The Emerging Networks (EN) strand is one of the five research strands in the
CTVR, the Centre for Telecommunications Value-Chain Research. CTVR was
established in July 2004 and is funded by the Science
Foundation of Ireland. The CTVR brings together a multi-disciplinary
group of researchers, drawn from eight Irish Universities to work on
industry-guided engineering and scientific challenges that will redefine key
elements of telecommunications systems, architectures and networks and the
value chains used to design, build, market, and service them.
Emerging Networks (EN) is based in Trinity College, University of Dublin,
Ireland. Dr. Linda
Doyle from Trinity College is the leader of the EN strand. Dr. Tim Forde and Dr. Keith Nolan are the deputy leaders of the strand.
Emerging Networks focuses on fixed and wireless networks.
We concentrate on networks that are distributed and disaggregated
and look to design unified architectures that support fixed
and mobile communications. We work from the physical to the application layer,
as well as looking at the wider economic context of the research advances.
To achieve our research goals we work hand in hand with the other CTVR strands
(RF, Photonics, Test & Reliability and Optimisation & Management) and
with our industrial partners. The combining of the various areas of expertise
leads to a rich and multi-faceted approach to our research.
Bell Labs Ireland is the founding industrial partner to CTVR. Xilinx
Research Labs Ireland is our latest partner. We are also currently
collaborating work with EADS. The group is also engaged in
some Enterprise Ireland funded
research.
Engaging
in industry-guided research is very important to CTVR and the centre is always
open to new industry collaborations and interactions.
Reconfigurability is a major theme for the Emerging Networks
strand of CTVR. There are very many reasons why we have chosen to focus on
reconfigurability. Reconfigurability, for example, can enable sophisticated
multi-modal communication in one device and networks and devices that are
reconfigurable can adapt and reconfigure as standards change and new standards
emerge. Reconfigurable communication systems can be generically manufactured
and then tailored to the needs of the customer, thus impacting on the
efficiency of the supply-chain as well as the ability to meet the demands of
the consumer. However the major driver for the reconfigurability work current
is Dynamic Spectrum Access and Management.
The
2nd IEEE DySPAN
(Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks) was held in Dublin this April.
The field of dynamic spectrum access focuses on new and very dynamic methods
for managing spectrum that move away from this traditional command and control
means of regulation. There are many approaches to enabling a dynamic spectrum
access. The use of overlay and underlay techniques enabled through cognitive
radio, new market based regimes involving exclusive usage rights and commons
models are all being explored. We both create prototype platforms that can
facilitate dynamic spectrum access as well as work on the economics of the
issues involved.
EMERGING
NETWORKS KEY AREAS OF INTEREST: Dynamic Spectrum Management, Market-based
Spectrum Assignment, Reconfigurable Radio, Cognitive Networks, Collaborative
Networks, Ad hoc Networks, Network Security, Economics of Security, Electronic
Payments, Optical IP switched networks, Self-managed Networks, Economics of
Dynamic Spectrum.
The CTVR award winning outreach project can be found at
www.theresistors.com.