Flexible and spectrum-Aware Radio Access through Measurements and modelling In cognitive Radio systems

The main goal of the FARAMIR project is to research and develop techniques for increasing the radio environmental and spectral awareness of future wireless systems. The proposed holistic approach starts from the development of spectrum sensing hardware investigating how such functionality could be efficiently integrated to handheld devices. In the next step, we will combine measurements performed at multiple nodes in a cooperative fashion on a network level, not only to identify spectrum opportunities but also to localize any sources of primary transmissions or interference. This information will be fused to a radio environmental map, which provides the basis for system optimisation. Channel allocation, interference avoidance, and protocol parameter configuration are only selected examples for potential optimisation problems. The consortium will take a practical approach and prototype most of the project innovations showing their real-world value in radio resource optimisation.

Additionally, extensive spectrum measurements will be conducted at several locations in Europe to provide a valuable basis for spectrum modelling and increase the understanding how spectrum use changes in time, frequency, and space. This task will be implemented in an open access fashion not only enabling the community to access the measurement results but also allowing third-parties to benefit from the FARAMIR measurement setups. The results will naturally improve the design of the radio environmental map and the pursued optimisation solutions.

The high quality consortium possesses a unique combination of expertise from across the whole value chain of the wireless business starting from a semiconductor research institute, via an infrastructure and two complementary device manufacturers, to a network operator and a regulator, some of whom already participate in pertinent standardisation work. Additionally, four well-acclaimed university partners join their efforts in FARAMIR.

Project Website: http://www.ict-faramir.eu/