II-NEW: Versatile Hardware Emulator for ISM-band Network Management

实验研究对无线网络协议的开发具有重要意义。虽然广泛使用的用于实验研究的仿真方法有利于研究大规模的网络级性能，但仿真器不能准确地表示真实的物理环境和硬件实现。另一方面，试验台方法可以解决模拟方法的真实感缺陷，但面临严重的重复性和可控性问题。评估无线网络协议的最新趋势是使用无线仿真器。仿真器既可以实现高度真实感，又可以实现细粒度的重复性。该项目开发了一个通用的基于硬件的仿真器，支持在广泛的ISM频段无线网络(2-6 GHz)上进行可控、可重复和可扩展的实验，包括IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n、IEEE 802.15.4和蓝牙网络。硬件仿真器是一种特别方便的研究工具，通过提供一个可控的干扰环境来研究ISM频段中的独特干扰问题。它允许在许多研究项目中进行实验研究，包括无线网络协议开发、干扰缓解技术和资源管理。该项目影响下一代无线网络的实施、评估和开发。本项目所设计的仿真器对多种商业和民用应用具有普遍的适用性。该模拟器还为教学使用提供了一个自然的工具，帮助有效的课堂教学和归纳学习。

Experimental investigations are important in the development of wireless network protocols. While the widely used simulation approach for experimental investigations is good for studying large-scale network-level performance, simulators cannot represent the real physical environment and hardware implementation precisely. On the other hand, the testbed approach can address the realism drawback of the simulation approach, but faces serious repeatability and control issues. A recent trend on evaluating wireless network protocols is to use wireless emulators. Emulators can achieve both a high degree of realism and fine-grained repeatability. This project develops a versatile hardware-based emulator supporting controllable, repeatable, and scalable experiments over a wide range of ISM-band wireless networks (2-6GHz), including IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n, IEEE 802.15.4, and Bluetooth networks. The hardware emulator is a particularly convenient research tool for investigating the unique interference issue in ISM bands by providing a controllable interference environment. It enables experimental investigations in a number of research projects, including wireless network protocol development, interference mitigation techniques, and resource management. This project impacts the implementation, evaluation, and development of next-generation wireless networks. The designed emulator from this project has general applicability to many commercial and civilian applications. The emulator also provides a natural tool for instructional use, assisting effective classroom teaching and inductive learning.