The WiMAX technology (IEEE 802.16) can provide high-speed and long-range wireless communications for a large variety of applications. Smart antennas, such as Digital Adaptive Array (DAA) and Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO) antennas, can offer a long transmission range and improve network capacity via interference suppression and spatial multiplexing. The objective of this project is to provide a comprehensive networking solution for a WiMAX mesh network with smart antennas by investigating the fundamental problems, including scheduling, routing and relay station placement. Specifically, their computational complexities will be investigated, and efficient and standard-compliant algorithms and protocols will be proposed to solve them. The PI will also develop a relay station model in the OPNET Modeler, and a DAA antenna based testbed to evaluate and validate the proposed solutions.
The algorithms and protocols proposed in this project can be applied in the WiMAX product development and are expected to impact the standardization activities in IEEE and IETF. The relay station model and the testbed can be used by other researchers for evaluation and validation. Moreover, the proposed research activities will complement and enrich the curriculum on wireless communications and networking.
