Spectrum Management Strategies Research Articles

Terahertz Communications for Massive Connectivity and Security in 6G and Beyond Era

Terahertz (THz) communications (THzCom) has experienced a meteoric rise of interest, due to its benefits for ultra-high data rate transmission in the sixth generation (6G) and beyond era. Despite so, the research on exploring the potential of THzCom for other performance targets anticipated by 6G, including massive connectivity and security, is still in its infancy. In this article, we start with briefly describing the unique peculiarities of THz channels, and then discuss theoretical frameworks to facilitate the analysis and design of THz transmission for achieving massive connectivity and security. Then we discuss promising spectrum management strategies, including the exploration of multiple THz transmission windows and frequency reuse with multiplexing and signal processing, to substantially increase the number of supported users and identify to-be-tackled challenges. We further present important research directions based on the principles of physical layer security, such as new spectrum allocation policies and beamforming algorithms, to fight against eavesdropping in THzCom systems, ushering in secure THzCom systems.

Innovative Architectures and Management Strategies in 5G Communication Networks

The evolution of communication networks has witnessed a remarkable transformation with the advent of 5G technology. As the latest generation of cellular networks, 5G promises to revolutionize the way we connect, communicate, and interact with the digital world. This paper explores the architecture, management, and implications of 5G communication networks, shedding light on the key features, challenges, and opportunities presented by this transformative technology. At the core of 5G networks lies a sophisticated architecture designed to deliver unprecedented levels of speed, reliability, and connectivity. The 5G New Radio (NR) architecture encompasses three primary components: the User Equipment (UE), the Radio Access Network (RAN), and the Core Network (CN). These components work in tandem to facilitate seamless communication between user devices and the broader network infrastructure. One of the defining features of 5G networks is their ability to support significantly higher data speeds and lower latency compared to previous generations. With the potential to deliver data rates of several gigabits per second and latency as low as a few milliseconds, 5G opens the door to a plethora of innovative applications and services, ranging from immersive virtual reality experiences to real-time remote surgeries. Effective management of 5G networks is paramount to ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and security. Network management systems employ advanced algorithms for dynamic resource allocation, quality of service (QoS) optimization, and network slicing. Network slicing, in particular, enables operators to create virtual networks tailored to specific use cases, such as enhanced mobile broadband, massive IoT deployments, and mission-critical communications. However, the deployment and management of 5G networks pose several challenges and considerations. Infrastructure deployment requires substantial investment and coordination, while ensuring interoperability between different vendors' equipment and standards remains a pressing issue. Spectrum availability and allocation also play a critical role in determining the performance and capacity of 5G networks, necessitating careful regulatory oversight and spectrum management strategies. Despite these challenges, the implications of 5G technology are far-reaching and profound. From empowering smart cities and autonomous vehicles to enabling the widespread adoption of IoT devices and applications, 5G networks have the potential to reshape industries, drive innovation, and enhance the quality of life for billions of people around the world. 5G communication networks represent a paradigm shift in the way we connect and communicate. With their advanced architecture, dynamic management capabilities, and transformative potential, 5G networks are poised to unlock new opportunities, accelerate digital transformation, and usher in a new era of connectivity and innovation.

