Cognitive wireless mesh networks for multimedia applications

无线网状网络作为一种新技术已经出现，它具有巨大的潜力，可以为在各种环境中灵活快速地部署基于Internet的服务提供低成本的手段。与此同时，认知无线电的概念带来了以最低成本增加带宽可用性的承诺。这两种技术的目的相辅相成，本研究的重点是设计支持多媒体和应急服务的下一代认知无线网状网络。我们将开发能够提供这些服务的架构，并提供所需的QoS和服务连续性保护。所有系统层之间的密切交互将为快速适应不断变化的环境提供信息。为监察通讯流量分布及频谱环境的这些变化，当局会研究一套涵盖不同时间尺度的监察方案。为了充分利用可用频谱，我们将定义认知无线电架构，以提供所提议的服务和资源管理模型所需的功能。自适应MAC和路由机制将使用这些特性来提供所考虑的应用程序所需的QoS和服务连续性保护。我们将提出一个资源管理框架，该框架通过定义良好的跨层接口在所有系统层之间提供平衡的协作。这种方法的关键要素将是一个新的经济框架，它考虑到网络收入以及不同层次和时间尺度上的静态和动态成本。这种方法将为网络运营商的成本考虑和用户的质量目标提供连贯的整合。加拿大贝尔公司参与该项目将有助于引导研究方向，强调实际考虑以及促进知识向行业转移。

Wireless mesh networks have emerged as a new technology that has a significant potential to provide low costmeans for flexible and fast deployment of Internet based services in diverse environments. At the same time theconcept of cognitive radios brings a promise of increased bandwidth availability at a minimum cost. Thepurposes of these two technologies fit each other in a very complementary way and this research proposalfocuses on the design of next generation cognitive wireless meshed networks that can support multimedia andemergency services. We will develop architectures that can offer such services with the required QoS andservice continuity protection. A close interaction between all system layers will provide information for fastadaptation to changing environments. To monitor these changes in traffic distribution and spectrumenvironments, a monitoring scheme covering different time scales will be investigated. To make the best use ofavailable spectrum, we will define cognitive radio architectures that can provide features required by theproposed service and resource management models. These features will be used by adaptive MAC and routingmechanisms to provide the QoS and service continuity protection required by the considered applications. Wewill propose a framework for resource management that provides balanced collaboration across all systemlayers by means of well defined cross layer interfaces. The key element of this approach will be a noveleconomic framework that takes into account network revenues as well as both static and dynamic costs acrossdifferent layers and time scales. This approach will provide coherent integration of network operator's costconcerns and users' quality objectives. Bell Canada's involvement in the project will help steer the researchdirection and emphasize practical considerations as well as facilitate knowledge transfer to industry.