Public Protection And Disaster Relief Research Articles

Facilitating mmWave Mesh Reliability in PPDR Scenarios Utilizing Artificial Intelligence

The use of advanced AR/VR applications may benefit the efficiency of collaborative public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) missions by providing better situational awareness and deeper real-time immersion. The resultant bandwidth-hungry traffic calls for the use of capable millimeter-wave (mmWave) radio technologies, which are however susceptible to link blockage phenomena. The latter may significantly reduce the network reliability and thus degrade the performance of PPDR applications. Efficient mmWave-based mesh topologies need to, therefore, be constructed, which employ advanced multi-connectivity mechanisms to improve the levels of connectivity. This work conceptualizes predictive blockage avoidance by leveraging emerging artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. In particular, AI-aided blockage prediction permits the mesh network to reconfigure itself by establishing alternative connections proactively, thus reducing the chances of a harmful link interruption. An illustrative scenario related to a fire suppression mission is then addressed by demonstrating that the proposed approach dramatically improves the connection reliability in dynamic mmWave-based deployments.

LTE-Based Public Safety Networks: A Survey

Public safety networks (PSNs) are very crucial for public protection and disaster relief (PPDR). land mobile radio (LMR) technologies have been used extensively in the deployment of PSNs so far. LMR networks support sophisticated voice applications that can, to some extent, deal with the mission-critical nature of PPDR services. However, LMR networks lack technological advancements to support broadband (BB) applications. Due to this limitation, the attention is drawn to the long-term evolution (LTE) technology for public safety (PS) deployment as it has the potential to support various narrowband and BB applications and services. LTE-based PSNs should have strict requirements in terms of scalability, robustness, and resilience. In this survey, we will highlight the history of PSNs, including LMR and LTE-based PSNs, discuss the requirements that have to be inherited in PSNs, and examine the spectrum allocated for PS use. Moreover, we will study the architecture of LTE-based PSNs and provide deployment and migration solutions. Furthermore, voice delivery over LTE and LTE standardized solutions tailored to support PS services are discussed. Finally, rapid emergency deployment, spectrum management, priority management, and radio resource management schemes in LTE-based PSNs are discussed as well. At the end of the survey, we present PSNs simulation environment using network simulator and provide the results of multiple disaster scenarios.

Drone-borne GPR design: Propagation issues

Abstract In this paper, we shall address the electromagnetic wave propagation issues that are critical to determining the feasibility of a drone-borne ground-penetrating radar sensor for humanitarian applications, particularly in the context of disaster management. Frequency- and polarization-dependent scattering, attenuation and dispersion of radar signals penetrating into the sub-surface region will determine the applicability of a drone-mounted radar sensor capable of registering radar echoes for observing and monitoring sub-surface features. The functionality of the radar will thus be assessed depending on key radar parameters that include the central radar frequency, the modulation depth, and the mode of radar operation (pulsed FM, FM-CW), the antenna type, the available power-budget. In the analysis to be presented, the radar equation, together with the aforementioned propagation effects, will be used to simulate the signal strength of radar echoes under different conditions arising from the chosen key-radar parameters and the assumed physical properties of the sub-surface earth medium. The analysis to be presented will indicate whether or not the drone-borne ground-penetrating radar is a feasible system and if it could be constructed with the technologies available today. Taking into account the strict constraints involved to design drone applications for Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR), the ideas developed hereafter are both prospective and exploratory. The objective is to see if a solution can be found in the near future.

Effect of population density and network availability on deployment of broadband PPDR mobile network service