Innovative Architectures and Management Strategies in 5G Communication Networks

The evolution of communication networks has witnessed a remarkable transformation with the advent of 5G technology. As the latest generation of cellular networks, 5G promises to revolutionize the way we connect, communicate, and interact with the digital world. This paper explores the architecture, management, and implications of 5G communication networks, shedding light on the key features, challenges, and opportunities presented by this transformative technology. At the core of 5G networks lies a sophisticated architecture designed to deliver unprecedented levels of speed, reliability, and connectivity. The 5G New Radio (NR) architecture encompasses three primary components: the User Equipment (UE), the Radio Access Network (RAN), and the Core Network (CN). These components work in tandem to facilitate seamless communication between user devices and the broader network infrastructure. One of the defining features of 5G networks is their ability to support significantly higher data speeds and lower latency compared to previous generations. With the potential to deliver data rates of several gigabits per second and latency as low as a few milliseconds, 5G opens the door to a plethora of innovative applications and services, ranging from immersive virtual reality experiences to real-time remote surgeries. Effective management of 5G networks is paramount to ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and security. Network management systems employ advanced algorithms for dynamic resource allocation, quality of service (QoS) optimization, and network slicing. Network slicing, in particular, enables operators to create virtual networks tailored to specific use cases, such as enhanced mobile broadband, massive IoT deployments, and mission-critical communications. However, the deployment and management of 5G networks pose several challenges and considerations. Infrastructure deployment requires substantial investment and coordination, while ensuring interoperability between different vendors' equipment and standards remains a pressing issue. Spectrum availability and allocation also play a critical role in determining the performance and capacity of 5G networks, necessitating careful regulatory oversight and spectrum management strategies. Despite these challenges, the implications of 5G technology are far-reaching and profound. From empowering smart cities and autonomous vehicles to enabling the widespread adoption of IoT devices and applications, 5G networks have the potential to reshape industries, drive innovation, and enhance the quality of life for billions of people around the world. 5G communication networks represent a paradigm shift in the way we connect and communicate. With their advanced architecture, dynamic management capabilities, and transformative potential, 5G networks are poised to unlock new opportunities, accelerate digital transformation, and usher in a new era of connectivity and innovation.

Manipulation of light spectrum is an effective tool to regulate biochemical traits and gene expression in lettuce under different replacement methods of nutrient solution

The use of light-emitting diode (LED) technology represents a promising approach to improve plant growth and metabolic activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different light spectra: red (656 nm), blue (450 nm), red/blue (3:1), and white (peak at 449 nm) on biochemical properties, photosynthesis and gene expression in two lettuce cultivars (Lollo Rossa and Lollo Bionda) grown under different methods of nutrient solution replacement in hydroponics. Complete replacement and EC-based replacement of nutrient solution increased content of proline and soluble sugars and activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, GPX and SOD) under the red/blue LED and red LED light treatments in both cultivars. In addition, the red/blue and the monochromatic red light increased the soluble protein content and the antioxidant activity in the Lollo Rosa cultivar under the replacement method according to the needs of the plant. An increase in flavonoid content in the EC-based method in the Lollo Rosa variety treated with a combination of red and blue light was also observed. The red/blue light had the greatest induction effect on anthocyanin content, expression of the UFGT, CHS, and Rubisco small subunit genes, and the net photosynthetic rate. Data presented here will directly contribute to the development of nutrient solution and LED spectrum management strategies to significantly improve plant growth and metabolism, while avoiding water and nutrient waste, and environmental pollution.

Spectrum Intelligent Radio: Technology, Development, and Future Trends

The advent of Industry 4.0 with massive connectivity places significant strains on the current spectrum resources, and challenges the industry and regulators to respond promptly with new disruptive spectrum management strategies. The current radio development, with certain elements of intelligence, is nowhere near showing an agile response to the complex radio environments. Following the line of intelligence, we propose to classify spectrum intelligent radio into three streams: classical signal processing, machine learning (ML), and contextual adaptation. We focus on the ML approach, and propose a new intelligent radio architecture with three hierarchical forms: perception, understanding, and reasoning. The proposed perception method achieves fully blind multi-level spectrum sensing. The understanding method accurately predicts the primary users' coverage across a large area, and the reasoning method performs a near-optimal idle channel selection. Opportunities, challenges, and future visions are also discussed for the realization of a fully intelligent radio.

