Access Protocols for Cellular High-Speed Data Services

In this contribution, novel access techniquesfor the future cellular information networks areproposed. To facilitate a fast deployment, the suggestedaccess techniques have been implemented over well-known technological platforms, namely DECT (DigitalEnhanced Cordless Telecommunications) containing aFDM/TDMA (Frequency Division Multiplex/Time DivisionMultiple Access) structure. Two situations areconsidered: i) no limits in the use of the all carriers atterminal (ideal case) and ii) maximum number ofcontiguous/simultaneous carriers at terminal (realisticcase). First, to grant a quick access channel, a random access mechanism with reservation is proposed.It is called contention-TDMA (C-TDMA). Next, in order tostudy the feasibility of better collision resolutionalgorithms for C-TDMA, a centralized approach called Centralized C-TDMA Demand Assignment(CC-TDMA-DA) has also been studied. For the ideal case,numerical results indicate that C-TDMA and CC-TDMA-DAyield similar throughput values in typical cellular scenarios. Also, CC-TDMA-DA tends to bepreferable for traffic sources with long messages andweak delay constraints, while C-TDMA performs better forbursty traffic sources with hard time requirements. Additional numerical results for the realisticcase have demonstrated that system performancedeteriorates little with respect to the ideal case interms of collisions, delays and throughputfigures.     

A Survey of Handover Techniques for Wireless ATM Networks

This paper provides a review and comprehensivecomparison of existing handover schemes proposed forwireless ATM networks. Existing schemes include thoseproposed by NEC, Olivetti, Bell Labs, Cambridge, Stanford, CMU, Berkeley, Michigan, VTT, andColumbia. We highlight the methodologies employed by thevarious schemes and reveal their differences. We discussissues related to the effect of ATM switch architectures on mobility implementation and on futurehandover paradigms.     

Optimization and Adaptation of Error Control Algorithms for Wireless ATM

A common problem of all wireless digital datatransmission systems is the bit error rates of the radiosubsystem, which can be several orders of magnitudehigher than for a wire- or fiber-based technology. Forward error correction (FEC), automaticrepeat request (ARQ), and interleaving are used as meansto improve throughput and bandwidth efficiency. Thispaper presents some considerations on the optimization and adaptation of these algorithms with focuson recent wireless ATM developments. The optimization,with respect to the target bit error rate and themapping of the wireless connection quality to the ATM quality of service (QoS) concept, is discussedin detail. In addition to the theoretical evaluation,which is verified by extensive simulations, we presentcomprehensive architecture and implementation considerations on the design of an adaptiveerror control system for a wireless ATMnetwork.     

A New Digital Sense Multiple Access (DSMA) Protocol for High-Speed Wireless Networks

In this paper, we propose a new digital sensemultiple access with delayed transmission (DSMA/DT)protocol for reverse channel in high-speed wirelessnetworks. The new protocol is motivated by theobservation that the existing DSMA protocol does not yieldsatisfactory throughput for long round-trip propagationand processing delay, which occurs in outdoor high-speedenvironments or when the receiver hardware requires long signal processing time. The newDSMA/DT protocol is intended to reduce the performanceimpacts of the round-trip delay. Look-ahead busy/idleflag, seizure queueing, and reserved time slots are also devised for the new protocol. Whilerequiring at most two additional status bits on theforward channel and no additional hardware capability,these features further enhance the protocol performance and enable constant-bit-rate service withlittle added complexity in control. The channelthroughput of the DSMA/DT protocol and the optionalfeatures are analyzed. Closed-form expressions for thethroughput are obtained. For non-negligible round-tripdelay relative to packet transmission time, ournumerical results show that the new protocol improvesthe throughput by as much as 60% when compared to theexisting DSMA protocol. For superior performance andsimplicity, the DSMA/DT protocol will be appropriate foruse in high-speed wireless networks.     

Optimizing Wireless Interconnection Network Costs

The total cost of the fixed infrastructure thatunderlies a wireless network can be visualized ascomprising three cost elements: switching, radioports,and interconnection of switching/control centers and the radioports. Until recently,interconnection cost has represented only about 10% ofthe total network investment, the bulk of the cost beingincurred by the switching and radio equipment.Accordingly, optimizing the costs of the interconnectingnetwork has not received much interest. However, networkeconomics are changing. PCS technology and densecellular system populations require more radioports, located more closely to one another, than haspreviously been common. The number of subscribers and/orradioports that may be controlled from a single basestation controller (BSC) is increasing, thereby reducing the relative costs of those elements.In turn, interconnection cost is becoming a largerpercentage of the total system cost than has previouslybeen customary. Thus, methods for analyzing and optimizing the cost of the interconnectionsegment may now be useful. This paper presents a modelfor the interconnection cost of a wireless network anddemonstrates that there exists a single optimum location for the control center in such a network. Wedevelop a methodology for analyzing and optimizinginterconnection costs by locating the optimal locationof the BSC, exploiting the characteristics of the cost function, which is shown to be convex. Theresults are general and are not restricted to anyparticular form of cellular network.     

