I/UCRC Phase I: Collaborative Research: NSF I/UCRC Center for Fiber-Wireless Integration and Networking (FiWIN) for Heterogeneous Mobile Communications

通信、信息传播和数据分发构成了现代工业化时代的支柱。它是商业、社会联系和社会福祉的核心。传统通信和信息网络正在迅速创新和扩展，以适应未来几十年全球数据服务的预计增长。全球移动服务提供商预计，到2020年，由于新用户的增长、不断扩大的城市地区用户的密集化以及服务的可负担性，无线流量将增长1000倍。随着“工业物联网（Internet of Industrial Things）”，即网络传感器检测和监控系统网络的发展，以及通过融合光无线网络基础设施的接入，通信量预计将呈指数级增长。这些传感器系统可以监测人类工作和生活环境的各个方面，而其他传感器系统可以监测自然资源或平衡配电网络。所有这些都依赖于光和无线信息网络基础设施所需的潜在关键数据。为了应对预期的技术挑战，全球正在开展协调一致的联盟活动，以开发下一代无处不在的5G通信系统。佐治亚理工学院与马里兰大学（UMD）共同成立了下一代移动数据通信（FiWIN）光纤无线集成和网络I/UCRC，以帮助满足电信行业的迫切需求。FiWIN的目标是将创新的技术概念、设计、架构和软件带到会员大学和企业成员之间的协同作用上，同时通过开发光纤无线综合网络的大学课程来培养熟练的劳动力，并激发更广泛社区对科学和技术的兴趣。FiWIN将结合UMD在自由空间、定向波束、通信方面的广泛创新，以及GT在波分多路无源光网络、用于频率复用的小蜂窝光纤无线接入架构、协调多点（CoMP）无线联合传输、RoF回传/前传、信道障碍缓解和带宽高效复用和调制方面的长期经验，创新光无线网络架构设计、安全、网络弹性和性能，更低的功耗。该中心将寻求在网络虚拟化、资源共享、网络监控和服务协调分配方面增加专业知识，以实现通过射频、次太赫兹、自由空间光和光纤接入技术的集成网络为下一代5G移动数据网络提供创新解决方案的最终目标。

Communication, information dissemination and data distribution form the backbone of the modern industrialized era. It is central to commerce, societal connectedness and societal wellbeing. Legacy communication and information networks are rapidly innovating and expanding to accommodate the projected growth of global data services over the next decades. Global mobile service providers project a 1000-fold expansion in wireless traffic by the year 2020, brought about by the growth of new users, the densification of users in expanding urban areas and service affordability. Exponential growth of communication volume is anticipated as the "Internet of Industrial Things," or the network of cyber sensor detection and monitoring systems grows and is accessed through the converged optical and wireless network infrastructure. These sensor systems may monitor aspects of human working and living environment while others may monitor natural resources or balance the power distribution network. All rely upon potentially critical data where needed through the optical and wireless information network infrastructure.To answer the anticipated technical challenges, coordinated consortium activities are occurring across the world to develop the next generation, ubiquitous 5G communication system. Georgia Tech together with the University of Maryland (UMD) has formed the I/UCRC for Fiber-Wireless Integration and Networking for Next Generation Mobile Data Communications (FiWIN) to help meeting the urgent needs of the telecommunication industry. FiWIN aims to do so by bringing innovative technology concepts, design, architecture and software to the table based on the synergy between member universities and corporate members while preparing a skilled workforce though the development of university curricula in fiber-wireless integrated network, and stimulating interest in science and technology among the broader community. FiWIN will bring to bear UMD's extensive innovation in free-space, directional-beam, communications and GT's long term experience in wavelength division multiplexed passive optical networks, small cell fiber wireless access architecture for frequency reuse, coordinated multi-point (CoMP) wireless joint transmission, RoF backhaul/fronthaul, channel impediment mitigation and bandwidth efficient multiplexing and modulation, to innovate optical wireless network architecture design, security, network resilience, and performance, at lower power consumption. The Center will seek to add expertise in network virtualization, resource sharing, network monitoring and coordinated distribution of services to achieve its ultimate goal of providing innovative solutions for the next generation 5G mobile data networks though an integrated network of RF, sub-THz, free space optical and optical fiber access technology.