PFI:AIR - TT: Technology for Sustainable Growth of Wireless Communication Capacity

PFI：AIR技术翻译项目的重点是翻译一种新颖的通信信号设计算法，称为“双链路算法”，以满足无线通信容量可持续增长的需求。该项目将在软件定义无线电平台和双链路算法的 FPGA 平台上产生原型。双链路算法具有以下独特的特点：接近最优的干扰管理、适合分布式实现、可随网络规模扩展、具有快速且可证明的收敛性。这些功能具有以下优点：允许用户以渐近数据速率共享频谱，该渐近数据速率不会随着用户数量的增加而减少，对于大型和小型网络都很有用，并且与该市场领域的领先竞争技术：加权总和速率最大化算法相比，能够适应更快的信道时间变化。该项目解决了从研究发现到商业应用的以下技术差距。双链路算法是在集中优化和网络全信道知识的假设下设计的，而在实践中，希望分布式实现，并且每个节点通过不完善的估计仅具有本地信道知识。为了弥补这一差距，该项目将 1) 通过分布式信道和协方差矩阵估计以分布式方式实现双链路算法； 2）在硬件资源和功率限制的约束下优化性能； 3）在软件定义无线电平台上构建原型； 4）进一步开发基于FPGA平台的实时硬件IP。该项目聘请伍斯特理工学院黄新明教授的研究小组进行硬件设计，并在FPGA平台上对算法进行原型设计，实现从研究发现到商业现实的技术转化。随着智能手机用户数量的增加，目前的容量增长方式是不可持续的，最终将导致用户数据传输速度的下降。 双链路算法原型演示的成功将为满足智能手机普及带来的指数级增长的数据需求提供解决方案。 无线通信行业正面临更多用户干扰和更高数据速率造成的容量紧缩，迫切需要本项目中转化的此类技术。此外，预计未来五年即将推出的5G无线网络的潜在经济影响将是巨大的，这将有助于增强美国在无线通信技术和服务领域的竞争力。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a novel communication signal design algorithm, named "dual link algorithm," to fill the need of sustainable growth of wireless communication capacity. The project will result in prototypes on a software defined radio platform and an FPGA platform of the dual link algorithm. The dual link algorithm has the following unique features: near optimal interference management, it is suitable for distributed implementation, it is scalable with the size of the networks, and it has fast and provable convergence. These features provide the following advantages: allows users to share frequency spectrum with asymptotic data rates that do not diminish with the increased number of users, useful for large and small networks, and able to accommodate faster channel time variation, as compared to the leading competing technology in this market space: weighted sum-rate maximization algorithms. This project addresses the following technology gap as it translates from research discovery toward commercial application. The dual link algorithm was designed under the assumption of centralized optimization and full channel knowledge of the network, while in practice, distributed implementation is desired and each node has only local channel knowledge through imperfect estimation. To bridge the gap, the project will 1) implement the dual link algorithm in distributed fashion with distributed channel and covariance matrix estimation; 2) optimize performance under constraints of hardware resource and power limits; 3) build a prototype on software defined radio platform; 4) further develop a real-time hardware IP for FPGA-based platform.The project engages Prof. Xinming Huang's research group at Worcester Polytechnic Institute to perform hardware design and to prototype the algorithm on FPGA platform in this technology translation effort from research discovery toward commercial reality.As the number of smart phone users increases, the current method of capacity growth is not sustainable, which will ultimately result in a decrease in the speed of data transfer for users. The successful prototype demonstration of the dual link algorithm will offer a solution to accommodate the exponentially growing data demand caused by the popularity of smart phones. The wireless communication industry is facing a capacity crunch caused by interference from more users and higher data rates and is in urgent need of such technologies translated in this project. In addition, the potential economic impact is expected to be significant for the upcoming 5G wireless networks in the next five years, which will contribute to the U.S. competitiveness in the sector of wireless communication technology and service.