Integrated optical frequency comb for 5G NR Xhauls.

We experimentally demonstrate the use of optical frequency combs (OFCs), generated by a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), in a flexible optical distribution network based on fiber-optics and free-space optics (FSOs) links, aimed at the fifth generation of mobile network (5G) Xhauls. The Indium Phosphide (InP) monolithically integrated OFC is based on cascaded optical modulators and is broadly tunable in terms of operating wavelength and frequency spacing. Particularly, our approach relies on applying the PIC in a centralized radio access network (C-RAN) architecture, with the purpose of optically generating two low-phase noise mm-waves signals for simultaneously enabling a 12.5-km of single-mode fiber (SMF) fronthaul and a 12.5-km SMF midhaul, followed by a 10-m long FSO fronthaul link. Moreover, the demonstrator contemplates two 10-m reach 5G wireless access networks operating in the 26 GHz band, i.e. over the frequency range 2 (FR2) from the 5G NR standard. The proposed integrated OFC-based 5G system performance is in accordance to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 15 requirements, achieving a total wireless throughput of 900 Mbit/s.

NovaGenesis Applied to Information-Centric, Service-Defined, Trustable IoT/WSAN Control Plane and Spectrum Management.

We integrate, for the first time in the literature, the following ingredients to deal with emerging dynamic spectrum management (DSM) problem in heterogeneous wireless sensors and actuators networks (WSANs), Internet of things (IoT) and Wi-Fi: (i) named-based routing to provide provenance and location-independent access to control plane; (ii) temporary storage of control data for efficient and cohesive control dissemination, as well as asynchronous communication between software-controllers and devices; (iii) contract-based control to improve trust-ability of actions; (iv) service-defined configuration of wireless devices, approximating their configurations to real services needs. The work is implemented using NovaGenesis architecture and a proof-of-concept is evaluated in a real scenario, demonstrating our approach to automate radio frequency channel optimization in Wi-Fi and IEEE 802.15.4 networks in the 2.4 GHz bands. An integrated cognitive radio system provides the dual-mode best channel indications for novel DSM services in NovaGenesis. By reconfiguring Wi-Fi/IoT devices to best channels, the proposed solution more than doubles the network throughput, when compared to the case of mutual interference. Therefore, environments equipped with the proposal provide enhanced performance to their users.