Efficient spectrum utilization design for next-generation fixed transmission networks

在过去十年中，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，几乎在任何地方和任何时间都可以快速访问全球互联网。然而，趋势和预测表明，目前的通信网络需要继续大幅提高其传输能力，以跟上数据流量爆炸性增长的步伐。通信基础设施的一个关键组成部分是固定无线传输网络，其为固定接入网络提供宽带无线链路，并为移动的通信网络提供回程（以及最近还提供前传）。这些网络使用点对点和点对多点微波传输，并实现每秒千兆比特的数据传输率。在不断增长的通信量负载的背景下，已经做出了大量努力来进一步增加固定微波链路的数据吞吐量。为此，已考虑采用不同形式的数据多路复用、频带捆绑和使用新的频谱。在这个项目中，我们采取了一个有点不同的，实际上是互补的方法，这是基于观察，相邻的频率信道是不可能被用于相同的传输链路，即使在高密度部署的固定微波系统在世界上。这也打开了在频带的所谓频谱边缘中传输数据的大门，并且因此增加了链路容量而不改变频率信道分配并且不增加租赁者的频谱费用。我们制定了一项研究计划，预计将开发适合在频谱边缘实现传输的数据调制和检测方法。我们将探讨通信理论的限制，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。该项目是通过与一个工业合作伙伴的讨论而启动的，该合作伙伴是固定微波通信系统领域的全球市场领导者。它将培养学生成为最新通信技术方面的专家，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.