Bluetooth-based radio access with asymmetric processing

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Hospitals are demanding Wireless networks in order to reliably access/transfer information to/from the point-of-care, allowing healthcare professionals to make faster decisions and diagnosis. In warehouses, homes, office, etc., information, products and documents need to be distributed and tracked. The objective of this project is to develop an asymmetric wireless network experimental system with centralized processing and distributed access points that provide wireless service to picocells (cluster of room, etc.) using Bluetooth devices and sensors. Access points are fitted with multiple antennas (MIMO) and are connected to the processing centre via optical fibers or cables. The access points are generic (non-standard specific) and therefore enables the network to support other standards such as IEEE 802.xx. Signals on the reverse links are down converted, amplified and sampled at the access point, and transmitted to the processing centre where the bulk of the processing is done according to signal format or standard. On the forward link, signalling format such as modulation, error correction coding, space time coding, beamforming, encryption, etc. are generated at the processing centre and transmitted to the access points. Optical fibers or cables provide the wide bandwidth required for data transfer to/from the access point. This asymmetric configuration provides numerous opportunities. The access points need not be replaced as standards evolve. There is more flexibility with respect to processing power requirement, ease of signal format or antenna reconfiguration and security processing. The test bed is, therefore, useful for multi-standard operation and for testing new standards and algorithms. Novel, low complexity, low power MIMO processing algorithms will be developed to improve transmission rate, co-existence with other wireless systems and user capacity. These solutions will lead to a new design of local/personal area networks and multi-standard access points that will significantly impact, for example, how Canadian healthcare professionals handle and share patient inormation for speedy diagnosis and treatment. Other Canadian services that will benefit are warehouses, offices, schools etc.