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to define the best deployment alternatives for a public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) mobile network service – the implementation alternatives being either a dedicated network, a commercial network or a hybrid of the two network types. The selection criteria are based on the social benefits that the PPDR mobile service is expected to bring to society. The critical parameters are population density and service availability, which both directly relate to the socioeconomic benefits achieved by providing broadband (BB) mobile services in various demographic areas.Design/methodology/approachA causal loop model has been developed to define the socioeconomic benefits of the PPDR network, the parameters being population density, service availability, socioeconomic value of the service and the costs of the network. The network solution alternatives are studied using the Finnish PPDR network as a reference – analysing various areas of the country with differing population densities from remote, rural and more densely populated suburban and urban areas.FindingsSocioeconomic value is a common measure for assessing the value of governmental investments; population density has a strong impact on the optimum deployment alternatives as the socioeconomic value is directly proportional to this variable. The flat nationwide fee of the mobile users means that the users are subsidised in sparsely populated areas – and overcharged in densely populated areas. This is the main reason why the commercial network seems to be most feasible in rural areas, whereas the dedicated network works best in urban areas. Based on the case study, the commercial network is most preferable up to the point when the population density reaches 50-125 persons/km2. After that point, the dedicated network becomes more appropriate. Proposals are being made to improve the availability of the commercial networks enabling them to serve as a PPDR network: ensuring priority functionality and a protected power supply; allowing PPDR subscribers the exclusive use of one of the 700 MHz spectrum bands in restricted, critical areas; and extending use of the existing narrowband PPDR network in areas where communication availability is crucial.Originality/valueOn the one hand, the financing of BB PPDR mobile networks is an unresolved issue in many countries. On the other hand, the ability of commercial BB networks to provide better quality of service is improving, making viable the alternative to subscribe for radio service from a commercial operator. Therefore, the feasibility study on how to provide an optimum mobile BB service for PPDR organisations is of real value at this time.

Modeling Unreliable Operation of mmWave-Based Data Sessions in Mission-Critical PPDR Services

Public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) situations are becoming increasingly common due to the rapid urbanization of our society. Among these, harsh weather conditions and harmful human activity create challenges for reliable operation of mobile communication infrastructures, which calls for immediate action. The wireless networks of today may not be ready to accommodate emergency scenarios as they have not been optimized for PPDR contexts historically. In this paper, we first review the important use cases, challenges, and requirements in the context of next-generation mobile networking for PPDR applications. We argue that many emerging services may be supported by the novel communication technology operating in millimeter-wave spectrum. Against this background, we contribute a new analytical model to characterize session continuity and other service-level performance indicators in cases when the communication system is susceptible to sudden intermissions caused by emergency situations.

Security in Transnational Interoperable PPDR Communications

The relevance of cross border security operations has been identified as a priority at European level for a long time. A European network where Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) forces share communications processes and a legal framework would greatly enforce response to disaster recovery and security against crime. Nevertheless, uncertainty on costs, timescale and functionalities have slowed down the interconnection of national PPDR networks and limited the transnational cooperation of their PPDR forces so far. Currently, the European research project ISITEP is aimed at developing the legal, operational and technical framework to achieve a cost effective solution for PPDR interoperability across European countries. Inter alia, ISITEP project is specifying a new Inter-System-Interface (ISI) for the interconnection of current TETRA and TETRAPOL networks through Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity. This approach turns communications security as a central aspect. In this context, this paper describes the framework and methodology defined to carry out the development of the security requirements for the interconnection of PPDR networks via the new IP ISI and provides a discussion on the undertaken security risk and vulnerability analysis. Furthermore, an overview of the designed security architecture solution for network interconnection is provided.

Integration of satellite and LTE for disaster recovery

Wireless communications are critical for public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) professionals during the emergency operations that follow natural or man-made disasters, scenarios in which both commercial and dedicated terrestrial networks often fail to provide the necessary support. The reason is threefold: they simply get destroyed by the disaster, they cannot sustain the sudden surge of network demand or they fail to deliver the necessary bandwidth and/or other QoS guarantees. Because LTE is expected to become the main wireless technology for broadband communication, a lot of studies have been devoted to assess its compliance for PPDR purposes and to find suitable architectural solutions able to meet mission-critical requirements. This approach is surely worthy, but it is based on the assumption that infrastructure-based terrestrial systems are reliable. As a consequence, in worstcase emergency scenarios appropriate guarantees can be provided only in the hypothesis of huge investment costs. Recent developments in satellite technologies are bringing the availability of non-terrestrial high performance channels, with better properties when comparing to LTE for what regards availability and reliability. On this basis, the paper proposes a network architecture based on the integration of satellite and LTE networks for both infrastructure-based and infrastructure-less scenarios. The proposal aims to provide field operators and people in distress with transparent accessibility, coverage guarantees and broadband performance when terrestrial infrastructures are lacking, and to expand their coverage, capacity and resilience otherwise.

