Mobile Communication Architecture Research Articles

Adaptive Energy Management in 5G Network Slicing: Requirements, Architecture, and Strategies

Energy consumption is a critical issue for the communications network operators, impacting deeply the cost of the services, as well as the ecological footprint. Network slicing architecture for 5G mobile communications enables multiple independent virtual networks to be created on top of a common shared physical infrastructure. Each network slice needs different types of resources, including energy, to fulfill the demands requested by each application, operator, or vertical market. The existing literature on network slicing is mainly targeted at the partition of network resources; however, the corresponding management of energy consumption is an unconsidered critical concern. This paper analyzes the requirements for an energy-aware 5G network slicing provisioning according to the 3GPP specifications, proposes an architecture, and studies the strategies to provide efficient energy consumption in terms of renewable and non-renewable sources. NFV and SDN technologies are the essential enablers and leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity provided by 5G networks. This paper also presents the technical 5G technology documentation related to the proposal, the requirements for adaptive energy management, and the Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulation of the energy management model. To validate the improvements, an exact optimal algorithmic solution is presented and some heuristic strategies.

Securing Virtual Network Function (VNF) in Telco Cloud

In the fifth generation mobile communication architecture (5G), network functions which traditionally existed as discrete hardware entities based on custom architectures, are replaced with dynamic, scalable Virtual Network Functions (VNF) that run on general purpose (x86) cloud computing platforms, under the paradigm Network Function Virtualization (NFV). The shift towards a virtualized infrastructure poses its own set of security challenges that need to be addressed. One such challenge that we seek to address in this paper is providing integrity, authenticity and confidentiality protection for VNFs.

Satellite Backhauling for Next Generation Cellular Networks: Challenges and Opportunities

Recently, studies on integration of satellitebased communication with terrestrial next-generation cellular networks (5G) have emerged in academia, standardization bodies, and industry due to extended coverage and service enrichment possibilities for mobile network operators (MNOs). In this article, we (i) first review the existing studies on satellite-based mobile network architectures and standardization efforts, (ii) propose a new satellite-based backhaul architecture for mobile communications and evaluate comparative end-to-end performance of both proposed satellite based backhaul and pure terrestrial architecture deployment scenarios through realistic experimental evaluations in terms of various key performance indicators used by MNOs, (iii) discuss encountered limitations and challenges well as the open issues of the experimented satellite-based mobile backhaul architecture, and finally (iv) provide a reference architecture and some guidelines toward designing a satellite based backhaul for next generation cellular networks from the perspective of MNOs.

Mobile M2M communication architectures, upcoming challenges, applications, and future directions

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication is becoming an increasingly important part of mobile traffic and thus also a topic of major interest for mobile communication research and telecommunication standardization bodies. M2M communication offers various ubiquitous services and is one of the main enablers of the vision inspired by the Internet of Things (IoT). The concept of mobile M2M communication has emerged due to the wide range, coverage provisioning, high reliability, and decreasing costs of future mobile networks. Nevertheless, M2M communications pose significant challenges to mobile networks, e.g., due to the expected large number of devices with simultaneous access for sending small-sized data, and a diverse application range. This paper provides a detailed survey of M2M communications in the context of mobile networks, and thus focuses on the latest Long-Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) networks. Moreover, the end-to-end network architectures and reference models for M2M communication are presented. Furthermore, a comprehensive survey is given to M2M service requirements, major current standardization efforts, and upcoming M2M-related challenges. In addition, an overview of upcoming M2M services expected in 5G networks is presented. In the end, various mobile M2M applications are discussed followed by open research questions and directions.

Distributed Fronthaul Compression and Joint Signal Recovery in Cloud-RAN

The cloud radio access network (C-RAN) is a promising network architecture for future mobile communications, and one practical hurdle for its large scale implementation is the stringent requirement of high capacity and low latency fronthaul connecting the distributed remote radio heads (RRH) to the centralized baseband pools (BBUs) in the C-RAN. To improve the scalability of C-RAN networks, it is very important to take the fronthaul loading into consideration in the signal detection, and it is very desirable to reduce the fronthaul loading in C-RAN systems. In this paper, we consider uplink C-RAN systems and we propose a distributed fronthaul compression scheme at the distributed RRHs and a joint recovery algorithm at the BBUs by deploying the techniques of distributed compressive sensing (CS). Different from conventional distributed CS, the CS problem in C-RAN system needs to incorporate the underlying effect of multi-access fading for the end-to-end recovery of the transmitted signals from the users. We analyze the performance of the proposed end-to-end signal recovery algorithm and we show that the aggregate measurement matrix in C-RAN systems, which contains both the distributed fronthaul compression and multiaccess fading, can still satisfy the restricted isometry property with high probability. Based on these results, we derive tradeoff results between the uplink capacity and the fronthaul loading in C-RAN systems.

