WIRELESS FLEXIBLE PERSONALIZED COMMUNICATIONS           COST 259
Annual Report - Year 1
 
  
 
COST-Telecommunications Action 259
Wireless Flexible PERSONALIZED Communications
Annual Report - Year 1
Covering the Period from Apr. 97 to Apr. 98




COST-Telecommunications Action 259

Wireless Flexible PERSONALIZED Communications

Annual Report - Year 1

Covering the Period from Apr. 97 to Apr. 98
 
 
 

1.0 Action Summary

1.1 Action Description

- Start date: April 1997

- End date: April 2000

- Participating countries - Signatories: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

- Participating non - COST Countries: -

- List of participating Institutions: Austria: Mobilkom Austria, Technical University of Vienna. Belgium: K.U.Leuven, Université Catholique Louvain, University of Gent. Denmark: Aalborg University, Telecom Denmark Mobile. Finland: Helsinki University of Technology; University of Oulu, VTT Information Technology. France: France Telecom / CNET, GIE CEGETEL, INSA de RENNES, Institut National des Telécommunications, TDF-C2R. Germany: Aachen University of Technology, Darmstadt University of Technology, Deutsche Telekom, E-plus Mobilfunk, IMST, Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum Berlim, Mannesmann Mobilfunk, Technical University of Braunschweig, Technical University of Munich, University of Kaiserslautern, University of Karlsruhe, University of Kassel, University of Stuttgart, University of Ulm. Greece: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, National Technical University of Athens. Ireland: University of Dublin / Trinity College, University of Limerick. Italy: CORITEL, CSELT, Ericsson Telecomunicazioni, Fondazione Ugo Bordoni, OMNITEL, Politecnico di Milano, University of Bologna. Netherlands: Delft University of Technology, KPN. Norway: Telenor R&D. Portugal: IST - Technical University of Lisbon, Telecel, University of Aveiro. Poland: PTK Centerel, Poznan University of Technology. Spain: Escuela Universitaria de Gandia, Politechnical University of Catalunya, Politechnical University of Valencia, Telefonica I & D, University of Les Illes Baleares, University of Vigo. Sweden: Ericsson Radio Systems, Lulea University of Technology, Lund University, Telia Research, Uppsala University. Switzerland: EPFL, ETH Zurich, Swisscom. United Kingdom: Radiocommunications Agency, Roke Manor Research, University of Bradford, University of Bristol, University of York, Vodafone.

 1.2 Action Objectives - The main objective is to increase the knowledge of radio system aspects for flexible PERSONALIZED communications, capable of delivering different services, exploiting different bandwidths, and to develop new modelling techniques and related planning methods, in order to guarantee the continuity (and quality) of services, delivered by networks of widely different capabilities and structures, across a number of different environments. Furthermore, in the perspective of a fast evolving demand for interfacing the photonic (glass fibre) network with the wireless one, investigations on the mutual interactions are foreseen. 1.3 Technical Description - WG1 - Radio Systems Aspects: Research on Access Schemes, such as Joint Detection-CDMA, Slow Frequency Hopping-CDMA, CTDMA, Multi-Carrier techniques, in a vision that ensures a progressive and smooth migration from present second generation (GSM) to future generation systems (UMTS/MBS/WLANs), which will be characterised by high transport capacity at various data rates, in order to accommodate a multitude of different customised (PERSONALIZED) services in different environments. Interference limitation studies, aimed at enhancing system performance, using "ad-hoc" interference limitation and power control techniques. Considering that the HIPERLAN standard has adopted a constant envelope (GMSK) modulation, research will be carried out on more efficient equaliser structures for higher order modulations. The above studies will focus on mobile applications, but will examine other potentially fast growing sectors, such as radio in the local loop.

- WG2 - Propagation and Antennas: New modelling approaches for propagation at the UHF and microwave bands, based on the solution of Maxwell's equations via numerical methods. Models will be studied for short range communications in the high microwave and millimetre-wave bands. Comparisons between the effectiveness in different situations between empirical/statistical and electromagnetic/deterministic models. Measurements will be performed, to validate the models, and to get statistics on wideband parameters to be used for system simulations; this will allow the addition of new features that might significantly improve the computation efficiency. In the area of antennas, studies on the effects of the surrounding environment on base station antenna radiation pattern will be carried out, as well as on intelligent and adaptive base station antennas. Analysis of the possibility of using optical fibre technologies for antenna feeding purposes in the mm-wave band. Macro and micro diversity techniques, with particular attention to space and polarisation ones, in order to optimise the link performance. Feasibility of various kinds of combined analog/digital beamforming networks for high bit rate transmissions, as it is expected that even very fast ASICs will not be able to perform the digital processing required to follow high bandwidths in real time; therefore, an optimal distribution between analog and digital parts should be investigated in detail.

- WG3 - Network Aspects: Spectrum efficiency and compatibility (frequency sharing with fixed services). Channel allocation strategies (fixed and/or dynamic), best suited to the network and the operating environment. Studies on efficient protocols for high data rates and for voice and video integration (multimedia), with specific reference to the opportunities offered by ATM access and IBC. Studies on the interconnecting potential and mutual relations between radio and glass fibre networks. In the cases where no central controlling node exists, protocols must be designed to support distributed networks; this research area is at a very early stage of its development, with the two WLAN standards so far adopting protocols which are known to be inefficient in the presence of hidden nodes.

- In addition two Sub-WGs were created, within WGs 2 and 3, addressing the areas respectively of Directional Channel Models (aiming at a proposal for a model which should act as a common basis for design, verification and performance evaluation of algorithms and systems processing directional information on the radio channel), and Standard Scenarios for Frequency Planning (evaluation of models for implementation in planning methods, identification of input and output parameters, and optimisation of algorithms).