700MHz 대역 지상파 UHD 방송 주파수 배치 방안 연구

The purpose of this paper is to propose the frequency allocation plan for the terrestrial UHDTV in 700MHz frequency band. Currently 700MHz frequency band is being requested by broadcasting, communication, and public safety sites for the use of UHDTV, LTE/LTE-A and PPDR (Public Protection and Disaster Relief) by each site. Validity and proper timing of each request is examined by references, and the frequency allocation plan is proposed. As results 9 channels and guard bands are allocated for the UHDTV service, under the consideration of two 10MHz frequency bands of the PPDR in700MHz band.

Public Protection and Disaster Relief Communication System Integrity: A Radio-Flexibility and Identity-Based Cryptography Approach

This article describes the application of radio flexibility for designing public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) wireless networks (NETs) in support of PPDR special needs, primary among which is information- transport resilience. It focuses further on the central role of mobile ad hoc NETs as the ground-segment element of the total architecture since the eventual solution must support rapid, robust, secure, scalable, and connectivityoriented communications. Research challenges associated with the provision of the necessary diversity at all communication layers as a means to such robustness are identified. Security aspects are addressed through a signature scheme based on identity key cryptography. Finally, a use case based on flexible multihop mobile ad hoc network (MANET) path establishment for harsh environments is presented.

An emergency communication system based on software-defined radio

Wireless telecommunications represent an important asset for public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) organizations as they improve the coordination and the distribution of information among first responders in the field. In large international disaster scenarios, many different PPDR organizations may participate to the response phase of disaster management. In this context, PPDR organizations may use different wireless communication technologies; such diversity may create interoperability barriers and degrade the coordination among first-time responders. In this paper, we present the design, the integration, and the testing of a demonstration system based on software-defined radio (SDR) technology and software communication architecture (SCA) to support PPDR operations with special focus on the provision of satellite communications. This paper describes the main components of the demonstration system, the integration activities as well as the testing scenarios, which were used to evaluate the technical feasibility. The paper also describes the main technical challenges in the implementation and integration of the demonstration system. Finally, future developments for this technology and potential deployment challenges are presented.

LTE: the technology driver for future public safety communications

Wireless communications technologies play an essential role to support the Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) operational needs. The current Private/Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) technologies used for PPDR communications offer a rich set of voice-centric services but have very limited data transmission capabilities, which are unable to handle the increasing PPDR community demand for a wider range of data-centric services. Though some efforts have been devoted to upgrade PMR technologies with better data transfer capabilities, the progression towards an enhanced mobile broadband PMR standardized solution still lags behind the achievements made in the commercial wireless industry, which recently culminated in Long- Term Evolution (LTE) technology. Because of this contrasting progress, the adoption of commercial mainstream LTE technology to satisfy the PPDR community's data communication needs is gaining momentum and offers significant opportunities to create and exploit the synergies between the commercial and PPDR domains, which have remained almost entirely separate to date. In this context, this paper first discusses the suitability of LTE and related technologies for mobile broadband PPDR service provisioning. Next, it presents the argument that the most plausible future scenarios to deliver the increasingly data-intensive applications demanded by the PPDR agencies are expected to rely on the use of both dedicated and commercial LTE-based mobile networks. From this basis, the paper proposes a system architecture solution for PPDR service provisioning that enables PPDR service access through dedicated and commercial networks in a secure and interoperable manner and ensures proper allocation of the networks' capacity to PPDR applications through the dynamic management of prioritization policies. In addition, the spectrumrelated issues that are central to the proposed PPDR service provisioning solution are addressed, and a solution based on the joint exploitation of dedicated and shared spectra is proposed.

WiBro 및 LTE를 이용한 재난안전무선통신망용 셀 수량 추정

This paper calculates estimated number of cell sites to build a nationwide PPDR(Public Protection and Disaster Relief) network of WiBro and LTE technical methods through a link budget calculation, presents the efficient technical method through a comparison between the number of cell sites using WiBro and LTE. As a calculation results, the number of cell sites using WiBro method are larger than twice compared to that of LTE method on the same frequency bands, due to the differences of uplink PAPR, uplink transmission technique and SINR. On the basis of the result, LTE mothod is considered as a more effective technology than the WiBro method on the economic, technical and marketing points of views on building a nationwide network.

