PFI-AIR: Architectures for the Future Cellular Networks

这项加速创新研究（AIR）项目将主要公司和大学聚集在一起，共同开发无线通信生态系统，以实现突破性技术的商业化，这些技术有望将当今无线蜂窝网络的容量提高1000倍以上。具体来说，三种现有技术将为无线手机制造商和基础设施提供商创建一个集成的原型阶段，并将其纳入下一代蜂窝标准。这些技术是：(i)毫米波（mmWave）蜂窝系统，它可以将蜂窝通信移动到20至120千兆赫之间的新频段，该频段的可用频谱可达50至100倍；（ii）中继和分布式协调技术，使超低成本的小型自组织细胞能够以数量级增加细胞站点的数量；以及（iii）可使通信带宽加倍并促进毫米波蜂窝系统所必需的波束形成技术的全双工通信。鉴于蜂窝产业的巨大市场规模（全球1万亿美元），再加上解决频谱短缺的解决方案的迫切需求，本提案中的突破性技术将提供巨大的市场价值、投资回报和就业机会。该AIR项目为工业界和学术界提供了开发关键产品和知识的途径，这些产品和知识将影响无线行业的标准制定过程，同时为整个美国的蜂窝网络带来数据吞吐量的大幅增加

This Accelerating Innovation Research (AIR) project brings together major companies and universities in the development of a wireless communications ecosystem to commercialize breakthrough technologies that promise to increase the capacity of today's wireless cellular networks by over 1000 times. Specifically, three existing technologies will be relied upon to create a prototype stage for integration by wireless handset makers and infrastructure providers as well as incorporation into next-generation cellular standards. These technologies are: (i) millimeter-wave (mmWave) cellular systems that can move cellular communication to new bands between 20 and 120 GHz where between 50 and 100 times more spectrum are readily available; (ii) relaying and distributed coordination techniques to enable ultra low-cost small, self-organizing cells that increase the numbers of cell sites by orders of magnitude; and (iii) full duplex communication that can double communication bandwidth and facilitate beamforming techniques essential for mmWave cellular systems.Given the enormous market size of the cellular industry ($1 trillion worldwide), combined with the pressing need for solutions to solve the spectrum crunch, the breakthrough technologies in this proposal will offer tremendous market value, return on investment, and opportunities for employment. This AIR project provides a path for both industry and academia to develop key products and knowledge that will impact the standard-setting process of the wireless industry, while bringing massive increases in data throughputs to cellular networks throughout the U.S.