Wireless communication, identification and sensing technologies enabling integrated logistics: a study in the harbor environment

In the last decade, integrated logistics has become an important challenge in the development of wireless communication, identification and sensing technology, due to the growing complexity of logistics processes and the increasing demand for adapting systems to new requirements. The advancement of wireless technology provides a wide range of options for the maritime container terminals. Electronic devices employed in container terminals reduce the manual effort, facilitating timely information flow and enhancing control and quality of service and decision made. In this paper, we examine the technology that can be used to support integration in harbor's logistics. In the literature, most systems have been developed to address specific needs of particular harbors, but a systematic study is missing. The purpose is to provide an overview to the reader about which technology of integrated logistics can be implemented and what remains to be addressed in the future

In Pursuit of a Next Generation Network for Public Safety Communications

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a unitary reliance on Land Mobile Radio systems (LMRs) failed public safety agencies, leaving them without any source of communications once they lost transmission capability. Unfortunately, in the wake of this tragedy, many have dusted off traditional prescriptions for improving public safety communications, such as more dedicated spectrum and more money for single-purpose LMRs (or LMRs based on technology that fails to facilitate broader functionalities). As we explain, however, both the needs underscored by Katrina and the capabilities made possible by emerging technologies call for a different strategy. In this paper, we argue that sound policy favors adoption of a next generation flexible architecture strategy for public safety communications. Such a flexible architecture embraces technological convergence and, accordingly, strives to coordinate existing LMRs, commercial terrestrial services, satellite technology, and wireless broadband systems to provide a robust, reliable, secure, and interoperable broadband communications system. Additionally, this approach would take advantage of multi-mode radios which are already a reality in most segments of the marketplace (except for public safety). Such multi-mode radios are expected to be even more robust once the recently authorized ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) of mobile satellite services becomes an option for public safety agencies. Notably, the flexible architecture that we advocate does not necessarily require additional spectrum dedicated for public safety agencies nor prohibitive financial investment in the equipment needed to use spectrum effectively. Rather, public safety agencies can leverage networks provided by commercial providers - particularly hybrid satellite and terrestrial systems - to satisfy many public safety needs in a cost-effective fashion. To advance this vision, policymakers should ensure that (1) satellite and terrestrial providers are afforded the opportunity - through pro-market and innovative spectrum policies - to develop effective offerings for public safety agencies; and (2) public safety agencies receive sufficient financial support to promote this type of a hybrid, next generation architecture

Communicating During Emergencies: Toward Interoperability and Effective Information Management

The suboptimal state of communications technology used by public safety agencies has emerged as a high profile political issue. In most cases, public safety agencies are able only to communicate using antiquated networks, engineered solely for providing voice communications and unable to interoperate beyond a select number of users. This type of system fails to provide the type of economies of scale, network flexibility, or the broader functionalities routinely used by the military and private sector enterprises. The challenge facing policymakers is thus how to develop a next generation architecture for public safety and spur adoption of a new set of technologies that provide far greater functionality than today\u27s systems as well as interoperate with a broad array of organizations involved in emergency response. To change the culture and realities of public safety communications, this Article calls on policymakers to develop a new architecture for the use of information and communications technologies and provide a framework for leadership to transition to a next generation system for public safety communications. Such a culture change would include not only an embrace of new technologies, but a new framework for technology leadership - at the state or regional level - that spurs decisionmaking in a coordinated fashion (and not through ad hoc decisions by over 50,000 different local agencies). In short, this Article explains what new technologies can transform public safety communications and what intergovernmental relations strategy will be necessary to facilitate the implementation of such technologies

Communicating During Emergencies: Toward Interoperability and Effective Information Management

Symposium: The Crisis in Public Safety Communications. Held at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, December 8, 2006. To change the culture and realities of public safety communications, this Article calls on policymakers to develop a new architecture for the use of information and communications technologies and provide a framework for leadership to transition to a next generation system for public safety communications. Such a culture change would include not only an embrace of new technologies, but a new framework for technology leadership--at the state or regional level-that spurs decision making in a coordinated fashion (and not through ad hoc decisions by over 50,000 different local agencies). In short, this Article explains what new technologies can transform public safety communications and what intergovernmental relations strategy will be necessary to facilitate the implementation of such technologies

Ubiquitous robust communications for emergency response using multi-operator heterogeneous networks

A number of disasters in various places of the planet have caused an extensive loss of lives, severe damages to properties and the environment, as well as a tremendous shock to the survivors. For relief and mitigation operations, emergency responders are immediately dispatched to the disaster areas. Ubiquitous and robust communications during the emergency response operations are of paramount importance. Nevertheless, various reports have highlighted that after many devastating events, the current technologies used, failed to support the mission critical communications, resulting in further loss of lives. Inefficiencies of the current communications used for emergency response include lack of technology inter-operability between different jurisdictions, and high vulnerability due to their centralized infrastructure. In this article, we propose a flexible network architecture that provides a common networking platform for heterogeneous multi-operator networks, for interoperation in case of emergencies. A wireless mesh network is the main part of the proposed architecture and this provides a back-up network in case of emergencies. We first describe the shortcomings and limitations of the current technologies, and then we address issues related to the applications and functionalities a future emergency response network should support. Furthermore, we describe the necessary requirements for a flexible, secure, robust, and QoS-aware emergency response multi-operator architecture, and then we suggest several schemes that can be adopted by our proposed architecture to meet those requirements. In addition, we suggest several methods for the re-tasking of communication means owned by independent individuals to provide support during emergencies. In order to investigate the feasibility of multimedia transmission over a wireless mesh network, we measured the performance of a video streaming application in a real wireless metropolitan multi-radio mesh network, showing that the mesh network can meet the requirements for high quality video transmissions

