Efficient spectrum utilization design for next-generation fixed transmission networks

在过去的十年中，发达国家的数据通信基础设施经历了巨大的现代化和扩展，几乎可以随时随地快速访问全球互联网。然而，趋势和预测表明，当前的通信网络需要继续大幅提高其传输能力，以跟上数据流量的爆炸式增长。通信基础设施的一个关键组成部分是固定无线传输网络，它为固定接入网和移动通信网络的回程（最近也包括前传）提供宽带无线链路。这些网络使用点对点和点对多点微波传输，达到每秒千兆位的数据速率。在业务量日益增长的背景下，为进一步提高固定微波链路的数据吞吐量已经付出了巨大的努力。为此，考虑了不同形式的数据复用、频带捆绑和新频谱的使用。在这个项目中，我们采取了一种不同的，实际上是互补的方法，这是基于观察到相邻的频率通道不太可能用于相同的传输链路，即使在世界上高密度部署固定微波系统。这也为在所谓的频谱边缘的频带中传输数据打开了大门，从而在不改变频率通道分配和不增加租用者频谱费的情况下增加链路容量。我们已经制定了一项研究计划，预测了适合实现频谱边缘传输的数据调制和检测方法的发展。我们将探索通信理论的限制，并考虑微波链路的实际限制，以提供直接适用于实践的先进解决方案。这个项目是通过与一个在固定微波通信系统领域处于全球市场领先地位的工业合作伙伴的讨论而产生的。它将培养学生成为最新通信技术的专家，并具有良好的技术转让前景。****************

The data communication infrastructure in the developed world has experienced tremendous modernization and expansion over the past decade to provide fast access to the global Internet almost everywhere and anytime. However, trends and forecasts suggest that the current communication networks need to continue to substantially improve their transport capabilities to keep pace with the explosive growth of data traffic. One key component of the communication infrastructure are fixed wireless transmission networks, which provide broadband wireless links for fixed access networks and the backhaul (and since recently also fronthaul) for mobile communication networks. These networks use point-to-point and point-to-multipoint microwave transmission and achieve gigabit-per-second data rates. Against the backdrop of growing traffic load, significant efforts have been dedicated to further increase the data throughput of fixed microwave links. To this end, different forms of data multiplexing, bundling of frequency bands and the use of new frequency spectrum have been considered. In this project, we take a somewhat different and in fact complementary approach, which is based on the observation that adjacent frequency channels are unlikely to be used for the same transmission link, even in high density deployments of fixed microwave systems in the world. This opens the door to also transmit data in so-called spectrum skirts of frequency bands, and thus to increase the link capacity without changes to the frequency channel allocation and without increasing the spectrum fee for leaseholders. We have developed a research plan that foresees the development of data modulation and detection methods suited to realize transmission in spectrum skirts. We will explore the communication- theoretic limits and consider the practical constraints of microwave links to provide advanced solutions directly applicable in practice. This project has been stimulated by discussions with an industrial partner who is a worldwide market leader in the fixed microwave communication system domain. It will train students to become experts in the latest communications technology and has excellent prospects for technology transfer. ****************