Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Today's perceived scarcity of quality spectrum for next generation wireless applications is due in part to the large number of legacy applications currently enjoying exclusive access to what is often among the best quality spectrum. This is compounded by the fact that these legacy incumbent users under-utilize their spectral resources. The goal of this research is to study fundamental performance limits, tradeoffs, and enabling algorithms to configure and deploy cognitive radio networks that are capable of providing prioritized spectrum access, thereby providing the needed bandwidth for next generation technology while preserving prioritized access for legacy applications. Our work will span several layers of the network, starting with the physical layer and including the medium access control (MAC) layer, and network layer. More specifically, some of the issues that will be addressed are the design of modulation and coding schemes that can exploit spectral opportunities, methods by which to determine spectral opportunities, adaptive resource allocation algorithms, cognitive network co-existence algorithms as well as quantifying the broader gains that cognitive networks provide. One of the key objectives of the proposed research is the training of graduate student researchers and post-doctoral research associates in an area of strategic importance to the Canadian information technology industry. We have a strong commitment from Atria, an emerging local operator of wireless LANs. Their interaction will facilitate the transfer of knowhow as well as help in the refining research directions. The latter is essential due to rapid advances in technology and applications.