Abstract : CRC is embarking on a cognitive radio investigation program which has as its objective new types of spectrum usage models that are somewhat different from the classical approach to spectrum management where licensees are granted access to spectrum for their sole use. In these new models radio spectrum is considered to be a shared resource in which interference is monitored and controlled and spectrum efficiency and reuse is encouraged. How this is done is a matter of investigation, but could entail the use of collaborative radios sharing common radio emission data bases, it could be also a series of radio etiquettes embedded in equipment standards, or it may be supported by the use of a common temporal signaling channel over which a variety of radios share specific information regarding spectrum occupancy. The anticipated systems will likely incorporate MIMO as well as classical antenna beamforming.

In the presentation John Sydor will discuss the approach the Research Broad Band Wireless (RBBW)laboratory at CRC is taking in support of cognitive radio. The program has a mix of academic investigation and practical implementation through the use of demonstration experiments. The RBBWlab is developing a Cognitive Radio terminal, called the WIFI_CR,  steerable antenna technologies,and a Cognitive Radio Network Management system (CORAL) that will be made available to researchers and entrepreneurs and we will work on developing a forum within which ideas and proposals on Cognitive Radio can be shared and investigated. Having a cognitive radio that is reconfigurable and reprogrammable will provide investigators with hardware that will allow ideas and simulation results to be implemented as testable radio systems. Since CRC's R&D window is usually tailored to implementation periods that are 2-5 years in the future, our focus on the work at hand is to consider techniques and technology that can have an impact within that time frame. Standards development and regulations policy factor highly into our work. Consequently, WIFI_CR is meant to be a development tool giving researchers and developers a near-term means by which to implement the algorithms and MAC/PHY layer techniques that will be important to cognitive radio. A number of experiments are planned over the next year and these will be discussed, as will some of the theoretical work on cognitive radio that provides the background to the work we are embarking upon.

Biography : John Sydor is the Research Manager of the Research Broad Band Wireless Group at the Communications Research Centre (CRC) in Ottawa. Under his guidance the group has developed a number of novel satellite and terrestrial communications technologies for commercial and government applications. He has published over 30 papers and holds 7 patents related to wireless devices and systems. Some of the patents and Intellectual Property were formative to the establishment of a number of wireless companies in Canada and throughout  his career he has worked closely with Canadian industry in the development and transfer of wireless technology. He has acted as a consultant on regulatory matters in Canada and at the ITU, principally on issues related to ISM band regulations, and has participated in the writing of the IEEE 802.16/16h (WiMAX) standards for local and metropolitan area wireless networks. Currently his group is involved with the development of Cognitive Radio and MIMO systems for cellular and rural wireless applications. This work extends to a number research collaborations with agencies and universities, both nationally and internationally, and involves wireless companies and service providers in Canada. He has a B.Ap.Sc from the University of British Columbia and has undertaken graduate engineering studies at the Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, with a focus on electromagnetics, antennas, and packet radio protocols.

Live webcast : http://vbxevents.powerstream.net/003/02484/Sydor091026/index.htm