Search

We propose a method to first identify users who have the most negative impact on the overall network performance, and then offload them to an orthogonal channel. The feasibility of such an approach is verified using real-world traces, network simulations, and a lab experiment that employs multi-homed wireless stations. In our experiment, as offload target, we employ LiFi IR transceivers, and as the primary network we consider a typical Enterprise Wi-Fi setup. We found that a limited number of users can impact the overall experience of the Wi-Fi network negatively, hence motivating targeted offloading. In our simulations and experiments we saw that the proposed solution can improve the collision probability with 82% and achieve a 61 percentage point air utilization improvement compared to random offloading, respectively.

In this paper, we propose a global digital platform to avoid and combat epidemics. It leverages the pervasiveness of wireless connectivity while being trustworthy and secure. The proposed system is conceptualized to be decentralized yet federated, based on ubiquitous public systems and active citizen participation. Its foundations lie on the principle of informational self-determination.We argue that only in this way it can become a trustworthy and legitimate public good infrastructure for citizens by balancing the asymmetry of the different hierarchical levels within the federated organization while providing highly effective detection and guiding mitigation measures towards graceful lockdown of the society. Pre-print

Neutral Host Small Cell Providers (SCP) represent a key element of the 5G vision of ultra-dense mobile networks. However, current business models mostly focus on multi-year agreements for large venues, such as stadiums and hotel chains. These business agreements are regulated through binding Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which tend to be too cumbersome and costly for smaller scale SCPs. As a result, the neutral host model does not scale up to its full potential. In this paper, we propose a framework to enable the participation of small- to medium-sized players in the cellular market as providers offering network resources to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). To this purpose, we review the current and emerging spectrum and technology opportunities that SCPs can use for neutral host deployments. We also propose the use of blockchain-enabled smart contracts as a simple and cost-efficient alternative to traditional SLAs for small-scale SCPs. To demonstrate this, we describe a proof of concept implementation of an Ethereum-based smart contract platform for best-effort service between an SCP and an MNO. Our simulations on potential smart contract-based deployments in city centre Dublin show that the received signal strength in the considered area will increase by an average of $10$ percent.

This paper introduces an industrial cyber-physical system (CPS) based on the Internet of Things (IoT) that is designed to detect rare events based on machine learning. The framework follows the following three generic steps: (1) Large data acquisition / dissemination: A physical process is monitored by sensors that pre-process the (assumed large) collected data and send the processed information to an intelligent node (e.g., aggregator, central controller); (2) Big data fusion: The intelligent node uses machine learning techniques (e.g., data clustering, neural networks) to convert the received ("big") data to useful information to guide short-term operational decisions related to the physical process; (3) Big data analytics: The physical process together with the acquisition and fusion steps can be virtualized, building then a cyber-physical process, whose dynamic performance can be analyzed and optimized through visualization (if human intervention is available) or artificial intelligence (if the decisions are automatic) or a combination thereof. Our proposed general framework, which relies on an IoT network, aims at an ultra-reliable detection/prevention of rare events related to a pre-determined industrial physical process (modelled by a particular signal). The framework will be process- independent, however, our demonstrated solution will be designed case-by-case. This paper is an introduction to the solution to be developed by the FIREMAN consortium.

Spectrum sharing is one of the promising solutions to meet the spectrum demand in 5G networks that results from the emerging services like machine to machine and vehicle to infrastructure communication. The idea is to allow a set of entities access the spectrum whenever and wherever it is unused by the licensed users. In the proposed framework, different spectrum provider (SP) networks with surplus spectrum available may rank the operators requiring the spectrum, called spectrum users (SUs) hereafter, differently in terms of their preference to lease spectrum, based for example on target business market considerations of the SUs. Similarly, SUs rank SPs depending on a number of criteria, for example based on coverage and availability in a service area. Ideally, both SPs and SUs prefer to provide/get spectrum to/from the operator of their first choice, but this is not necessarily always possible due to conflicting preferences. We apply matching theory algorithms with the aim to resolve the conflicting preferences of the SPs and SUs and quantify the effect of the proposed matching theory approach on establishing preferred (spectrum) provider-user network pairs. We discuss both one-to-one and many-to-one spectrum sharing scenarios and evaluate the performance using Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that comprehensive gains in terms of preferred matching of the provider-user network pairs can be achieved by applying matching theory for spectrum sharing as compared to uncoordinated spectrum allocation of the available spectrum to the SUs.

