Adaptive frame structure and OFDMA resource allocation in mobile multi-hop relay networks

The objective of this thesis research is to optimize network throughput and fairness, and enhance bandwidth utilization in wireless mobile multi-hop relay (MMR) networks. To enhance bandwidth utilization, we propose an adaptive OFDMA frame structure which is used by the base station and the non-transparent relay stations. To optimize throughput and fairness, we develop an adaptive OFDMA allocation algorithm by using the proposed adaptive OFDMA frame. The effectiveness of the proposed schemes has been verified by numeric simulations. Providing ubiquitous coverage with wireless metropolitan area networks (WMANs) can be costly, especially in sparsely populated areas. In this scenario, cheaper relay stations (RSs) can be used to provide coverage instead of expensive base stations (BSs). The RS extends the coverage area of traditional BSs. This sort of network is known as a wireless MMR network. This thesis focuses on MMR networks that use orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) and time division duplex (TDD) as a multiple access scheme and a duplex communication technique (e.g., WiMAX). The use of OFDMA resources (e.g., OFDMA symbols and subcarriers) and how they are shared in current schemes can reduce system capacity and network throughput in certain scenarios. To increase the capacity of the MMR network, we propose a new protocol that uses an adaptive OFDMA frame structure for BSs and RSs. We also propose adaptive OFDMA resource allocation for subscriber stations (SSs) within a BS or RS. We derive the maximum OFDMA resources that RSs can be assigned and synchronize access zones and relay zones between a superior station and its subordinate RSs. This is bounded by three properties defined in this thesis: a data relay property, a maximum balance property, and a relay zone limitation property. Finally, we propose max-min and proportional fairness schemes that use the proposed adaptive frame structure. The proposed scheme is the first approach that incorporates the adaptive technique for wireless MMR networks. We evaluate our scheme using simulations and numerical analysis. Results show that our technique improves resource allocation in wireless MMR networks. Further, in asymmetric distributions of SSs between access zones and relay zones, the proposed OFDMA allocation scheme performs two times better than the non-adaptive allocation scheme in terms of average max-min fairness and 70% better in terms of average throughput.Ph.D.Committee Chair: Dr. John A. Copeland; Committee Member: Dr. George F. Riley; Committee Member: Dr. Henry L. Owen; Committee Member: Dr. Mary Ann Ingram; Committee Member: Dr. Patrick Trayno

Spectrum Sharing Methods in Coexisting Wireless Networks

Radio spectrum, the fundamental basis for wireless communication, is a finite resource. The development of the expanding range of radio based devices and services in recent years makes the spectrum scarce and hence more costly under the paradigm of extensive regulation for licensing. However, with mature technologies and with their continuous improvements it becomes apparent that tight licensing might no longer be required for all wireless services. This is from where the concept of utilizing the unlicensed bands for wireless communication originates. As a promising step to reduce the substantial cost for radio spectrum, different wireless technology based networks are being deployed to operate in the same spectrum bands, particularly in the unlicensed bands, resulting in coexistence. However, uncoordinated coexistence often leads to cases where collocated wireless systems experience heavy mutual interference. Hence, the development of spectrum sharing rules to mitigate the interference among wireless systems is a significant challenge considering the uncoordinated, heterogeneous systems. The requirement of spectrum sharing rules is tremendously increasing on the one hand to fulfill the current and future demand for wireless communication by the users, and on the other hand, to utilize the spectrum efficiently. In this thesis, contributions are provided towards dynamic and cognitive spectrum sharing with focus on the medium access control (MAC) layer, for uncoordinated scenarios of homogeneous and heterogeneous wireless networks, in a micro scale level, highlighting the QoS support for the applications. This thesis proposes a generic and novel spectrum sharing method based on a hypothesis: The regular channel occupation by one system can support other systems to predict the spectrum opportunities reliably. These opportunities then can be utilized efficiently, resulting in a fair spectrum sharing as well as an improving aggregated performance compared to the case without having special treatment. The developed method, denoted as Regular Channel Access (RCA), is modeled for systems specified by the wireless local resp. metropolitan area network standards IEEE 802.11 resp. 802.16. In the modeling, both systems are explored according to their respective centrally controlled channel access mechanisms and the adapted models are evaluated through simulation and results analysis. The conceptual model of spectrum sharing based on the distributed channel access mechanism of the IEEE 802.11 system is provided as well. To make the RCA method adaptive, the following enabling techniques are developed and integrated in the design: a RSS-based (Received Signal Strength based) detection method for measuring the channel occupation, a pattern recognition based algorithm for system identification, statistical knowledge based estimation for traffic demand estimation and an inference engine for reconfiguration of resource allocation as a response to traffic dynamics. The advantage of the RCA method is demonstrated, in which each competing collocated system is configured to have a resource allocation based on the estimated traffic demand of the systems. The simulation and the analysis of the results show a significant improvement in aggregated throughput, mean delay and packet loss ratio, compared to the case where legacy wireless systems coexists. The results from adaptive RCA show its resilience characteristics in case of dynamic traffic. The maximum achievable throughput between collocated IEEE 802.11 systems applying RCA is provided by means of mathematical calculation. The results of this thesis provide the basis for the development of resource allocation methods for future wireless networks particularly emphasized to operate in current unlicensed bands and in future models of the Open Spectrum Alliance

