Network-Level and Content-Based Approaches to Diversity and Interference Management

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The overall scientific objective of this study is to develop theory and methodology for optimum utilization of distributed physical-layer resources to provide overall efficiency in high-throughput, mixed traffic, mobile, multimedia, wireless communication networks. These resources include power, bandwidth, space, quality of service (rate, fidelity, delay), and complexity. Existing methodologies for the design and management of wireless network resources are grossly inadequate for dealing with the demands projected for future networks that will need to deliver high-quality voice and multimedia services to large numbers of mobile subscribers. Thus, in providing a basis for significant improvement in network throughput and flexibility, the theory and methods developed under this study provide crucial elements for the development future generations of commercial communication networks.This research is focused on the development of algorithms for dynamic, network-level, and content-specific management (i.e., allocation, control and mitigation) of the various forms of interference that ultimately and severely limit wireless network performance. These include time-varying multipath, inter-user interference, and extra-network interference. Spatial diversity is among the most important mechanisms within wireless networks for effective interference management, and this investigation stresses use of this form of diversity in a globally efficient manner. Several specific and interrelated research themes are under study. These include the design and exploitation of "virtual arrays" that combine physical resources across cellular boundaries to enhance overall network performance, the management (i.e., the control and allocation) of interference, and the creation and exploitation of content-specific characteristics in multimedia traffic (primarily through space-time coding) for the enhancement of overall network throughput. Collectively, these diverse issues present a wealth of important research challenges and represent extraordinary opportunities to dramatically enhance the overall performance of next-generation wireless networks. The protocols implied by this research transcend individual layers in the traditional OSI communication hierarchy and involve strong interaction among these layers.Co-Principal Investigators:H. Vincent Poor, Princeton University M. D. Trott, Arraycomm, Inc. G. W. Wornell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology A. Zakhor, University of California, Berkeley