PFI-AIR: Architectures for the Future Cellular Networks

这一加速创新研究(AIR)项目将大公司和大学聚集在一起，开发无线通信生态系统，将突破性技术商业化，这些技术有望将当今无线蜂窝网络的容量提高1000倍以上。具体地说，将依靠三项现有技术为无线手机制造商和基础设施供应商的集成以及纳入下一代蜂窝标准创造一个原型阶段。这些技术是：(1)毫米波(MmWave)蜂窝系统，可以将蜂窝通信移动到20到120 GHz之间的新频段，那里的频谱可随时增加50到100倍；(2)中继和分布式协调技术，使超低成本的小型自组织小区能够将小区站点的数量增加数量级；考虑到蜂窝产业的巨大市场规模(全球1万亿美元)，再加上解决频谱短缺的迫切需要，这项提案中的突破性技术将提供巨大的市场价值、投资回报和就业机会。这个AIR项目为工业界和学术界提供了一条开发关键产品和知识的途径，这些产品和知识将影响无线行业的标准制定过程，同时为美国各地的蜂窝网络带来数据吞吐量的大幅增长。

This Accelerating Innovation Research (AIR) project brings together major companies and universities in the development of a wireless communications ecosystem to commercialize breakthrough technologies that promise to increase the capacity of today's wireless cellular networks by over 1000 times. Specifically, three existing technologies will be relied upon to create a prototype stage for integration by wireless handset makers and infrastructure providers as well as incorporation into next-generation cellular standards. These technologies are: (i) millimeter-wave (mmWave) cellular systems that can move cellular communication to new bands between 20 and 120 GHz where between 50 and 100 times more spectrum are readily available; (ii) relaying and distributed coordination techniques to enable ultra low-cost small, self-organizing cells that increase the numbers of cell sites by orders of magnitude; and (iii) full duplex communication that can double communication bandwidth and facilitate beamforming techniques essential for mmWave cellular systems.Given the enormous market size of the cellular industry ($1 trillion worldwide), combined with the pressing need for solutions to solve the spectrum crunch, the breakthrough technologies in this proposal will offer tremendous market value, return on investment, and opportunities for employment. This AIR project provides a path for both industry and academia to develop key products and knowledge that will impact the standard-setting process of the wireless industry, while bringing massive increases in data throughputs to cellular networks throughout the U.S.