Detection of OFDM Signals Using Pilot Tones and Applications to Spectrum Sensing for Cognitive Radio Systems

Nowadays there are an increasing number of wireless devices which support wireless networking and the need for higher data rate communication is increasing rabidly. As more and more systems go wireless, approaching technologies will face spectral crowding and existence of wireless devices will be an important issue. Because of the limited bandwidth availability, accepting the request for higher capacity and data rates is a challenging task, demanding advanced technologies that can offers new methods of using the available radio spectrum. Cognitive radio introduces a key solution to the spectral increasing issue by presenting the opportunistic usage of spectrum that is not heavily occupied by licensed users. It is a latest idea in wireless communications systems which objective to have more adaptive and aware communication devices which can make better use of available natural resources. Cognitive radio appears to be an attractive solution to the spectral congestion problem by introducing the notion of opportunistic spectrum use. Cognitive radios can operate as a secondary systems on top of existence system which are called primary (or licensed) systems. In this case, secondary (cognitive) users need to detect the unused spectrum in order to be able to access it. Because of its many advantages, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) has been successfully used in numerous wireless standards and technologies. It\u27s shown that OFDM will play an important role in realizing the cognitive radio concept as well by providing a proven, scalable, and adaptive technology for air interface. Researches show that OFDM technique is considered as a candidate for cognitive radio systems. The objective of this dissertation is to explore detecting of OFDM modulated signals using pilot tones information. Specifically we applying Time-Domain Symbol Cross-Correlation (TDSC) method in the confect of actual 4G wireless standards such as WIMAX and LTE. This detection is only based upon the knowledge of pilot structures without knowledge of received signal so that, it can be performed on every portion of the received signal. The approach induces Cross-Correlation between pilots subcarriers and exploits the deterministic and periodic characteristics of pilot mapping in the time frequency domain

Performance Analysis and Enhancement of QoS Framework for Fixed WiMAX Networks. Design, analysis and evaluation of 802.16 Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) Quality of Service Framework based on uplink scheduler and call admission control analysis.

Given the current developments and advances in the scientific and technological aspects of human knowledge and introducing new approaches in various fields of telecommunication technologies and industries, there has been an increasing growth in its players¿ plans and a positive change in their outlooks in order to achieve the target of "anywhere and anytime access". Recent developments of WiMAX (Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access) networks, as a sign of increasing needs and demands for new telecommunication services and capabilities, have led to revolutions in global telecommunication which should be perceived properly in terms of the commercial and technical aspects in order to enjoy the new opportunities. Most experts believe that WiMAX technology is a preliminary step to develop Fourth Generation networks known as 4G technologies. It has not only succeeded in the utilization of several of the latest telecommunication techniques in the form of unique practical standards, but also paved the way for the quantitative and qualitative developments of high-speed broadband access. IEEE 802.16 Standard introduces several advantages, and one of them is the support for Quality of Services (QoS) at the Media Access Control (MAC) level. For these purposes, the standard defines several scheduling classes at MAC layer to treat service flow in a different way, depending on QoS requirements. In this thesis, we have proposed a new QoS framework for Point-to-Multi Point (PMP) 802.16 systems operating in Time Division Duplexing (TDD) mode over a WirelessMAN-OFDM physical layer. The proposed framework consists of a Call Admission Control (CAC) module and a scheduling scheme for the uplink traffic as well as a simple frame allocation scheme. The proposed CAC module interacts with the uplink scheduler status and it makes its decision based on the scheduler queue status; on the other hand, the proposed scheduling scheme for the uplink traffic aims to support realtime flows and adapts the frame-by-frame allocations to the current needs of the connections, with respect to the grants boundaries fixed by the CAC module. Extensive OPNET simulation demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed architecture

WIMAX 802.16 PHYSICAL LAYER IMPLEMENTATION AND WIMAX COVERAGE AND PLANNING.

