Space-air-ground integrated networks for ubiquitous connectivity and mobile computing experience

在过去的几年里，无线通信和移动计算技术的发展取得了巨大的成功。显著的例子包括在世界许多国家推出和部署5G无线蜂窝网络、无人机(UAV)通信、密集近地轨道(LEO)卫星以及云/边缘计算技术。然而，现有的无线网络仍远远不能在整个地球上提供真正无处不在、身临其境的连接和计算体验，并有效地支持许多新兴的民用和军用应用程序和用例，如无线虚拟/增强现实、全息通信/网真和实时多感知通信。因此，为有效管理、运行和协调空间-空地综合网络(SAGIN)的不同网段而开发使能技术，以应对这些挑战，引起了学术界和工业界的极大兴趣。这也是本次研究计划的重点。这项研究计划的长期目标是为Sagin开发使能技术，提供无处不在的无线连接和移动计算体验。为此，该研究计划将致力于以下短期研究目标：1)利用无线回程的无人机辅助网络的无人机放置/轨迹控制和资源管理；2)利用多输入多输出(MIMO)通信和智能反射面(IRS)技术，为地面-空中网络段进行先进的无线电资源分配和网络控制；3)资源管理和路线选择，以有效协调Sagin的地面、空中和空间网络段；以及4)Sagin网络段的资源分配、计算卸载和网络管理。这项研究计划将有助于塑造未来的宽带和无所不在的通信和移动计算生态系统，以有效地支持和支持民用和军用应用/服务部门。因此，它将在技术和经济角度上产生重大贡献和影响，并将有助于保持加拿大在国际格局中的领导地位，并为推进加拿大的安全做出贡献。尤其是，该研究计划中进行的研究将导致创新的无线、卫星通信和计算技术，以实现许多新兴应用并提供无处不在的通信和计算服务。此外，拟议的研究将能够在广受欢迎的关键技术领域培训高素质的人员。

Tremendous success in the development of wireless communications and mobile computing technologies has been achieved in the last few years. Notable examples include the rollout and deployment of 5G wireless cellular networks, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communications, dense low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and cloud/edge computing technologies in many countries around the world. However, existing wireless networks are still far from delivering truly ubiquitous and immersive connectivity and computing experience across the entire planet and efficiently supporting many emerging civilian and military applications and use cases such as wireless virtual/augmented reality, holographic communications/telepresence, and real-time multi-sensory communications. Development of enabling technologies for effective resource management, operation, and coordination of different network segments of the space-air-ground integrated network (SAGIN) to address these challenges has therefore received great interests from academia and industry. This is also the focus of this research program. The long-term objective of this research program is to develop enabling technologies for the SAGIN that provide ubiquitous wireless connectivity and mobile computing experience. Toward this end, the research program will address the following short-term research objectives: 1) UAV placement/trajectory control and resource management for UAV-assisted networks with wireless backhauls; 2) Advanced radio resource allocation and network control for the terrestrial-aerial network segments leveraging multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communications, and intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS) technologies; 3) Resource management and routing for efficient coordination of the terrestrial, aerial, and spatial network segments of the SAGIN; and 4) Resource allocation, computation offloading, and network management for the SAGIN. This research program will contribute to shape the future broadband and ubiquitous communication and mobile computing eco-system to efficiently enable and support both civilian and military application/service sectors. Therefore, it will have significant contributions and impacts in both technical and economic viewpoints and it will help maintain the leadership of Canada in the international landscape and contribute to advance Canadian security. In particular, the research conducted in this research program will lead to innovative wireless, satellite communications, and computing technologies to realize many emerging applications and provide ubiquitous communications and computing services. In addition, the proposed research will enable to train Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) in the well-sought and critical technology domains.