Networks and Wireless Communications Area

The NWC area performs research and development activities in the following fields:

• broadband and high-capacity wireless networks, cognitive radio systems and networks;
• dense wireless sensor networks, highly reliable and wide coverage systems;
• digital audio and video broadcasting;
• indoor and outdoor localization and navigation systems;
• satellite communications and services.

Broadband wireless networks and cognitive networks
We study and develop innovative techniques for configuration and management of networks that optimize performance in critical situations, such as high interference levels or high density. We also study cognitive networks: an innovative paradigm that results in extremely flexible and adaptive systems able to provide high data rates and flexibility, while featuring an efficient use the radio spectrum. As part of this activity, particular attention is devoted to spectrum sensing techniques capable of identifying digital transmission even when their level is very low, thus preventing interference and leading to an optimized use of available frequencies.

INLab – Integrated Networks Laboratory. The INLab laboratory, organized with the technical direction of CSP and the scientific direction of the Politecnico di Torino, addresses issues related to broadband wireless networks and cognitive networks.

Wireless sensor networks, professional mobile radio networks
We design and developed innovative protocols and transmission techniques for wireless sensor networks (WSN) in the context of the Internet of Things. Here, dense networks of sensors are connected to data centers through wireless links. Professional mobile radio (PMR) systems, instead, are high-reliability and wide-area systems able to provide voice and low-rate data services with high reliability and large coverage areas. Thanks to some of their specific characteristics, the latter can also be used for the collection of data from sensors. thereby we are integrating PMR systems with wireless sensors.

Digital audio and video broadcasting systems
We design and implement transmitters and receivers that conform to the most popular and innovative standard for multimedia digital audio and video broadcasting, both terrestrial and satellite, such as DVB-T, DVB-S, DAB + and DRM.
These systems are implemented using software-defined radio techniques, by studying and proposing original and innovative algorithms and architectures able to generate high-quality signals.

Localization and navigation systems
This group is concerned with indoor and outdoor localization and navigation systems. Most of the effort is dedicated to precision indoor navigation systems, for which recently there has been a growing interest. We study new signal processing algorithms and new architectures able to provide accurate localization in buildings or large areas.

Satellite communications and services
Satellite communication systems are widely used for television broadcasting and, increasingly, also for broadband wireless access. Their costs and quality of service are becoming comparable with terrestrial systems. The activities in this field focus on the analysis and performance assessment of satellite data services and on the integration of satellite data systems with terrestrial systems, on multimedia broadcasting services from satellite to mobile terminals and satellite mobile messaging services.