellite/terrestrial) system components (or segments) with complementary characteristics.
Contribution to the programme
Identification of a Mobile Broadband Integrated Network supporting complementary (in terms of coverage, service, as well as personal and terminal mobility ) access networks, through the use of an advanced core network. These access networks fully inter-work with each other in order to "seamlessly" provide broadband multimedia services to the user. Four ACTS projects (SECOMS, MEDIAN, EXODUS and SAMBA) contributed their systems.
Key Issues
The proposed multi-domain target system imposes specific upgrading at multi-mode terminal, access networks and core network level. In order to reach this goal, the project will investigate the following key issues:
-the characterisation of the coverage obtained through complemented segments, through experimental campaigns, based on Ka band satellite complemented with broadband terrestrial radio coverage
-the study and experimental verification of a unified approach for the inter-segment handover and roaming
-the investigation of the achievable Grade of Service in urban, sub-urban and open area environments
-the identification of relevant access and core network issues and procedures to manage inter-access (or intersegment) mobility.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering satellite technology
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electrical engineering power engineering electric power generation combined heat and power
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Coordinator
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Italy
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