The disruptive power of blockchain technologies represents a great opportunity to re-imagine standard practices of telecommunication networks and to identify critical areas that can benefit from brand new approaches. As a starting point for this debate, we look at the current limits of infrastructure sharing, and specifically at the Small-Cell-as-a-Service trend, asking ourselves how we could push it to its natural extreme: a scenario in which any individual home or business user can become a service provider for mobile network operators, freed from all the scalability and legal constraints that are inherent to the current modus operandi. We propose the adoption of smart contracts to implement simple but effective Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between small cell providers and mobile operators, and present an example contract template based on the Ethereum blockchain., Position paper presented at the workshop "The Blockchain Bandwagon - The Spectrum Perspective" at the 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks (DySPAN)

Even though clustering algorithms in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are a well investigate subject, the increasing interest in the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G technologies has precipitated the need of new ways to comprehend and overcome a new set of challenges. While studies mainly propose new algorithms and compare these algorithms based on a set of properties (e.g. energy efficiency, scalability), none of them focuses on the underlying mechanisms and organizational patterns that lead to these properties. We address this lack of understanding by applying a complex systems science approach to investigate the properties of WSNs arising from the communication patterns of the network nodes. We represent different implementations of clustering in WSNs with a functional topology graph. Moreover, we employ a complexity metric - functional complexity (CF) - to explain how local interactions give rise to the global behavior of the network. Our analysis shows that higher values of CF indicate higher scalability and lower energy efficiency., Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1610.05970

We propose a new paradigm for telecommunications, and develop a framework drawing on concepts from information (i.e., different metrics of complexity) and computational (i.e., agent based modeling) theory, adapted from complex system science. We proceed in a systematic fashion by dividing network complexity understanding and analysis into different layers. Modelling layer forms the foundation of the proposed framework, supporting analysis and tuning layers. The modelling layer aims at capturing the significant attributes of networks and the interactions that shape them, through the application of tools such as agent-based modelling and graph theoretical abstractions, to derive new metrics that holistically describe a network. The analysis phase completes the core functionality of the framework by linking our new metrics to the overall network performance. The tuning layer augments this core with algorithms that aim at automatically guiding networks toward desired conditions. In order to maximize the impact of our ideas, the proposed approach is rooted in relevant, near-future architectures and use cases in 5G networks, i.e., Internet of Things (IoT) and self-organizing cellular networks.

Some of the new trends emerging in future wireless networks enable a vastly increased fluidity in accessing a wide range of resources, thus supporting flexible network composition and dynamic allocation of resources to virtual network operators (VNOs). In this work we study a new resource allocation opportunity that is enabled by the cloud radio access network architecture. In particular, we investigate the relationship between the cloud-based antennas and spectrum as two important resources in virtualized wireless networks. We analyze the interplay between spectrum and antennas in the context of an auction-based allocation mechanism through which VNOs can bid for a combination of the two types of resources. Our analysis shows that the complementarity and partial substitutability of the two resources significantly impact the results of the allocation of those resources and uncovers the possibility of divergent interests between the spectrum and the infrastructure providers., Accepted for publication in IEEE Wireless Communications, March 2016

We examine the dimensional limitations of Licensed Shared Access (LSA) regulatory framework for spectrum sharing and propose a solution for its more dynamic implementation. We consider an additional dimension for sharing, beyond those of time, space and frequency, i.e. the sharing of the infrastructure. We explain why we believe that the emerging regulations and use-case scenarios are limiting the potential of LSA, and with this in mind make a set of recommendations to unlock it fully. As a specific case study, we present our architectural work around Cloud-based Radio Access Network (C-RAN) and LSA to demonstrate the possibility of a dynamic implementation of multiple incumbents and multiple LSA licensees engaged in sharing. Our case study highlights multiple ways for LSA framework to evolve into a global and flexible sharing model, and prove that LSA and C-RAN are a good match to rethink how we look at networks targeting a more flexible, efficient and profitable way of operating them., Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, IEEE Communications Magazine submission

Machine Learning approaches such as Reinforcement Learning (RL) can be used to solve problems such as spectrum sensing and channel allocation in the cognitive radio domain. These approaches have been applied to other similiar domains such as in mobile telephone networks and have shown greater performance than the static channel allocation schemes used. The objective of this research is to use an RL technique known as Q-Learning to provide a possible solution for allocating channels in a wireless network containing independent cognitive nodes. Q-Learning is an attractive algorithm for such a problem because of the low computational demands per iteration. Many or the current proposed techniques suggest using a negotiation policy between two nodes to decide on which channel each may use, however a considerable problem with this is the overhead involved in the negotiation involved between the nodes. This paper suggests an approach where each node acts as an individual independant node, with virtually no collaboration with the other nodes. Results have shown that using such a technique gives fast convergence on an optimal solution when correct rates are chosen. It has also shown that the algorithm is very scalable, in that as the network grows, the state-action space does not grow sufficiently to cause major memory or computational demands

This paper presents an approach for the simultaneous learning and recognition of places applied to autonomous robotics. While noteworthy results have been achieved with respect to off-line training process for appearance-based navigation, novel issues arise when recognition and learning are simultaneous and unsupervised processes. The approach adopted here uses a Gaussian mixture model estimated by a novel incremental MML-EM to model the probability distribution of features extracted by image-preprocessing. A place detector decides which features belong to which place integrating odometric information and a hidden Markov model. Tests demonstrate that the proposed system performs as well as the ones relying on batch off-line environmental learning. ©2007 IEEE.