Collaborative Research: SII-NRDZ: ASPIRE: Advanced SPectrum Initiative for Research and Experimentation

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Many activities of modern society and government depend on use of the electromagnetic (radio-frequency) spectrum. Future growth in these activities requires increased use of dynamic spectrum sharing – ways to enable diverse spectrum users to safely operate closer together in space or frequency or to trade spectrum access more rapidly than is possible with traditional spectrum management approaches. The National Science Foundation National Radio Dynamic Zones (SII-NRDZ) program seeks to advance the use of dynamic spectrum sharing through conducting extended field trials of new sharing approaches. The SII-NRDZ program intends to make a future award called the Engineering and Execution Lead (SII-NRDZ-EEL). The SII-NRDZ-EEL will provide the professional engineering and management required for success of SII-NRDZ program field trials. In this project, the University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute, the University of Utah, and the Idaho National Laboratory collaborate on the initial planning, technical study, regulatory study, and program and outreach interactions needed to prepare a high-quality proposal to serve as the SII-NRDZ-EEL. The project includes a 12-week summer internship program in each of its two years, with students spending 4 weeks in the laboratory of each of the team members. If selected as the SII-NRDZ-EEL, the USCISI-led team envisions drawing on its experience building and operating wired and wireless test facilities to lay the foundation for future wider use of radio dynamic zone spectrum sharing. The team focuses on a collaborative and scientifically based process for spectrum field trials; systematic and objective assessment of proposed spectrum sharing technologies and methodologies; and providing technical and management support that enables coordinated access to multiple radio dynamic zone sites. The team envisions a comprehensive toolkit supporting all stages of the lifecycle of a field trial, including requirements specification, feasibility analysis, spectrum sharing planning, experiment modeling, test design, test execution and analysis. The team will help build a strong dynamic spectrum sharing community by establishing a web based “ASPIRE hub.” The ASPIRE hub will be an entry point for researchers, a site for sharing tools and data that handles compliance issues, and a platform for community engagement. This project initiates progress towards the planned SII-NRDZ-EEL activities by designing a comprehensive process for NRDZ program field trials; curating an initial set of tools for the NRDZ toolkit; leveraging existing research infrastructure and hub-hosting software tools to bootstrap the ASPIRE hub; and fostering active collaboration with other NRDZ program participants and the broader community.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.