The MOBI Project: Designing the Future Emergency Service Vehicle

The proliferation of information and communications technology (ICT), facilities in public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) vehicles has highlighted several questions, including: "Why can't vehicles' ICT applications be simplified and rationalized to help PPDR responders work more efficiently and effectively" and "Can two items of equipment be combined to make it easier to use and decrease power consumption" Our project aims to create a common ICT infrastructure for all PPDR vehicles based on better integration of ICT systems, applications, and services. Our approach is to divide PPDR vehicles' ICT systems into four layers (a vehicle infrastructure and power management layer, a communications layer, a service platform and common services layer, and an actor-specific services layer) with standardized interfaces between them. Open standards make it easier for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular, to enter the market. In addition to providing cost savings, our system significantly improves interoperability and the availability of new PPDR ICT services.

Public Safety Mobile Broadband: A Techno-Economic Perspective

Wireless communications are critical to supporting the operational capabilities of public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) organizations. The private/professional mobile radio (PMR) technologies currently used for PPDR communications offer a rich set of voice-centric services [e.g., push-to-talk (PTT) group calls] but have very limited data transmission capabilities and are unable to cope with increasing demands in the PPDR community for mobile data-centric applications. Introducing PPDR mobile broadband communications faces a number of technical and economic/business challenges. It is believed that the current paradigm for PPDR communications provisioning based on dedicated technologies, dedicated networks, and dedicated spectrum no longer constitutes the main approach for introducing PPDR mobile broadband, and hence new paradigms and innovative solutions are needed. Thus, this article first identifies and discusses the main techno-economic drivers across the technology, network, and spectrum dimensions that are anticipated to lay the foundations for future PPDR communications to be efficient and cost-effective. Then, relevant estimations and illustrative figures are provided to add perspective and valuable insight into the economic roots of the envisioned future PPDR mobile broadband communications.

Land Mobile Radio: Following a Realistic Path Toward Broadband for PPDR Services

The field of public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) communication is evolving toward scenarios of use where existing narrowband radio systems are beginning to show their limitations. Real-time location services have been incorporated into standard operating procedures. Since associated data traffic, managed through mechanisms that incorporate current communications standards by default, causes saturation of the systems, it is impossible to offer services that meet the quality parameters expected by the users.

Toward Future Public Safety Communications: The Broadband Wireless Trunking Project in China

With the broadband wireless professional communications stepping into its start-up period, a project called broadband wireless trunking (BWT) was launched in China. The purpose of the BWT project is to support research, development, standardization, and applicable evaluation for broadband wireless professional communications, with the major applications focused on future public protection and disaster relief (PPDR). In this article, the features, performance requirements, and technical challenges of PPDR are discussed. To meet these special requirements, a system architecture with uniform network interfaces is proposed in the BWT project. Under this architecture, multiple wireless accesses can be performed corporately. Some key techniques for the BWT, the roadmap of the standardization process, and an experimental platform to verify the BWT standard draft are introduced.

TETRA-TRS의 ITU-R M.2033 기반 국내 재난안전 무선통신망 주파수 소요량 산출

국내에서도 효율적이고 체계적인 재난대응을 위해 정부는 국가차원의 재난안전무선통신망을 2015년까지 구축할 예정이다. 이를 위해 행정안전부가 재난용 신규 주파수 지정을 요청함에 따라 방송통신위원회에서는 TETRA와 WiBro 기술방식을 대상으로 주파수 할당 여부에 대해 검토하고 있다. 따라서 본 논문에서는 ITU-R M.2033에서 권고한 주파수 산출 방법론을 기반으로 하여 국내 재난안전무선통신망을 위한 기술적 파라미터를 정의하고 TETRA-TRS에서 요구되는 주파수 소요량을 산출하였다. In South Korea, to effective and systematic response to disasters, the government will build wireless communication network for PPDR(Public Protection and Disaster Relief) on a national level by 2015. To do it, as MOPAS(Ministry of Public Administration and Security) requested the new frequency assignment for PPDR, KCC(Korea Communications Commission) has been examined new frequency allocations about TETRA and WiBro technologies. In this paper, we were defined the technical parameters, were estimated the spectrum of TETRA-TRS requirements for Korean wireless communication of PPDR based on M.2033 methodology recommended by ITU-R.