NRT: Agile and Efficient Ultra-Wideband Wireless Network Testbed for Challenged Environments

无处不在的高带宽网络服务的出现促使人们探索使用不断增加的频段，通常是在要求苛刻的环境中，以及已经用于传统系统的带宽部分。我们将这一趋势松散地称为超宽带(UWB)，这给网络、通信设计和硬件开发带来了巨大的挑战。我们的目标是提供一个在节点、能量和带宽方面充分利用可用资源的网络。为此，我们是信号不可知论者。研究人员提出了一种综合考虑组网、通信设计和硬件开发的超宽带网络方案，而不是提出一种信令方案，并在该方案的基础上构建一个基于该方案的网络测试平台，该平台可以在不同的运行条件下为网络提供最有用的控制能力。这些设计组件的集成需要显著的跨层交互。由于超宽带系统及其特性带来的新机遇，物理层以上的网络层可以充分发挥优势，设计出性能优越的网络。因此，我们将探索基于时变的UWB链路状态和动态流量需求来进行路由决策的网络层协议；传输层协议，以更高效的方式处理错误和拥塞，以及一个联合跨层优化的集成体系结构。智力方面的优点：我们所提出的工作的智力优势在于以下几个方面：以灵活的方式利用不同通信配置的网络结构和试验台。首次尝试将超宽带集成到网络系统中，这是该技术发展的重要和必要的一步。开发了一种跨层的方法来优化网络性能，以节省但有效地看到较低的层。时域和频域通信系统的双重发展使得网络能够在衰落的条件下使信令方案适应特定的环境，带宽和能量。这些系统的挑战在于如何高效、高性能地实现这些节点在网络中的共存。广泛的影响：我们建议的活动将研究和教育发展紧密结合在一起，并将以一种自然而独特的方式整合通信理论、网络和硬件设计。我们将介绍一种定量的、系统的、我们相信是基本的超宽带网络通信方法。特别是，我们的方法将允许该领域超越武断和僵化的以信令为中心的方法，转向基于网络要求和基本通信考虑的体系结构。我们方法的教育影响将在课堂教育和研究生和本科生的跨学科研究中产生。研究人员已经开始了一项广泛的教育工作，将无线技术带入课堂。首先，两名研究人员正在开发一门研究生级别的无线通信课程。其次，其中一名研究人员正在将无线硬件纳入麻省理工学院的本科生数字设计实验室课程。最后，两名研究人员已经开始了一个结合网络应用和分析的研究生水平的联合教学项目。

The emergence of ubiquitous high-bandwidth networked services has prompted theexploration of using ever-increasing bands of spectrum, often in demanding environments andover bandwidth portions that are already in use for legacy systems. This trend, which we looselylabel ultra-wideband (UWB), poses significant challenges for networking, communicationsdesign and hardware development. Our goal is to provide a network that makes best use of theresources available in terms of nodes, energy and bandwidth. To that end, we are signaling-agnostic. Rather than propose a signaling scheme and construct a network architecturepredicated on that specific scheme, we propose a testbed built upon an agile architecture thatprovides the network the most useful control capabilities under varying operating conditions.The researchers propose an integrated approach for UWB networks that considers networking,communications design and hardware development jointly. The integration of these designcomponents requires significant cross-layer interaction. Due to the new opportunities of ultra-wideband systems and its properties, network layers above the Physical Layer can take fulladvantage and design a network with superior performance. Thus, we will explore NetworkLayer protocols that make its routing decisions based on the time-varying UWB link states anddynamic traffic demands; Transport Layer protocols that deals with errors and congestion inmuch more efficient manner and an integrated architecture that is jointly optimized across-layers.Intellectual merit: The intellectual merit of our proposed work is in the following areas:A network architecture and testbed that make use, in an agile manner, of differentcommunication configurations.The first attempt at integrating ultra-wide-band into a networked system, an important andnecessary step in the development of this technologyThe development of a cross-layer approach to optimize network performance withparsimonious but effective visibility into lower layers.The dual development of time-domain and frequency-domain communication systemsallowing the network to adapt the signaling scheme to the specific environment in termsof fades, bandwidth and energy. The challenges of these systems lie in the efficient and highperformance implementation of these nodes in CMOS and demonstrate co-existence in thenetwork .Broader impact: Our proposed activity couples research and educational development closelyand will integrate communication theory, networking and hardware design in a natural andunique fashion. We will introduce a quantitative, systematic and, we believe, fundamentalapproach to UWB networked communications. In particular, our approach will allow the field tomove beyond an arbitrary and inflexible signaling-centric approach, and move towardsarchitectures based on network requirements and fundamental communications considerations.The educational impact of our approach will be in both classroom education and cross-disciplinary research for graduate and undergraduate students. The researchers have alreadybegun an extensive educational effort to bring wireless technology into the classroom. First, twoof the researchers are developing a graduate-level wireless communication course. Secondly, oneof the researchers is incorporating wireless hardware in undergraduate digital design laboratorycoursework at MIT. Finally two of the researchers have begun a joint graduate-level teachingproject combining application and analysis of networking.