| NSF Org: |
CNS Division Of Computer and Network Systems |
| Recipient: |
|
| Initial Amendment Date: | September 14, 2016 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | May 8, 2017 |
| Award Number: | 1642873 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Alhussein Abouzeid
aabouzei@nsf.gov (703)292-7855 CNS Division Of Computer and Network Systems CSE Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering |
| Start Date: | October 1, 2016 |
| End Date: | September 30, 2021 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,200,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $1,216,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2017 = $16,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
|
| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
300 TURNER ST NW BLACKSBURG VA US 24060-3359 (540)231-5281 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
|
| Primary Place of Performance: |
Blacksburg VA US 24061-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
|
| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
|
| Parent UEI: |
|
| NSF Program(s): |
Special Projects - CNS, EARS |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001718DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
|
| Program Element Code(s): |
|
| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.070 |
ABSTRACT
The radio frequency spectrum that can be used for wireless communications is a finite but extremely valuable resource. With the proliferation of new wireless applications, the use of the radio spectrum has intensified to the point that there is a critical need of new spectrum-sharing mechanisms and improved spectrum policies. In the recent NSF workshop report on Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS), several Grand Challenges are outlined for the research community to realize the vision of enhancing the efficiency of future spectrum use. One of the Grand Challenges is harmonious co-existence of heterogeneous wireless technologies, with the goal of accommodating multiple wireless access technologies that would operate in the same radio spectrum band. The proposed research addresses the co-existence Grand Challenge by investigating the following three tightly-coupled research areas: (1) Coexistence between Wi-Fi and cellular on unlicensed bands; (2) Coexistence of radar and cellular on radar bands; and (3) New software and hardware testbeds for coexistence. The proposed research activities will catalyze broader impact activities in multiple dimensions: (1) improving and influencing future spectrum policies by the government; (2) transitioning technologies to industry; (3) developing new education materials and software tools to be used in classroom; and (4) attracting and engaging students, particularly female and under-represented students in spectrum-sharing research activities.
The proposed research addresses the coexistence Grand Challenge by tackling two of the most popular wireless services (Wi-Fi and cellular) on radio spectrum bands. The proposed research on coexistence between Wi-Fi and cellular on unlicensed bands takes a new approach to resolve the potential conflict between the two technologies by shifting focus to the user side and maximizing total user satisfaction. The research on coexistence between radar and cellular on the radar bands explores the largely untapped radar spectrum that the government is considering for coexistence. The proposed architecture goes well beyond the current Spectrum Access Server concept by considering some unique characteristics and challenges associated with radar systems. New software and hardware testbeds will be developed to offer the much-needed facility for the research community for validation and experimentation of new approaches for coexistence. The outcomes of the research will be shared with government and regulatory agencies to help improve spectrum policies, which are crucial to enable the proposed new coexistence technologies to make impacts in the real world.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
Note:
When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external
site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a
charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from
this site.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Spectrum sharing allows two or more different kinds of wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi and cellular or radar and cellular, to coexist in the same radio frequency band. Spectrum sharing can be an efficient way to provide services using limited spectrum resources. However, there are many challenges to a harmonious existence in the same spectrum. This project focuses on addressing some of the most important problems among these challenges.
Major efforts within the project include studying spectrum sharing between Wi-Fi and cellular systems in radio frequency bands that can be used without a license as well as spectrum sharing between radar and cellular systems on frequencies that were formerly used only by radar systems. In addition, the project aims to develop software and hardware testbeds that can be used to run wireless coexistence experiments, with the goal of evaluating different approaches to spectrum sharing. Faculty members who worked on the project have engaged with government and regulatory agencies to develop and improve spectrum policies, which are crucial to enable new technologies to benefit from spectrum sharing and to make impacts in the real world.
The topics addressed by the project include using 5G base stations in picocells (that serve users in a very small area) in places within “macrocells” (larger areas served by other 5G base stations) when both the picocells and macrocell share the same range of frequencies. Additional topics are related to addressing uncertainty that happens in the quality of the radio channels between high-priority (primary) and lower-priority (secondary) radio frequency spectrum users. The project also developed an open source spectrum access system (SAS). The SAS is an automatic frequency coordination system that helps ensure that secondary users do not interfere with signals sent and received by primary users. The project also helped to increase Virginia Tech's capability to support spectrum-sharing experimentation.
The project team developed a novel scheduler called GPU-based Underlay Coexistence (GUC) that can find a near-optimal solution in real-time. GPUs are graphics cards that can perform large scale parallel computations very quickly for graphics. However, GPUs can also be used for other purposes, including finding the best, or at least a very good, solution to schedule times and frequencies to users so that they use the band efficiently and with very little interference.
The project developed a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) for O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network). This RIC will help Virginia Tech run spectrum-sharing experiments in its testbeds. The project also developed a SAS (https://github.com/vtwireless/SAS). Initial frequency assignment simulations and newer versions under development are available at the same web address. The project developed another simulation that uses machine learning for frequency selection in a shared radio frequency band (https://vtwireless.github.io/HLSI/18_machine_learning_time_based_avoidance.html, source code at https://github.com/vtwireless/HLSI). The simulation runs in a web browser and lets users select and run different programs to find unused frequencies. Users can also write and test their own programs on the simulation web page. Also, a student wrote a thesis on ways to share frequencies while protecting potentially sensitive information about primary users like military radars (https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/bitstream/handle/10919/104015/Makin_C_T_2021.pdf).
The PI/Co-PIs have been sharing research results through major conferences and journals (https://www.ears.radiospectrum.wireless.vt.edu/publications.html). The investigators also actively engaged with government agencies to help shape future spectrum policies and regulations. Some recent activities include:
- Invited presentation by Dr. Reed to the WSRD meeting (with federal spectrum managers from across agencies) on non-terrestrial networks and issues associated with 5G system.
- Invited presentation by Dr. Reed to the WSRD meeting on the impact of 6G on spectrum usage.
- Invited participation of Dr. Reed in a National Academies of Engineering, Science, and Medicine committee to review interference issues associated with Legado and GPS.
- Ongoing discussions with NTIA and FCC to develop a program for student research internships at these agencies.
The open-source SAS serves as a resource for research both within and beyond Virginia Tech. The Radio Access Network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC) for Open-RAN (O-RAN) facilitates future spectrum-sharing experimentation. The SAS and simulations are being integrated into CEU courses to be offered by Virginia Tech's Continuing and Professional Education office. Parts of the CEU courses will be available for use in regular courses at Virginia Tech and elsewhere.
Last Modified: 02/04/2022
Modified by: Carl B Dietrich
Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.
