The objective of this program is to build on the theoretical foundations of cooperative communications, and to develop key components of a communications system that would enable such a system in practice. In particular, the goal is to investigate the detailed implementation of a cooperation technique between the source terminal and multiple relays to increase the capacity of an uplink in the context of WLAN and cellular systems.
Intellectual merit: The intellectual merit of this program is the development of the theoretical foundation, the necessary system design principles, and the demonstration of a prototype system of cooperative wireless systems that will enable future capacity scaling of wireless communications. The goal of this system will be to achieve a throughput gain in wireless systems that increases with the number of single-hop relays in the system, while maintaining low-complexity operations at each of the relays. The target system will be designed and evaluated on a configurable radio platform.
Broader impacts: The broader impacts include the development of networks that meet the vision of inexpensive wireless broadband access everywhere as outlined in the National Broadband Plan. Through our industrial relations, the developed technology will be transformed from theory toward a commercial practice, simultaneously providing means for corresponding regulatory and standardization changes. A new generation of engineers will be educated, able to envision, analyze and develop practical wireless communications systems of the future. To broaden the impact, practical applications of our work will be incorporated in graduate curricula and outreach to underrepresented groups.