 1.4 Achievements - Since no task or subtask has finished by the end of Year 1, no final model or algorithm has been achieved. However, some initial results have been obtained in: OFDM transmission techniques, enhancement of TDMA systems, and near-far resistant techniques in CDMA, within WG1; propagation characteristics for broadband radio access at mm waves, test scenarios for systems with adaptive antennas, and evaluation of adaptive antennas for GSM and wideband CDMA, within WG2; traffic modelling and its influence in planning optimisation, planning algorithms for interference reduction in cellular networks, and spectral compatibility of DECT and UMTS services, within WG3. 1.5 Estimated Effort - 50 person/year.  

2.0 Action Activity Status

2.1 Method of Working

The Action has 3 Management Committee Meetings (MCM) per year, in which both management issues and technical discussions are held. The technical discussions are distributed by 3 Working Groups (WGs), each one dealing with various aspects of the Action which, although have mutual interaction, do not superimpose: WG1 - Radio Systems Aspects; WG2 - Propagation and Antennas; WG3 - Network Aspects. During this first year, it was decided at the 4th MCM to create 2 Sub-WGs (SWGs), dealing with specific aspects of WGs 2 and 3, but at the same time enabling a strong interaction with the other WGs, by requesting the definition of parameters and providing their values: SWG 2.1 - Directional Channel Models, and SWG 3.1 - Standard Scenarios for Frequency Planning.

2.2 Activities Completed

Although only one Activity was foreseen to be finished by the end of Year 1 in the Technical Annex of the Action ("Comparison of Models" within Task 2 - Propagation), it was decided that this Activity should continue, due the fact that new models keep being suggested.

2.3 Main Results

In the technical area, some initial results have been obtained in: OFDM transmission techniques, enhancement of TDMA systems, and near-far resistant techniques in CDMA, within WG1; propagation characteristics for broadband radio access at mm waves, test scenarios for systems with adaptive antennas, and evaluation of adaptive antennas for GSM and wideband CDMA, within WG2; traffic modelling and its influence in planning optimisation, planning algorithms for interference reduction in cellular networks, and spectral compatibility of DECT and UMTS services, within WG3.

Besides the technical results, some actions were taken in order to favour the dissemination of results, a better exchange of information, and progress towards the "paperless office". A www site was set-up at the Action Secretariat, www.lx.it.pt/cost259, where all the information regarding the action can be found: Technical Annex, detailed description of WGs activities, information on past and future meetings, status of the Action (regarding lists of signatory countries, members, and participating institutions, as well as of chairpersons), Memorandum of Understanding, list of all temporary documents, workplans, as well as links to others related www sites and conferences in the area of the Action. Several email reflectors were also set-up, not only at the Action level, but also for the various WGs and SWGs; these reflectors are widely used to broadcast information within the Action, as for example to send the MCM invitations or minutes.
 
 

3.0 Meetings and Workshops

In the period of this Report, 5 MCMs and 1 Workshop were held, the minutes being available at www.lx.it.pt/cost259:

Future MCMs and Workshops are already scheduled, according to the following:  

4.0 Action Publications and Reports

A total of 167 Temporary documents have been presented for discussion at the MCMs. The complete list can be found at www.lx.it.pt/cost259.

As a result of the 1st Workshop, a set of Proceedings has been edited, containing all the papers presented there.

Although not directly related to the Action, some delegates are involved in the final edition of the COST 231 Final Report (from which the present Action is a follow up), which was due some time ago, but has not been finished due to illness of the Chairman. All the files have been recovered now, and it is expected that the manuscript will be sent to COST Telecommunications Secretariat for publication until the end of July/98.
 
 

5.0 Contacts with Other Initiatives and Institutions

The Action has several liaisons with other international bodies, thus promoting the exchange of results and the interaction with various institutions and projects in several research frameworks of the European Union. The present list of liaisons is the following: COST 252, COST 255, COST 260, ACTS/MEDIAN, ACTS/SUNBEAM, ACTS/FRAMES, SMT/METAMORP, ETSI/BRAN, ITU/SG3, URSI/C.
 
 

6.0 Future Action Activities

Besides the technical work foreseen in the Technical Annex, and the meetings/workshops schedule for the incoming years, some other activities are being thought of, in order to increase exchange of results with other Actions and projects as well as the dissemination of results, to contribute to a greater awareness of the Action in particular and of the COST framework in general, and to promote the "paperless office". To achieve this, the list of liaisons will be augmented in the future, specific Technical Sessions devoted to present the work done within the Action will be organised in major international conferences, and the use of the www site and of the email reflector will be increased, among other initiatives.
 
 

7.0 Other Information on the Action

7.1 Co-ordination

The co-ordination of the Action is as follows:

The Action Secretariat was initially located at CSELT, Turin, Italy, but it was transferred to IST - Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal in Sep./97, Prof. Luis M. Correia being responsible for it since then.

7.2 Issues

Presently, the Action is participated by more than 150 persons from 68 institutions belonging to 18 countries, and the MCM has been addressed by other institutions and countries wishing to join the Action; meetings are usually attended by 80 to 100 delegates, where 40 to 50 documents are presented for discussion. These numbers give a good idea of the interest and importance of the work being developed within the Action, specially because the budget covers the travel expenses of only the two members per country, and no funding is given for the work presented to the Action.

7.3 Action recommendations

Although it is understandable that budget restrictions exist, and that not all potential activities can be implemented for all cases, it is felt that the size of this Action is not taken in due consideration in terms of budget (compared with smaller Actions). Hence it would be recommended that the budget should be increased, within the availability of the general budget of the COST framework.