Department of Network Engineering

WNG

Wireless Networks Group

Introduction

The Wireless Networks Group (WNG) carries out research and technology transfer tasks in several fields related with mobile communications, ad-hoc networks, heterogeneous networks, mesh networks, etc. The group has participated in numerous national and international projects.

 

The current main topics of interest for the WNG are the following ones:

  • Design and evaluation of the capabilities of mesh networks through a multilayer approach (physical, MAC, network and application layers) to identify and implement cross-layer mechanisms.

  • To offer anywhere and anytime solutions for traditional networks (fixed and mobile ones) with the aim of enabling the ubiquitous Internet.

  • Design  and evaluation of multihop networks applied to mesh networks and sensor networks. In particular, the emphasis is on the protocol optimization for the different applications of these networks.

  • Evaluation of context generation and use systems to optimize the use of telecommunications networks.

 

Research Topics

  • Study of adequate medium access mechanisms for mesh networks. The study of distributed channel selection mechanisms for these networks is also a topic of interest.

  • Study of the capabilities of the IEEE802.11, IEEE802.15.4, IEEE802.16 and TETRA radios so as to build mesh networks.

  • Study and design of auto-identification and mobility support mechanisms for IPv6 and IPv4 nodes.

  • Study of scalable and self-configuring routing protocols for IEEE802.15.4 and IEEE802.11 networks.

  • Study and design of scalable service discovery mechanisms for several kinds of mesh networks.

  • Evaluation of end-to-end solutions against the use of an intermediate element (e.g. proxy or gateway) for mesh networks. Transport layers (i.e. TCP and SCTP), session and application (content adaptation) layers are considered.

  • Study of the capacity of the connectivity point and the distribution of capacity among the nodes of a network in a mobile scenario (i.e. GPRS, EGPRS and UMTS).

  • Study of SIP-based presence mechanisms in order to generate context to facilitate communications.

  • Use of context as a mechanism to optimize communications.

 

Main projects

The Wireless Networks Group (WNG) has participated in numerous research and development projects in the areas of mobile communications, wireless networks, communications protocols and content adaptation. During the last ten years, the group has always had an active project supported by the Spanish Government (through the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia). Among the rest of projects, the main ones are shown next.

On-going projects

I2Cat. The Catalan Government, in addition to UPC, promoted a catalan based project to promote a second generation Internet. In this project, the WNG is in charge of demonstrating the possibilities of Internet access from mobile devices. The last works are focused on the use of sensor networks for several applications, such as municipality management (Sanvi-Sens project), a hospital environment (Hospisegur project) and the proposal of new networks (TRILOGY project).

Infopoints II. Improvement of the functionalities of the information points of the FuturLink company.

Projectes realitzats

UAMN (2006-2007). This project was supported by i2cat Foundation and Vodafone R&D. The goal of the project was the implementation of a UMTS-assisted wireless mesh network.

Media Mòbil (2006). This project was done through i2cat, with support by CIDEM, where several studies and demonstrators were carried out about DVB-H, streaming using mobile phones, interactivity using mobile phones, and localization, presence control and instant messaging, also using mobile phones.

Mesh network trial (2005).This project was done for Vodafone, where the capabilities of mobile ad-hoc networks were evaluated.

IST ELIN (2002-05) IST ELIN was a european project where a multiformat, digital, newspaper was developed. The WNG took part in the efficient delivery of information, performing content adaptation for mobile devices.

Performance Evaluation of Wireless Proxies (2004). This was a contract with an israelian company called Flash Networks to compare performance enhancing proxies for GPRS/UMTS networks.

Serveis UMTS i tècniques avançades de localització (2003-04). The group obtained one of the five projects of the PPT (Plan de Promoción Tecnológica del UMTS, i.e. Plan for the Technological Promotion of UMTS) that were supported by Telefonica Moviles.

IST RIU253 (2003). A european project categorized as an accompanying measure. The goal was the production of a list of recommendations for performance enhancement of Internet access through 2.5G and 3G networks.

IST WIU253 (2003). A grant from the European Comission for the organization of a conference to disseminate recommendations for performance enhancement of Internet access through GPRS and WLAN networks.

IST EMILY (2001-03). A european project that dealt with the use of a hybrid localization system combining terrestrial mobile networks and the GPS system.

IST INTERNODE (2000-02). A european project that dealt with the use of a hybrid localization system combining terrestrial mobile networks and the GPS system.

COMESVA (2001).A project carried out for RSE Aplicaciones Territoriales within a PROFIT action. It was focused on the development of applications for the sale of location and cartography information. The project offered a visualization tool of vectorial digital cartography where the temporary use of the cartography is hired. The control of its use can be done using SMS. 

Wireless IP (2000). This project was carried out for ALCATEL. Its goal was the development of a simulator of an IEEE802.11 WLAN to be used for Internet access.

Millora de les prestacions de TCP sobre GPRS (2000). This project was a study done for Vodafone with the goal of providing a set of recommendations to enhance the performance of the Internet protocol stack over GPRS.


Contact person

Anna Calveras Auge

email:


More information about the research group

http://wireless.upc.edu