87203 - Mobile Radio Networks M

Academic Year 2021/2022

Learning outcomes

The student will be aware of the fundamentals of radio networks, covering aspects of the physical, data link and network layers, with specific reference to the evolution of mobile radio systems from GSM to 5G.

Course contents

INT - Introduction - 3 hours

INT.1 Radio Networks

INT.2 Radio Communication Standards

INT.3 Trends

INT.4 The Course

DTN - Digital Transmission in Noise Limited Systems - 12 hours

DTN.1 Fundamentals of Digital Communications

DTN.2 Communication Link: System Model

DTN.3 Energy Efficiency

DTN.4 Signal Based Power Control

DTN.5 Link Performance (BER) of M-QASK in AWGN

DTN.6 Link Adaptation

DTN.7 Equalization

DTN.8 FEC, ARQ, HARQ

DTN.9 Link Performance (BLER) and Capacity in AWGN

DTN.10 Radio Resources (Physical Channels)

DTN.11 Assignment of Radio Resources

DTN.12 Exercises

DTN.13 Fundamentals of Digital Communications / 2

LRC - Link Level: Radio Channel - 6 hours

LRC.1 Fundamentals of Radio Propagation / 1

LRC.2 Radio Channel Characterization

LRC.3 Large Scale Phenomena

LRC.4 Small Scale Phenomena

LRC.5 Narrowband Mobile Radio Channel

LRC.6 Link Performance in the Presence of Fading

LRC.7 Area Coverage Probability

LRC.8 Fundamentals of Radio Propagation / 2

LCF - Link Level: Countermeasures to Fading - 6 hours

LCF.1 Interleaving

LCF.2 Adaptive Modulation and Coding

LCF.3 Diversity

LCF.4 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum

LCF.5 Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum

LCF.6 MultiCarrier Modulation

LCF.7 Link Performance with FEC and Diversity

DTI - Digital Transmission in Interference Limited Systems - 9 hours

DTI.1 Fundamentals of Wireless Networking

DTI.2 Communication Link with Interference: System Model

DTI.3 Interference Based Power Control

DTI.4 Linear and Non Linear Demodulation

DTI.5 Link Performance (BER) of M-QASK with Interference

DTI.6 Capture Effect

DTI.7 Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum with interference

DTI.8 Link Level Outage Probability with Fading and Interference

DTI.9 Interference Based Power Control from a Network Level viewpoint

RRA - Radio Resource Assignment in Cellular Networks - 3 hours

RRA.1 Cellular Networks

RRA.2 Reuse

RRA.3 Cluster Size Dimensioning

RRM Network Level: Radio Resource Management - 9 hours

RRM.1 Network Architectures: Evolution From GSM to 4G

RRM.2 RRM techniques

RRM.3 Scheduling

RRM.4 Hard and Soft Handover

RRM.5 Admission Control, Load Control

MRN - Mobile Radio Networks - 12 hours

MRN.1 Network Architectures: Evolution towards 5G

MRN.2 Mobility Management

MRN.3 2G (GSM): Numerology

MRN.4 2G (GSM): MAC and RLC

MRN.5 2G (GSM): Measurement Reports

MRN.6 2.5G (GPRS)

MRN.7 2.5G (EDGE)

MRN.8 3G (UMTS): Numerology

MRN.9 3.5G (HSPA)

MRN.10 LTE: Numerology

MRN.11 LTE: MAC and RLC

MRN.12 4G (LTE-A)

MRN.13 NB-IOT

Readings/Bibliography

There is no book following the syllabus of this course.

The student will be provided through the personal website of the instructor (www.robertoverdone.org) self-comprehensive slide sets covering all lecture blocks and items.

Teaching methods

80% "Chalk and Talk".

10% Inquiry based sessions.

10% At the end of each lecture block, exercises will be solved during the classes. The same exercises constitute the basis for one of the questions made during the exam.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist of one individual appointment. The student will be first asked to develop a written numerical exercise, which is one of those discussed during the lectures; immediately afterwards, if the exercise is performed properly, an oral session follows, where the student will be asked questions spanning on all lecture blocks of the course.

The student will be judged based on its comprehension of concepts, on the detailed technical considerations regarding the techniques, algorithms and protocols discussed, and the ability to formalise concepts through diagrams, conceptual maps, mathematical models.

Alternatively, upon request from the student, he/she can give an intermediate exam after the first half of the course (lecture blocks INT, DTN, LRC, LCF), and a final one at the end of the course before the summer break. The same process and methods described above are applied to the two partial exams (intermediate and final). In this case the final mark is the weighted average of the two partial exams, with the first one having weight 40%.

More information, and tips, on www.robertoverdone.org.

Teaching tools

Slidesets made available through website www.robertoverdone.org.

Self-assessment questionnaires made available through website www.robertoverdone.org.

Links to further information

http://www.robertoverdone.org/teaching/mobile-radio-networks/

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Verdone