An efficient certificateless signature scheme without bilinear pairings

During these years, the research field of certificateless signature (CLS) scheme is promptly investigated as the key escrow problem in identity-based cryptography can be solved via CLS concept. However, due to the bandwidth limitation of mobile communication and the resource-constraint property of handheld mobile devices, most CLS schemes cannot fulfill the requirement of computation efficiency for mobile communication architecture. Hence, the design of lightweight CLS protocol refined from traditional cryptosystem technologies for existing mobile communication environment becomes one of the most important research trends. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel CLS scheme which is immune against bilinear pairings. Without the heavy computation of bilinear pairings, our proposed scheme is efficient and practical for mobile communication. Meanwhile, the proposed CLS scheme possesses strong security density owing to the adoption of point addition of elliptic curve cryptography. A formal security analysis is presented to guarantee the security robustness of our CLS protocol under the hardness of breaking elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem.

System Coverage and Capacity Analysis on Millimeter-Wave Band for 5G Mobile Communication Systems with Massive Antenna Structure

The use of a millimeter-wave band defined as a 30–300 GHz range is significant element for improving performance of 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems. However, since the millimeter-wave signal has peculiar propagation characteristics especially toward non-line-of-sight regions, the system architecture and antenna structure for 5G mobile communications should be designed to overcome these propagation limitations. For realization of the 5G mobile communications, electronics and telecommunications research institute (ETRI) is developing central network applying various massive antenna structures with beamforming. In this paper, we have introduced the central network and evaluated the system coverage and capacity through C++ language-based simulations with real geospatial information.

Modeling end-to-end QoS management and real time agreement protocols for resource reservation for multimedia mobile radio network

Wireless networks’ Operators still face the dual face problem of end to end resource allocation management wile making efficient use of bandwidth. Relative considerations include user mobility, traffic characteristics, Quality of Service (QoS) parameters (throughput, delay, jitter, etc.). The satisfaction of the user depends on subjective parameters related to the rendering of the requested services (end-to-end quality of service). In order to accommodate these parameters, prescriptions have been formulated by the IETF within the framework of the IntServ/DiffServ group which targets network QoS control. The call admission control (CAC) is essential within this mobile communication architecture because the network resources are limited. The purpose of this work is to specify traffic threshold parameters and the constraints in terms of QoS for a resource allocation based on a call admission control mechanism in a mobile network. In our approach, this mechanism takes place in two stages : the first stage at the level of the New Call acceptation capability by Cell registered at mobile radio Level Agreement Service (SLA), where user mobility is considered as being a major constraint for call acceptance. The second stage takes place at the DiffServ operator network level. QoS acceptance is defined by the SLA contract specifying the parameters of the different levels of acceptance. At a global level, new call or handover call acceptance is based on a collective and consensual decision between the different participating networks. Such a consensus aims at taking a consistent decision to reserve resources according to one of the levels of service predefined by the caller SLA. Then allowing the caller to renegotiate the level of service QoS according to traffic load fluctuation, or to negotiate new resources for new applications requested during the session. The other participating networks can also initiate a renegotiation for the same reasons.