Over the last decade, the impact of wireless communication on the way we live and carry out business has been surpassed only by impact of the internet. But wireless communications is still in its infancy and the next stage of its development will be supplementing or replacing network infrastructure that was traditionally wired. The advent and adoption of the computer and the myriad software packages available for it offered the ability to generate a new wave of communication combining art, pictures, music and words into a targeted multimedia presentation. These presentations are large so that is requires higher bandwidth transmission facilities. Coupling this with the need for mobility, the solution would be wireless data delivery putting in consideration the bandwidth request. WiMAX technology is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard, it was only recently when the first IEEE 802.16 based equipment broadband began to enter the market. The additional spectrum, bandwidth and throughout capabilities of 802.16 will remarkably improve wireless data delivery and should allows even more wireless data service areas to be deployed economically. In this Final Year Project, a study about the IEEE 802.16 standard and mainly concentrate on the 802.16 PHY Layer behaviors was performed. A Simulink based model for the 802.16 PHY Layer was built for simulation and performance evaluation of WiMAX. MATLA

Portfolio peak algorithms achieving superior performance for maximizing throughput in WiMAX networks

The Mobile WiMAX IEEE 802.16 standards ensure provision of last mile wireless access, variable and high data rate, point to multi-point communication, large frequency range and QoS (Quality of Service) for various types of applications. The WiMAX standards are published by the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and specify the standards of services and transmissions. However, the way how to run these services and when the transmission should be started are not specified in the IEEE standards and it is up to computer scientists to design scheduling algorithms that can best meet the standards. Finding the best way to implement the WiMAX standards through designing efficient scheduler algorithms is a very important component in wireless systems and the scheduling period presents the most common challenging issue in terms of throughput and time delay. The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to design and develop an efficient scheduling algorithm to provide the QoS support for real-time and non-real-time services with the WiMAX Network. This was achieved by combining a portfolio of algorithms, which will control and update transmission with the required algorithm by the various portfolios for supporting QoS such as; the guarantee of a maximum throughput for real-time and non-real-time traffic. Two algorithms were designed in this process and will be discussed in this thesis: Fixed Portfolio Algorithms and Portfolio Peak Algorithm. In order to evaluate the proposed algorithms and test their efficiency for IEEE 802.16 networks, the authors simulated the algorithms in the NS2 simulator. Evaluation of the proposed Portfolio algorithms was carried out through comparing its performance with those of the conventional algorithms. On the other hand, the proposed Portfolio scheduling algorithm was evaluated by comparing its performance in terms of throughput, delay, and jitter. The simulation results suggest that the Fixed Portfolio Algorithms and the Portfolio Peak Algorithm achieve higher performance in terms of throughput than all other algorithms. Keywords: WiMAX, IEEE802.16, QoS, Scheduling Algorithms, Fixed Portfolio Algorithms, and Portfolio Peak Algorithms.The Mobile WiMAX IEEE 802.16 standards ensure provision of last mile wireless access, variable and high data rate, point to multi-point communication, large frequency range and QoS (Quality of Service) for various types of applications. The WiMAX standards are published by the Institute of Electric and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and specify the standards of services and transmissions. However, the way how to run these services and when the transmission should be started are not specified in the IEEE standards and it is up to computer scientists to design scheduling algorithms that can best meet the standards. Finding the best way to implement the WiMAX standards through designing efficient scheduler algorithms is a very important component in wireless systems and the scheduling period presents the most common challenging issue in terms of throughput and time delay. The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to design and develop an efficient scheduling algorithm to provide the QoS support for real-time and non-real-time services with the WiMAX Network. This was achieved by combining a portfolio of algorithms, which will control and update transmission with the required algorithm by the various portfolios for supporting QoS such as; the guarantee of a maximum throughput for real-time and non-real-time traffic. Two algorithms were designed in this process and will be discussed in this thesis: Fixed Portfolio Algorithms and Portfolio Peak Algorithm. In order to evaluate the proposed algorithms and test their efficiency for IEEE 802.16 networks, the authors simulated the algorithms in the NS2 simulator. Evaluation of the proposed Portfolio algorithms was carried out through comparing its performance with those of the conventional algorithms. On the other hand, the proposed Portfolio scheduling algorithm was evaluated by comparing its performance in terms of throughput, delay, and jitter. The simulation results suggest that the Fixed Portfolio Algorithms and the Portfolio Peak Algorithm achieve higher performance in terms of throughput than all other algorithms. Keywords: WiMAX, IEEE802.16, QoS, Scheduling Algorithms, Fixed Portfolio Algorithms, and Portfolio Peak Algorithms