Fault Tree Analysis for a Modern Communication System

Wireless communications became one of the most widespread means for transferring information. Speed and reliability in transferring the piece of information are considered one of the most important requirements in communication systems in general. Moreover, Quality and reliability in any system are considered the most important criterion of the efficiency of this system in doing the task it is designed to do and its ability for satisfactory performance for a certain period of time, Therefore, we need fault tree analysis in these systems in order to determine how to detect an error or defect when happening in communication system and what are the possibilities that make this error happens. This research deals with studying TETRA system components, studying the physical layer in theory and practice, as well as studying fault tree analysis in this system, and later benefit from this study in proposing improvements to the structure of the system, which led to improve gain in Link Budget. A simulation and test have been done using MATLAB, where simulation results have shown that the built fault tree is able to detect the system’s work by 82.4%

Femtocell deployment; next generation in cellular systems

The final Bachelor’s Thesis that is shown below has such a final purpose of giving an overview of the inclusion of the so-called Femtocells (or Home Node B) in the current cellular systems. The main objective is to give a clear but simple idea about the concepts of Femtocells, as well as to explain the benefits and disadvantages of the mass uses of these services both for consumers and associated companies with this phenomenon. In this text it is also possible to find a brief review of wireless technologies throughout the history of telecommunications, as well as an introduction to the more current wireless technologies, with a special interest in the concept of cellular systems. In the last chapter a simple mathematical explanation of the key issue of interference between Femtocells and macrocellular networks is presented, with a brief argument about possible solutions

Location System solution in TErrestrial Trunked RAdio (TETRA) Professional Mobile Radio networks

TETRA-järjestelmään (TErrestrial Trunked RAdio) on toteutettu paikkatietojärjestelmä tarjoamaan palvelua yksiköiden maantieteellisen paikkatiedon välittämiseksi sitä tarvitseville tahoille. Tämän palvelun toteutus noudattaa TETRA:lle asetettuja standardeja muun muassa välitettävän tiedon sisällön sekä palvelun käytön rajoitusten osalta. Tässä työssä ollaan kiinnostuneita havaitusta tarpeesta poiketa standardoiduista palvelun käytön rajoitteista paikkatiedon lyhimmän päivitysvälin osalta. TETRA standardi rajoittaa pienimmän mahdollisen paikkatiedon päivitysvälin kymmeneen sekuntiin minkä ei ole todettu tyydyttävän nopeasti liikkuvien kohteiden seuraamiseen tarvittavaa tiedonkeruutarvetta. Niinpä tässä tutkimuksessa työnä on pyrkiä pienentämään tämä päivitysfrekvenssi alle standardien asettaman rajan ja teettämään mittauksia liikenteen myötä järjestelmään aiheutuvista vaikutuksista. Diplomityön tavoitteena on tutkia tämän poikkeuksellisesta paikkatietopalvelun käytöstä aiheutuvia seurauksia palvelun laadun ylläpidettävyyteen ja TETRA-järjestelmän resurssien kulutukseen. Diplomityön teoriaosuudessa käydään läpi taustaa ammattikäyttöön suunnattujen matkapuhelinjärjestelmien (Professional Mobile Radio) tarkoitusperästä sekä lisäksi erityisesti keskitytään näihin kuuluvan TETRA ratkaisun olennaisimpiin osiin liittyen paikkatietosovelluksen toteutukseen ja työn tavoitteisiin. Tämän analyysin lisäksi esitellään muunnellusta paikkatietojärjestelmästä testiympäristössä saavutettuja mittaustuloksia ja vertaillaan näitä teoreettiseen TETRA-järjestelmän tarjoamaan suorituskykyyn sekä tavoiteltuun loppukäyttäjän kokemaan palvelun laatuun. Lopuksi pohditaan mahdollisuuksia työn mittaustulosten sekä aineiston analyysin pohjalta kartoitettujen paikkatietopalveluun aiheutuneiden vaikutusten pienentämiseksi. Nämä poikkeavan toiminnallisuuden mahdollistavat järjestelmän muutostarpeet kohdistuisivat tiettyihin systeemin parametreihin ja standardien sanelemiin rajoituksiin joista voitaisiin mahdollisuuksien mukaan poiketa.For Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) systems, there is a location system designed for enabling service, that provides unit geographical positions for parties who need them. The implementation of such service follows various standards applied for TETRA, having influence on delivered information contents and service usage restrictions among others. The focus of this work is on a perceived need for differing from the service usage restrictions on location information minimum update interval. The TETRA standard sets a limitation for the minimum location update interval to ten seconds, which is not seen to satisfy the information gathering needs for tracking fast moving objects. Therefore, the work task is to try to decrease the update frequency below the limits set by the standard and to measure any influences caused by the resulting traffic to the system. The objective of this thesis is then to study the impacts caused by the exceptional usage of the location system to the perceived service quality and consumption of resources in TETRA systems. In the theoretical part of this thesis, the background and purpose of Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) systems is discussed while at the same time the focus is on the most relevant aspects for implementing the location system in the TETRA PMR solution and objectives of this work. In addition to this analysis, measurement results from a test environment of the altered location solution are introduced and compared to the theoretical performance offered by TETRA systems and service quality perceived by end-users. In the end, possibilities for mitigating the impacts to the location service found based on the measurements and data analysis is discussed. These system modifications required for improving the exceptional location system usage should be concentrated on certain system parameters and standard based restrictions which could possibly he deviated from