Matthew - Millimeter Wave Communications Meets Cellular
- Reference number
- SM13-0008
- Start and end dates
- 140301-161231
- Amount granted
- 1 302 040 SEK
- Administrative organization
- KTH - Royal Institute of Technology
- Research area
- Information, Communication and Systems Technology
Summary
The widespread availability of smart mobile devices and the use of broadband access to video and audio content as well as low latency machine type communications drive the demand for next generation (5G) cellular standards. Cellular operators are interested in exploiting untapped spectrum resources available in millimeter wave (MMW) or quasi-MMW bands, such as the 60 GHz frequency band. Apart from a large amount available spectrum, an advantage of MMW is that smaller wavelengths allow for the design of antenna arrays that have a massive number of antenna elements in a much smaller area than is typical in existing cellular deployments. This observation calls for massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems that can compensate for the unfavorable propagation and shadowing conditions in MMW bands. The main expected outcome of Matthew is a set of design guidelines that serve as a basis for defining physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) layer procedures that solve the technical challenges of MMW communications and take advantage of the large available bandwidth in 60 GHz and higher frequency bands as well as massive MIMO. The goal of Matthew is to integrate MMW based access networks in existing and evolving (5G) cellular systems. To this end, Matthew will deliver 3 deliverables in the 3 phases of the project: MMW PHY and MAC procedures, MMW procedures for massive MIMO and Integration of MMW Systems in 5G Cellular Systems.
Popular science description
Today we routinely use wireless devices such as cell phones and personal computers to access content and services over the Internet. Indeed, we manage our bank accounts, book flight tickets and talk with our loved ones using wireless devices. Wireless services have become an invisible, natural part of our personal lives and businesses. The technology that enabled such services and serve us every day needs to evolve so that more people and businesses can enjoy and benefit from even more services, such as remote health care and education, traffic safety, surveillance of our homes or watching high quality video through services such as YouTube. The evolution of the underlying technology requires making better use of one our most fundamental natural resources: radio spectrum. In fact, the single most important bottleneck resource in the way of making the Network Society a reality is the inefficient use or not using at all the spectrum resources in the millimeter wave (MMW) ranges, such as 60 GHz and above. The Matthew project does research in the field of MMW communications so that spectrum resources that cannot be used for large scale, affordable communications and wireless services today become available for commercial services. Our vision is that such services will integrate as seamlessly with our every day life as the Internet and cellular services of today. Matthew aims at transforming the spectrum shortage paradigm of today to a spectrum abundance paradigm for tomorrow through using smart antenna technology such as a large amount of small antenna elements placed at infrastructure nodes as well as consumer electronics, used in public and private, outdoor and indoor environments. Matthew is developing new ways of integrating MMW technology with current cellular and other wireless systems, such as wireless local area networks. To make this integration happen, it is necessary to understand the radio wave propagation characteristics in extreme high frequencies and adopt the wireless devices to these new characteristics in terms of how information is coded and transported, how energy is used efficiently and how the environment should be protected from the potentially harmful effects of using new spectrum. Matthew takes a holistic approach, in which fundamental research questions as well as system design challenges are addressed from the perspective of technology and service providers as well as the end users.