Quality of service in WiMAX networks

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrónica e TelecomunicaçõesO acesso à banda larga é um requisito importante na actualidade para satisfazer os utilizadores em termos de novas aplicações e serviços em tempo real. O WiMAX, como tecnologia sem fios para áreas metropolitanas, prometendo cobrir uma maior superfície e com maior débito, é uma tecnologia promissora para as redes de próxima geração. No entanto um requisito importante para a instalação e massificação desta tecnologia é o seu comportamento a nível de qualidade de serviços e garantia aos utilizadores do cumprimento eficiente dos requisitos de QoS. Esta tese aborda e estuda o suporte de qualidade de serviços para redes WiMAX presente em diferentes modelos de simulação, implementados na ferramenta de simulação ns-2. Para além da validação e comparação entre os modelos existentes, também é efectuada a especificação e implementação de uma solução de QoS composta por um classificador e escalonador, e é proposto e avaliado um algoritmo de escalonamento que utiliza prioritização de classes de serviço e informação física dinâmica “cross layer” para decisões de escalonamento no simulador. Para validar e avaliar as soluções propostas e desenvolvidas, um conjunto de cenários orientados para a utilização de vários serviços e aferição de métricas de QoS foram simulados. Os resultados obtidos mostram a diferenciação entre distintas classes de tráfego. O mecanismo proposto apresenta um pequeno ganho em débito e latência comparativamente às soluções previamente analisadas/implementadas. ABSTRACT: Broadband access is an important requirement to satisfy user demands and support a new set of real time services and applications. WiMAX, as a Broadband Wireless Access solution for Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks, covering large distances with high throughputs, is a promising technology for Next Generation Networks. Nevertheless, for the successful deployment and massification of WiMAX based solutions, Quality of Service (QoS) is a mandatory feature that must be supported. In this thesis , the QoS support for WiMAX in ns-2 simulation software is addressed. A QoS framework, composed by a packet classification mechanism and a scheduler, has been specified and implemented on the simulator, providing service differentiation over WiMAX networks. Furthermore, validation and comparison of different IEEE 802.16 simulation models is provided. Finally a scheduling solution is proposed and evaluated that uses prioritization and dynamic cross layer information for schedulling decisions in WiMAX networks. In order to validate the developed solutions, a set of QoS oriented scenarios have been simulated and the obtained results show that the implemented schedullers are able to efficiently differentiate between the different traffic classes and achieve gains in throughput and delay

A Survey on Scheduling in IEEE 802.16 Mesh Mode

Cataloged from PDF version of article.IEEE 802.16 standard (also known as WiMAX) defines the wireless broadband network technology which aims to solve the so called last mile problem via providing high bandwidth Internet even to the rural areas for which the cable deployment is very costly. The standard mainly focuses on the MAC and PHY layer issues, supporting two transmission modes: PMP (Point-to-Multipoint) and mesh modes. Mesh mode is an optional mode developed as an extension to PMP mode and it has the advantage of having an improving performance as more subscribers are added to the system using multi-hop routes. In 802.16 MAC protocol, mesh mode slot allocation and reservation mechanisms are left open which makes this topic a hot research area. Hence, the focus of this survey will mostly be on the mesh mode, and the proposed scheduling algorithms and performance evaluation methods

Performance evaluation of fixed WiMax physical layer under high fading channels

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.A radio channel characteristic modelling is essential in every network planning. This project deals with the performance of WiMax networks in an outdoor environment while using fading channel models. The radio channels characteristics are analyzed by simulations have been done using Matlab programming. Stanford University Interim(SUI) Channels set was proposed to simulate the fixed broadband wireless access channel environments where IEEE 802.16d is to be deployed. It has six channel models that are grouped into three categories according to three typical different outdoor Terrains, in order to give a comprehensive study of fading channels on the overall performance of the system, WiMax system has been tested under SUI channels that modified into account for 30o directional antennas, with 90% cell coverage and with 99.9% reliability in its geographical covered area. Furthermore, in order to combat the fading which occurs in urban areas and improve the capacity and the throughput of the system, multiples antennas at both ends of communication link are used, the transmission gain obtained when using multiple antennas instead of only a single antenna. Space-time coding and maximum ratio combining for more than one transmit and receive antenna is implemented to allow performance investigations in various MIMO scenarios. It has been concluded that uses multiple antennas at the receiver offers a significant improvement of 3 dB of gain in the channel SNR. This thesis also contain implementation of all compulsory features of the WiMax OFDM physical layer specified in IEEE 802.16-2004 using Matlab coding. In order to combat the temporal variations in quality on a multipath fading channel, an adaptive modulation technique is used. This technique employs multiple modulation schemes to instantaneously adapt to the variations in the channel SNR, thus maximizing the system throughput and improving BER performance. WiMax transceiver has been tested with and without encoding and studied the effect of encoding on multipath channel. Testing the system with flexible channel bandwidth has been part of this thesis. Finally it has been explained in this thesis the affect of increasing the size of cyclic prefix on overall performance of WiMax system