Group Based Common-Receiver/DS CDMA Wireless Networks And (GBCR) Code Protocol for Its Performance Study

A spreading code protocol (GBCR protocol)suitable for DS CDMA wireless data networks is proposedin this paper. The network is co-ordinated by a centralstation (CS) which maintains a database tracking each user's status. Users are divided intogroups, each of which is assigned a group-basedcommon (GBC) code used by a transmitter in thegroup to acquire the current state of its target. Data communication is allowed only after apositive ACK packet from the CS is received by thetransmitter, so that all successful terminals aresheltered by the CS from possible third-partyinterference which may use the same receiver-based code.Analytical results reveal that the GBCR protocol caneffectively improve network stability andthroughput-delay performance.     

Holographic Diffusers for Indoor Infrared Communication Systems

Diffused infrared transmission is one of thepreferred techniques used in indoor wirelesscommunications. Tolerance to shadowing and a lack ofalignment requirements are among the many advantagesoffered by this technique compared to the line-of-sighttechniques. However, it has its disadvantages, namelyhigh path loss and multipath dispersion. The limitationimposed by eye-safety requirements restricts the transmitted power. Therefore, efficient useof transmitted optical power is the key for practicalbroadband infrared systems. In this paper, we report onusing a holographic diffuser for shaping of infrared radiation pattern in an indoorinfrared transmission system. The holographic diffusershave the advantage of light weight and added flexibilityin the system design. The reported measurements show that employing a properly designed holographicdiffuser can reduce the path loss of a nondirectedoptical link. The results also show another advantage ofusing the proposed holographic diffuser, which is additional tolerance of the transmission toshadowing.     

Angle Diversity to Combat the Ambient Noise in Indoor Optical Wireless Communication Systems

We propose and study the use of angle diversityto combat the ambient noise in indoor optical wirelesscommunication systems. Models for the radiation patternof spot lamps and for the spatial distribution of the ambient light based on an isotropic anda directional noise component are derived. Performanceevaluation of receivers using angle diversity is carriedout and significant optical power gains are demonstrated. The optical gains are seen toincrease with the relative weight of the directionalnoise within the cell, with the sharpness of thedirectional noise source beam width, and in environments where there are noise sources positionedoutside the cell. Also, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)of a sectored receiver is seen to be much less sensitiveto the position and beam width of the noise sources than the SNR of a nonsectored receiver,allowing for more universal transceiverdesigns.     

Introduction of the Personal Digital Assistant into the Analytical Laboratory

High throughput drug discovery is currently undergoing a change, moving away from the traditional chemistry laboratory toward a ‘factory’ environment. Analytical disciplines are changing to fit this environment. PDAs combined with wireless LAN interfaces offer a way to enter, search and retrieve data in a way that is not limited to fixed network connections. Both submission of samples for analysis and monitoring of instruments, can be accomplished via a wireless network, this allows analysts and clients to access data whilst roaming in a large laboratory or suite of laboratories. Html and Java applications have been developed to enable analysts and chemists a greater degree of flexibility to control and monitor automated equipment.     

Frequency Hopping Code Division Multiple Access for Wireless Local Access

In this paper, the suitability of Slow FrequencyHopping Code Division Multiple Access (SFHCDMA) isevaluated for wireless local access applications.Investigations of the wireless channel indicate that frequency hopping mitigates the poorpropagation characteristics associated with low mobilitycommon to fixed wireless applications. Employingstatistical analysis and simulation models, it is shownthat the frequency hopped channel displays inherentfrequency diversity. Consequently, an FH architecture isresilient to the effects of intersymbol interferencearising from significant time dispersion frequently experienced in the wireless channel.Furthermore, interference diversity of SFH-CDMA resultsin a robust air interface technique. With simulationtechniques it is demonstrated that SFH-CDMA can support the medium rate service bearers (approximately1 Mbps) required for wireless local access, whilstproviding high capacity.