Performance analysis of a novel architecture to integrate heterogeneous wireless systems

Current wireless world witnesses multiple heterogeneous systems such as Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, UMTS, and satellite networks. These systems are envisioned to coordinate with each other to provide ubiquitous communications to mobile users. A novel architecture, Architecture for ubiquitous Mobile Communications (AMC), is introduced in this paper that integrates these heterogeneous wireless systems. AMC eliminates the need for direct Service Level Agreements (SLAs) among service providers by using a third party, Network Inter-operating Agent (NIA). Instead of developing a new architecture, AMC extends the existing infrastructure to integrate heterogeneous wireless systems. It uses IP as the inter-connection protocol to provide transparency to the heterogeneities of individual systems. Third-party-based authentication and billing algorithms are designed for AMC. New handoff management protocols are also designed to support seamless vertical handoffs between different wireless systems in AMC. Performance analysis is carried out to determine the latency associated with vertical handoffs and the load on the NIA that arises because of these vertical handoffs. Toward this, a network deployment scenario that consists of three types of wireless systems: WLAN, 3G, and satellite networks is considered. Moreover, the number of SLAs required in AMC is also determined for a given number of network operators. It is also shown that by using hierarchical structure, AMC can realize the integration of heterogeneous wireless systems around the globe.

A G/sub m/-C low-pass filter for zero-IF mobile applications with a very wide tuning range

A third-order G/sub m/-C Butterworth low-pass filter implementing G/sub m/-tuning and G/sub m/-switching to maximize the tuning range is described. This filter is intended to be used as a channel-selection/anti-aliasing filter in the analog baseband part of a zero-IF radio receiver architecture for multimode mobile communications. Its G/sub m/-switching feature allows extending the tuning range and adapting the power consumption. The filter's cutoff frequency ranges from 50 kHz to 2.2 MHz. An Input IP3 of up to +18 dBV/sub p/ is achieved, for a total worst-case power consumption of 7.3 mW for both I and Q paths, and an effective area of less than 0.5 mm/sup 2/ in a 0.25-/spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS process. A new figure of merit is introduced for comparison of published low-pass tunable filters including noise, linearity, and tuning range.

A ubiquitous mobile communication architecture for next-generation heterogeneous wireless systems

Rapid progress in research and development of wireless networking and communication technologies have created different types of wireless systems (e.g., Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, UMTS, and satellite networks). These systems are envisioned to coordinate with each other to provide ubiquitous high-data-rate services to mobile users. In this article, the architecture for ubiquitous mobile communications (AMC) is introduced that integrates these heterogeneous wireless systems. AMC eliminates the need for direct service level agreements among service providers by using a third party, a network interoperating agent. Instead of deploying a totally new infrastructure, AMC extends the existing infrastructure to integrate heterogeneous wireless systems. It uses IP as the interconnection protocol. By using IP as the gluing protocol, transparency to the heterogeneities of the individual systems is achieved in AMC. Third-party-based authentication and billing algorithms are designed for AMC. New mobility management protocols are also developed to support seamless roaming between different wireless systems.

A PCS based architecture for tactical mobile communications

In this paper, we propose a novel resource management technique, namely virtual cell layout (VCL), for rapidly deployable wireless networks that can be operated in hostile environments. In VCL, the area of communications is tessellated with regularly shaped fixed size virtual cells. The radio resources such as frequency carriers and scrambling codes are assigned to the fixed cells of this layout. The real cells, which do not have to be identical in size to the virtual cells, are mobile over VCL. Mobile base stations that make up the real cells use the radio resources assigned to the virtual cell in which they are located. The terminals of the system access to the network, as they are the terminals of an ordinary cellular network. When the terminals are not in the coverage of any mobile base station, VCL helps them to be organized into clusters. The performance evaluation of the proposed system shows that the VCL based architecture satisfies the rapid deployment requirement and gives an acceptable grade of service.

A new FQPSK modem/radio architecture for PCS and mobile satellite communications

A newly developed constant envelope FQPSK modem/radio architecture, which employs a modified double-jump (DJ) filter in the cross-correlated FQPSK system, is proposed for personal communications systems (PCS) and mobile satellite applications. The power efficiency and spectrum efficiency of this system are investigated in a nonlinear amplified (NLA) environment. The bit error rate (BER) performance is evaluated in a noisy Rayleigh fading channel. We demonstrate that with the simplest threshold detectors (binary robust eye diagrams in I and Q channels), this system is 4-7 dB more power efficient than the US digital cellular and Japanese Handyphone standard /spl pi//4-QPSK (50%-100% more spectrally efficient than the recently adopted wireless local area network (LAN) standard GFSK and the European standard GMSK). The results indicate that the proposed DJ filtered FQPSK is a power and spectrally efficient modem/radio technique. By selecting different system parameters, this system can be optimized for a wide range of applications in PCS and mobile satellite communications. >