Prediction-Based Spectrum Management in Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive radio networks (CRNs) have been widely studied to improve spectrum utilization through a dynamic spectrum allocation scheme. However, many challenges remain and one big issue is how to provide an efficient spectrum management in a mobile environment. In this paper, we propose a new prediction-based spectrum management strategy to tackle this challenge. Both spectrum prediction and users’ mobility prediction are fully considered in the proposed strategy. Combining the prediction information and cooperative sensing, a CR base station can obtain the sensing information for future location of each secondary user, so as to prearrange high-quality channels for secondary users ahead of time. In addition, we propose a new channel selection scheme when multiple channels are available simultaneously. Besides traditional decision factors, the new channel selection algorithm takes the channel's future availability obtained from spectrum prediction into account. By properly integrating the spectrum prediction, user mobility prediction, and channel selection, the new spectrum management strategy is capable of allocating the spectrum resource more efficiently. Extensive simulations are conducted and results verify that the proposed spectrum management strategy significantly improves the system performance in terms of reducing handoff times and improving user satisfactory, connection reliability, and channel utilization.

Spectrum Management Strategy for Short Range Devices to Reduce Radio Frequency Interference

The usage of Information Communication Technology (ICT) has become more prevalent in modern society, resulting in the development of intelligent. In particular, the use of unlicensed low-power wireless devices has been rapidly increasing which requires strategic management. The discourse regarding the environment for the usage of radio waves has primarily been focused on improving the economic feasibility and utilization of radio frequency from an administrative standpoint; however, the increase in the usage of low-power unlicensed bandwidth has led to an increase in radio frequency interference, resulting in a need to manage and monitor relevant bandwidths. These advancements have been hindered by glaring limitations in the efficiency of existing management systems of radio waves in addition to restrictions on current technological development processes. This paper will investigate the limitations on existing applications of radio wave technologies and propose efficient countermeasures for radio frequency interference and suggests smart grid systems as the alternative.

Dynamic Resource Sharing in 5G with LSA: Criteria‐Based Management Framework

Owing to a steadily increasing demand for efficient spectrum utilization as part of the fifth‐generation (5G) cellular concept, it becomes crucial to revise the existing radio spectrum management techniques and provide more flexible solutions for the corresponding challenges. A new wave of spectrum policy reforms can thus be envisaged by producing a paradigm shift from static to dynamic orchestration of shared resources. The emerging Licensed Shared Access (LSA) regulatory framework enables flexible spectrum sharing between a limited number of users that access the same frequency bands, while guaranteeing better interference mitigation. In this work, an advanced user satisfaction‐aware spectrum management strategy for dynamic LSA management in 5G networks is proposed to balance both the connected user satisfaction and the Mobile Network Operator (MNO) resource utilization. The approach is based on the MNO decision policy that combines both pricing and rejection rules in the implemented processes. Our study offers a classification built over several types of users, different corresponding attributes, and a number of MNO’s decision scenarios. Our investigations are built on Criteria‐Based Resource Management (CBRM) framework, which has been specifically designed to facilitate dynamic LSA management in 5G mobile networks. To verify the proposed model, the results (spectrum utilization, estimated Secondary User price for the future connection, and user selection methodology in case of user rejection process) are validated numerically as we yield important conclusions on the applicability of our approach, which may offer valuable guidelines for efficient radio spectrum management in highly dynamic and heterogeneous 5G environments.

Implementation of Cognitive Radio Networks to evaluate spectrum management strategies in real-time

This paper illustrates a Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP)-based real-time testbed that is able to evaluate different spectrum management solutions that exploit the Cognitive Radio (CR) paradigm. The main objective of this testbed is to provide an accurate and realistic platform by which the performance of innovative spectrum management solutions for a wide set of scenarios and use cases in the context of Opportunistic Networks (ONs) and Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs) can be entirely validated and assessed before their implementation in real systems. Real-time platforms are essential to carry out significant studies and to accurately assess the performance of innovative solutions before their implementation in the real world. This work provides a comprehensive description of the testbed, highlighting many interesting implementation details and illustrating its applicability for different studies that rely on the CR paradigm. Then, a particular application in a realistic Digital Home (DH) scenario is also illustrated, which allows demonstrating the effectiveness of the real-time testbed and assessing its practicality in terms of user-perceived end-to-end Quality of Experience (QoE) in a realistic environment.

