Download PDF

Beam steering application for W-band data links with moving targets in 5G wireless networks

  • Álvaro Morales
  • Sebastián Rodríguez
  • Omar Gallardo
  • Juan Jose Vegas Olmos
  • Idelfonso Tafur Monroy
Research Paper
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:
  • 201 Downloads

Abstract

Ubiquitous broadband Internet access is one of the major goals of the next generation of wireless communications. However, there are still some locations where this is difficult to achieve. This is the case on moving vehicles and, particularly, on trains. Among the possible solutions to this problem, RoF (Radio-over-Fiber) architectures have been proposed as low-latency, cost-effective candidates. Two elements are introduced to extend the RoF approach. First, the carrier frequency is raised into the W-band (75–110 GHz) to increase the available capacity. Second, a mechanical beam-steering solution based on a Stewart platform is adopted for the transmitter antenna to allow it to follow a moving receiver along a known path, thereby enhancing the coverage area. The performance of a system transmitting a 2.5 Gbit/s non-return-to-zero signal generated by photonic up-conversion over a wireless link is evaluated in terms of real-time BER (Bit Error Rate) measurements. The receiver is situated in different positions, and the orientation of the transmitter is changed accordingly. Values below the forward error correction limit for 7% overhead are obtained over a range of 60 cm around a center point situated 2 m away from the transmitter.

Keywords

5G mobile communications mechanical steering millimeter-wave communications photonic up-conversion vehicular communications 
Download to read the full article text

References

  1. [1]
    C. X. Wang, F. Haider, X. Fao, et al. Cellular architecture and key technologies for 5G wireless communication networks [J]. IEEE communications magazine, 2014, 52(2): 122–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. [2]
    D. T. Fokum, V. S. Frost. A survey on methods for broadband Internet access on trains [J]. IEEE communications surveys & tutorials, 2010, 12(2): 171–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. [3]
    S. Banerjee, M. Hempel, H. Sharif. A survey of wireless communication technologies & their performance for high speed railways [J]. Journal of transportation technologies, 2016, 6(1): 15–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. [4]
    N. Pleros, K Vyrsokinos, K. Tsagkaris, et al. A 60 GHz radio-over-fiber network architecture for seamless communication with high mobility [J]. Journal of lightwave technology, 2009, 27(12): 1957–1967.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. [5]
    J. J. Vegas Olmos, I. Tafur Monroy. Reconfigurable radio-over-fiber networks [J]. IEEE/OSA journal of optical communications and networking, 2015, 7(11): B23–B28CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. [6]
    S. Rodriguez, S. Rommel, J. J. Vegas Olmos, et al. Recon figurable radio access unit to dynamically distribute W-band signals in 5G wireless access networks [J]. Optical switching and networking, 2017, 24: 21–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. [7]
    J. J. Vegas Olmos, G. Rodes, I. Tafur Monroy. Optical switching for dynamic distribution of wireless-over-fiber signals in active optical networks [J]. Journal of optical communications and networking, 2012, 4(8): 622–627.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. [8]
    T. S. Rappaport, S. Sun, R. Mayzus, et al. Millimeter wave mobile communications for 5G cellular: it will work! [J]. IEEE access, 2013, 1: 335–349.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. [9]
    I. S. Amiri, S. E. Alavi, S. M. Idrus, et al. W-band OFDM transmission for radio-over-fiber link using solitonic millimeter wave generated by MRR [J]. IEEE journal of quantum electronics, 2014, 50(8): 622–628.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. [10]
    L. Cavalcante, S. Rommel, S. Rodriguez, et al. On the capacity of radio-over-fiber links at the W-band [J]. Optical and quantum electronics, 2016, 48(5): 1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. [11]
    S. Rommel, S. Rodriguez, L. Chorchos, et al. Outdoor W-band hybrid photonic wireless link based on an optical SFP+ module [J]. IEEE photonics technology letters, 2016, 28(21): 2303–2306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. [12]
    I. Uchendu, J. R. Kelly. Survey of beam steering techniques available for millimeter wave applications [J]. Progress in electromagnetics research B, 2016, 68(1): 35–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. [13]
    R. Bonjour, M. Singleton, S. A. Gebrewold, et al. Ultrafast millimeter wave beam steering [J]. IEEE journal of quantum electronics, 2016, 52(1): 1–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. [14]
    A. Tamminen, J. Ala-Laurinaho, D. Gomes-Martins, et al. Re ectarray for 120-GHz beam steering application: design, simulations, and measurements [C]//Proceedings SPIE 8362, Passive and Active Millimeter-Wave Imaging XV, Baltimore, USA, 2012: 836205.Google Scholar
  15. [15]
    J. Ala-Laurinaho, A. Karttunen, J. Säily, et al. Mmwave lens antenna with an integrated LTCC feed array for beam steering [C]//Fourth European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), Barcelona, Spain, 2010: 1–5.Google Scholar
  16. [16]
    Y. Q. Zhou, Z. G. Pan, J. L. Hu, et al. Broadband wireless communications on high speed trains [C]//20th Annual Wireless and Optical Communications Conference (WOCC), Newark, USA, 2011: 1–6.Google Scholar
  17. [17]
    A. Sniady, J. Soler. Performance of LTE in high speed railway scenarios [C]//International Workshop on Communication Technologies for Vehicles, Villeneuve d’ Ascq, France, 2013: 211–222.Google Scholar
  18. [18]
    M. Terada, F. Teraoka. Providing a high-speed train with a broadband and fault tolerant IPv4/6 NEMO environment [C]//Globecom Workshops (GC Wkshps), Anaheim, USA, 2012: 1052–1056.Google Scholar
  19. [19]
    F. de Greve, B. Lannoo, L. Peters, et al. Famous: a network architecture for delivering multimedia services to fast moving users [J]. Wireless personal communications, 2005, 33(3-4): 281–304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. [20]
    B. Lannoo, D. Colle, M. Pickavet, et al. Radio-over-fiber-based solution to provide broadband Internet access to train passengers [J]. IEEE communications magazine, 2007, 45(2): 56–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. [21]
    J. J. Vegal Olmos, T. Kuri, K. Kitayama. Dynamic recon figurable WDM 60-GHz millimeter-waveband radioover-fiber access network: architectural considerations and experiment [J]. Journal of lightwave technology, 2007, 25(11): 3374–3380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. [22]
    T. Do-Hong, P. Russer. Signal processing for wideband smart antenna array applications [J]. IEEE microwave magazine, 2004, 5(1): 5767.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Posts & Telecom Press and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Álvaro Morales
    • 1
  • Sebastián Rodríguez
    • 1
  • Omar Gallardo
    • 1
  • Juan Jose Vegas Olmos
    • 1
  • Idelfonso Tafur Monroy
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.Technical University of Denmark, Department of Photonics EngineeringKongens LyngbyDenmark
  2. 2.Saint-Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and OpticsKronverksky prospekt, Saint PetersburgRussian Federation

Personalised recommendations