NeTS: Small: Collaborative Research: Unleashing Spectrum Effectively and Willingly: Optimization and Incentives

NeTS：小型：协作研究：有效且自愿地释放频谱：优化和激励

• 批准号: 1421685
• 负责人: Guoliang Xue
• 金额: $ 25.2万
• 依托单位: Arizona State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-09-01 至 2018-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1421685&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NeTS; Small; Collaborative; Research; Unleashing

An intriguing fact emerges during the study of spectrum usage. On one hand, the proliferation of wireless devices, e.g. smartphones, laptops, and tablets, and bandwidth-hungry applications has resulted in the problem of spectrum scarcity. On the other hand, a recent report by FCC reveals that the licensed users are extremely underutilizing the allocated spectrum. To remove the barriers to efficient spectrum utilization, this project aims to 1) design effective spectrum allocation algorithms to allow as many secondary users (SUs) to coexist with the primary user (PU) as possible while taking into account the interference generated by both SUs and PU; and 2) develop incentive mechanisms for enticing spectrum licensees to share or license their under-utilized spectrum for better utilization. While designing spectrum allocation schemes, the physical interference model is adopted to characterize the interference closely to reality. Joint optimization of spectrum allocation and power control is explored to further improve the spectrum utilization. This can lead to efficient approximation algorithms with guaranteed performance comparing with the optimum, as well as effective heuristic algorithms. Another major task of this project is to design incentive auctions for enticing spectrum licensees to share their spectrum with unlicensed users in exchange for the proceeds from the auction. Three different application scenarios are investigated: 1) the spectrum holder is willing to coexist with the unlicensed users under the condition that the cumulative interference caused by them does not interrupt its own transmission; 2) small network operators are allowed to form groups for collective buying power to increase their chances of winning the spectrum; and 3) the competition among multiple spectrum licensees is considered. This research can help ensure wireless networks in the USA keep pace with the continuously increasing demand for spectrum, so that they can support activities that increasingly rely on them, including public safety and health-care. The designed group-buying based incentive auctions can provide opportunities for small businesses to compete against big brand companies and win the access to desired spectrum that is essential to the success of their business. These small businesses are the engines of job creation and economic growth for the country. This project involves under-represented and minority students, as well as K-12 students to inspire their interests in science and engineering.

在研究频谱使用的过程中出现了一个耐人寻味的事实。一方面，无线设备的激增，如智能手机、笔记本电脑和平板电脑，以及对带宽要求很高的应用程序，导致了频谱短缺的问题。另一方面，FCC最近的一份报告显示，获得许可的用户严重未充分利用分配的频谱。为了消除频谱高效利用的障碍，本项目的目标是1)设计有效的频谱分配算法，允许尽可能多的次用户(SU)与主用户(PU)共存，同时考虑SU和PU产生的干扰；以及2)开发激励机制，吸引频谱许可证持有者共享或许可其未充分利用的频谱，以更好地利用它们。在设计频谱分配方案时，采用物理干扰模型来描述干扰的真实情况。探索频谱分配和功率控制的联合优化，进一步提高频谱利用率。这可以产生与最优相比具有保证性能的高效近似算法，以及有效的启发式算法。这个项目的另一项主要任务是设计奖励拍卖，以吸引频谱持牌人与未获许可的用户分享他们的频谱，以换取拍卖的收益。研究了三种不同的应用场景：1)频谱持有者愿意在不中断自身传输的情况下与未授权用户共存；2)允许小型网络运营商组成集体购买力小组，以增加他们赢得频谱的机会；3)考虑多个频谱持有者之间的竞争。这项研究有助于确保美国的无线网络与不断增长的频谱需求保持同步，以便它们能够支持越来越依赖它们的活动，包括公共安全和医疗保健。设计的基于团购的激励拍卖可以为小企业提供与大品牌公司竞争的机会，并赢得对其业务成功至关重要的所需频谱的访问。这些小企业是创造就业机会和国家经济增长的引擎。该项目包括代表不足的学生和少数族裔学生，以及K-12学生，以激发他们对科学和工程的兴趣。