A dynamic spectrum management strategy based on cooperative bargaining framework

This work proposes a dynamic and fair spectrum management strategy to be adopted by a service provider (SP). Here, we consider a scenario where multiple access networks (ANs) of different (not necessarily competing) technologies are owned by a single SP. We envisage that an SP employs an entity, called local spectrum controller (LSC), which manages a common pool of spectrum and is responsible for distributing the spectrum to individual ANs in a fair manner. Since the available spectrum is inadequate to satisfy the aggregate demand from all ANs simultaneously, LSC has to employ a dynamic spectrum allocation strategy. We have modeled the problem as an n-player cooperative bargaining game and have solved the problem with the help of solution techniques namely, Nash bargaining solution (NBS), Kalai-Smorodinsky bargaining solution (KSBS) and modified Thomson bargaining solution (MTBS). We have presented two novel heuristics to compute KSBS and MTBS. Moreover, a suitable utility function for the AN with respect to its received spectrum have been presented. We have also identified possible objectives of LSC (i.e., SP), namely minimizing overall dissatisfaction (MOD) of heterogeneous network, maintaining equality of distribution (MED) and maximizing proportional fairness (MPF). Finally, we have compared performances of above solutions with max–min fairness solution and Shapley value solution with respect to the above objectives of LSC.

A sustainable and collaborative strategy for dynamic spectrum management in next generation wireless networks

Next generation wireless technologies offer various services from voice call to full motion pictures and even to high speed internet access. Consequently, the service providers (SP) armed with different wireless technologies (like 2.5G/3G/LTE) would require an adequate and significant amount of spectrum bandwidth for satisfying the need of their customers. Hence to achieve complete commercialization, the SPs, operating simultaneously, would demand for more and more spectrum from the regulatory body of the country. The spectrum demand on the part of the SP may vary with time (dynamic) because of varied kind of loads which are generated depending on the nature of the client-base, their requirements and their expected quality of experience. This work has addressed this challenging issue of allocating spectrum dynamically to different technologies under the portfolio of an SP. Here, we have conceived a scenario where service providers (SP) own multiple access networks (ANs) of different technologies. We envisage that an entity, called local spectrum controller (LSC) which is dedicated for managing the common pool of spectrum allocated to each SP. LSC is mainly responsible for distributing the spectrum to individual ANs of an SP in a fair manner. Since the available spectrum may not be sufficient enough to satisfy the aggregate demand from all ANs simultaneously, an LSC may face a situation, where satisfying individual demands from all ANs may result in a compromise between the demand and supply. This demand–supply situation would force an LSC or an SP to adhere to some dynamic spectrum management strategy, where demands of an AN would have to be satisfied depending on the current state of available spectrum and required usage of it. This calls for an adaptive dynamic strategy to be introduced by an SP for efficient spectrum distribution. The dynamic disparity of spectrum allocation can be idealized as a game between LSC and ANs. Hence, in the present work, we have modeled the problem of dynamic spectrum allocation as an n-player cooperative bankruptcy game and have solved the problem with the help of Shapley value and τ-value separately. We have investigated whether the ANs find it beneficial to cooperate with each other to make the solution sustainable enough. To evaluate the performances of the games that the ANs play, we have designed a novel utility function for each AN. We have identified plausible aims of an SP as minimizing overall dissatisfaction (MOD) and maximizing equality of distribution (MED). Next, we have studied performances of the above two solution concepts against max–min fairness algorithm (benchmarked in our case) with respect to the above objectives of LSC. Finally, we have proposed a unique heuristic in order to facilitate the decision making process of dynamic spectrum allocation, which leads to an adaptive yet optimized spectrum allocation strategy.

Software-Defined Radio—Basics and Evolution to Cognitive Radio

We provide a brief overview over the development of software-defined or reconfigurable radio systems. The need for software-defined radios is underlined and the most important notions used for such reconfigurable transceivers are thoroughly defined. The role of standards in radio development is emphasized and the usage of transmission mode parameters in the construction of software-defined radios is described. The software communications architecture is introduced as an example for a framework that allows an object-oriented development of software-defined radios. Cognitive radios are introduced as the next step in radio systems' evolution. The need for cognitive radios is exemplified by a comparison of present and advanced spectrum management strategies.