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

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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.