128 research outputs found
A Vision and Framework for the High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) Networks of the Future
A High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) is a network node that operates in
the stratosphere at an of altitude around 20 km and is instrumental for
providing communication services. Precipitated by technological innovations in
the areas of autonomous avionics, array antennas, solar panel efficiency
levels, and battery energy densities, and fueled by flourishing industry
ecosystems, the HAPS has emerged as an indispensable component of
next-generations of wireless networks. In this article, we provide a vision and
framework for the HAPS networks of the future supported by a comprehensive and
state-of-the-art literature review. We highlight the unrealized potential of
HAPS systems and elaborate on their unique ability to serve metropolitan areas.
The latest advancements and promising technologies in the HAPS energy and
payload systems are discussed. The integration of the emerging Reconfigurable
Smart Surface (RSS) technology in the communications payload of HAPS systems
for providing a cost-effective deployment is proposed. A detailed overview of
the radio resource management in HAPS systems is presented along with
synergistic physical layer techniques, including Faster-Than-Nyquist (FTN)
signaling. Numerous aspects of handoff management in HAPS systems are
described. The notable contributions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in HAPS,
including machine learning in the design, topology management, handoff, and
resource allocation aspects are emphasized. The extensive overview of the
literature we provide is crucial for substantiating our vision that depicts the
expected deployment opportunities and challenges in the next 10 years
(next-generation networks), as well as in the subsequent 10 years
(next-next-generation networks).Comment: To appear in IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorial
Empowering Non-Terrestrial Networks with Artificial Intelligence: A Survey
6G networks can support global, ubiquitous and seamless connectivity through the convergence of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks (NTNs). Unlike terrestrial scenarios, NTNs pose unique challenges including propagation characteristics, latency and mobility, owing to the operations in spaceborne and airborne platforms. To overcome all these technical hurdles, this survey paper presents the use of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in learning and adapting to the complex NTN environments. We begin by providing an overview of NTNs in the context of 6G, highlighting the potential security and privacy issues. Next, we review the existing AI methods adopted for 6G NTN optimization, starting from machine learning (ML), through deep learning (DL) to deep reinforcement learning (DRL). All these AI techniques have paved the way towards more intelligent network planning, resource allocation (RA), and interference management. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in AI-powered NTN for 6G networks. Finally, we conclude by providing insights and recommendations on the key enabling technologies for future AI-powered 6G NTNs
Self-Evolving Integrated Vertical Heterogeneous Networks
6G and beyond networks tend towards fully intelligent and adaptive design in
order to provide better operational agility in maintaining universal wireless
access and supporting a wide range of services and use cases while dealing with
network complexity efficiently. Such enhanced network agility will require
developing a self-evolving capability in designing both the network
architecture and resource management to intelligently utilize resources, reduce
operational costs, and achieve the coveted quality of service (QoS). To enable
this capability, the necessity of considering an integrated vertical
heterogeneous network (VHetNet) architecture appears to be inevitable due to
its high inherent agility. Moreover, employing an intelligent framework is
another crucial requirement for self-evolving networks to deal with real-time
network optimization problems. Hence, in this work, to provide a better insight
on network architecture design in support of self-evolving networks, we
highlight the merits of integrated VHetNet architecture while proposing an
intelligent framework for self-evolving integrated vertical heterogeneous
networks (SEI-VHetNets). The impact of the challenges associated with
SEI-VHetNet architecture, on network management is also studied considering a
generalized network model. Furthermore, the current literature on network
management of integrated VHetNets along with the recent advancements in
artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) solutions are discussed.
Accordingly, the core challenges of integrating AI/ML in SEI-VHetNets are
identified. Finally, the potential future research directions for advancing the
autonomous and self-evolving capabilities of SEI-VHetNets are discussed.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, 2 table
Communication and Control in Collaborative UAVs: Recent Advances and Future Trends
The recent progress in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) technology has
significantly advanced UAV-based applications for military, civil, and
commercial domains. Nevertheless, the challenges of establishing high-speed
communication links, flexible control strategies, and developing efficient
collaborative decision-making algorithms for a swarm of UAVs limit their
autonomy, robustness, and reliability. Thus, a growing focus has been witnessed
on collaborative communication to allow a swarm of UAVs to coordinate and
communicate autonomously for the cooperative completion of tasks in a short
time with improved efficiency and reliability. This work presents a
comprehensive review of collaborative communication in a multi-UAV system. We
thoroughly discuss the characteristics of intelligent UAVs and their
communication and control requirements for autonomous collaboration and
coordination. Moreover, we review various UAV collaboration tasks, summarize
the applications of UAV swarm networks for dense urban environments and present
the use case scenarios to highlight the current developments of UAV-based
applications in various domains. Finally, we identify several exciting future
research direction that needs attention for advancing the research in
collaborative UAVs
Evolution of Non-Terrestrial Networks From 5G to 6G: A Survey
Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) traditionally have certain limited applications. However, the recent technological advancements and manufacturing cost reduction opened up myriad applications of NTNs for 5G and beyond networks, especially when integrated into terrestrial networks (TNs). This article comprehensively surveys the evolution of NTNs highlighting their relevance to 5G networks and essentially, how it will play a pivotal role in the development of 6G ecosystem. We discuss important features of NTNs integration into TNs and the synergies by delving into the new range of services and use cases, various architectures, technological enablers, and higher layer aspects
pertinent to NTNs integration. Moreover, we review the corresponding challenges arising from the technical peculiarities and the new approaches being adopted to develop efficient integrated
ground-air-space (GAS) networks. Our survey further includes the major progress and outcomes from academic research as well as industrial efforts representing the main industrial trends, field
trials, and prototyping towards the 6G networks
Evolution of Non-Terrestrial Networks From 5G to 6G: A Survey
Non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) traditionally have certain limited applications. However, the recent technological advancements and manufacturing cost reduction opened up myriad applications of NTNs for 5G and beyond networks, especially when integrated into terrestrial networks (TNs). This article comprehensively surveys the evolution of NTNs highlighting their relevance to 5G networks and essentially, how it will play a pivotal role in the development of 6G ecosystem. We discuss important features of NTNs integration into TNs and the synergies by delving into the new range of services and use cases, various architectures, technological enablers, and higher layer aspects
pertinent to NTNs integration. Moreover, we review the corresponding challenges arising from the technical peculiarities and the new approaches being adopted to develop efficient integrated
ground-air-space (GAS) networks. Our survey further includes the major progress and outcomes from academic research as well as industrial efforts representing the main industrial trends, field
trials, and prototyping towards the 6G networks
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