Cognitive Networking for Wireless Communication in Rural Areas: A Directional Antennas and Propagation Modeling Approach with Low Cost Implementation

认知网络在农村地区的无线通信：定向天线和传播建模方法与低成本实现机构：夏威夷大学摘要一千九百万人，美国人口的6%，没有可靠的宽带和高数据速率的通信覆盖，由于在农村地区的交通不便。这些服务的提供对于这些地区的教育、就业、保健和经济发展至关重要。拟议工作的目标是开发一个实用和负担得起的无线通信系统，覆盖并最适合农村地区的需要。所提出的技术特别适用于具有广阔覆盖要求、地形崎岖、接入节点和基站稀疏的区域。该项目涉及开发一种综合方法，其基础是利用“先进的”缓慢移动（或静止的，但根据视线规划战略性地放置）移动的节点，这些节点具有扩展的监测和控制能力，以促进使用先进的天线和传播技术，同时不需要改变现有的媒体访问控制（MAC）标准和ISO通信模型的上层。拟议中的农村地区负担得起的无线通信和连接技术将对美国和世界各地的少数民族和代表性不足的社区产生重大的教育，创造就业机会，医疗保健和经济发展影响。它代表了一种适合这些社区长期未得到满足的需求的解决方案。在夏威夷甚至更远的农村地区展示拟议的技术及其使用，将为这些社区带来显着的经济、教育和医疗保健（远程患者监测）好处。 随着无线协议和实现标准继续扩展以具有额外的能力来满足快速增长的需求，将诸如农村地区的特殊需求与ISO通信模型中的设定协议和标准进行接口和集成也变得越来越困难。拟议的工作解决了这个问题，将开发一个负担得起的，可扩展的和有效的系统，利用创新技术和研究进展，而不需要改变和调整MAC和ISO模型的上层。所提出的过程是基于使用所谓的“高级”节点，其中包括使用“定向天线”，波束转向能力，传播建模的集成，认知频谱感测能力的实现，并且还提供在这些节点中的每个中的网络拓扑控制。 具体的创新包括开发新的宽带、双极化和低成本定向天线阵列设计，具有波束控制能力，以及实施多级细节传播建模，以提高接收机性能，同时最大限度地减少所需的计算时间和资源。所提出的认知网络系统和相关的“高级”节点的引入，不仅提供了通信优势，例如使用高增益天线的扩展范围和区域覆盖以及定向时相对较低的功率要求，使用（而不是全向的）天线，但是在这些单元中的通信信道链路控制的集成促进了所提出的定向物理层与ISO模型中的MAC和其他上层，无需修改或更改设定的标准和协议。一个在天线、传播和网络方面具有专门知识的调查小组正在参与这项提议。除了广泛的模拟和优化研究，两个“先进的”节点原型系统将开发和测试在广阔的和具有挑战性的地形条件下在农村地区的夏威夷的岛屿。

Cognitive Networking for Wireless Communication in Rural Areas: A Directional Antennas and Propagation Modeling Approach with Low Cost ImplementationInstitution: University of HawaiiAbstract Nineteen million people, 6 percent of the US population, do not have reliable broadband and high data rate communications coverage due to inaccessibility in rural areas. Availability of such services is essential to education, jobs, health care, and the economic development of these areas. The objective of the proposed work is to develop a practical and affordable wireless communication system that covers and best fits the needs of rural areas. The proposed technology is particularly suitable for applications in areas with vast coverage requirements, rough terrain, and sparse access nodes and base stations. The project involves the development of an integrative approach based on the utilization of "advanced" slow moving (or stationary but strategically placed based on sight planning) mobile nodes with extended monitoring and control capabilities to facilitate the use of advanced antennas and propagation technologies while not requiring changes in existing Medium Access Control (MAC) standards and upper layers of the ISO communications model. The proposed affordable wireless communication and connectivity technology in rural areas will have significant educational, job creation, health care, and economic development impact on minorities and underrepresented communities in the US and throughout the world. It represents a solution that fits the long unaddressed needs of these communities. Demonstrating the proposed technology and its use in rural areas in Hawaii, and perhaps beyond, will have significant economic, educational, and health care (remote patient monitoring) benefits to these communities. As wireless protocols and implementation standards continue to expand with additional capabilities to meet fast growing demands, it is also becoming more difficult to interface and integrate special needs such as those of rural areas with set protocols and standards in the ISO communication model. The proposed work addresses this issue, and an affordable, expandable, and effective system will be developed that utilizes innovative technology and research advances without requiring changes and adjustments in the MAC and upper layers of the ISO model. The proposed procedure is based on the use of the so called "advanced" nodes which include the use of "directional antennas," beam steering capabilities, integration of propagation modeling, implementation of cognitive spectrum sensing capabilities, and also providing networking topology controls in each of these nodes. Specific innovations include development of new broadband, dual polarization and low cost directional antenna array designs with beam steering capabilities and the implementation of multi-level details propagation modeling to enhance receivers performance while minimizing required computation time and resources. The proposed cognitive network system and the associated introduction of the "advanced" nodes, not only provide communication advantages such as extended range and area coverage using high gain antennas and the relatively lower power requirements when directional (rather than omnidirectional) antennas are used, but the integration of the communication channel links controls in these units facilitates interfaces between the proposed directional physical layer with the MAC and other upper layers in the ISO model without modification or alteration of set standards and protocols. A team of investigators with expertise in antennas, propagation, and networking, is participating in this proposal. In addition to the extensive simulation and optimization studies, two "advanced" nodes prototype systems will be developed and tested in the vast and challenging terrain conditions in rural areas in the islands of Hawaii.