Instructor:
Halim Yanikomeroglu, Carleton University
Abstract:
The provision of very high data rates, beyond small pockets, is not feasible with the conventional wireless network architectures. Even the recent advances in antenna technologies (such as smart antennas and MIMO systems) and signal processing techniques (such as advanced channel coding methods) do not seem to be sufficient to alleviate the tremendous potential stress that will be incurred on the link budget in future wireless networks with the aggregate rates of 100-1000 Mbps. Towards that end, the augmentation of the current networks with the multihop capability is considered to be the most feasible architectural upgrade to facilitate almost ubiquitous high data rate coverage in the most cost-effective manner. In this context, there has been growing interest in both academia and industry in the concept of relaying in infrastructure-based wireless networks such as next generation cellular (4G), WLAN (WiFi/HiperLAN2), and broadband fixed wireless (802.16/WiMax) networks. Multihop communications can be facilitated through the use of low-power/low-cost fixed relays and/or through other wireless terminals in the network. This tutorial will present the concept of relaying in infrastructure-based networks, with its fundamental dynamics, potentials and limitations. The tutorial will cover physical layer issues (including novel diversity techniques, virtual antenna arrays, and cooperative relaying), systems level issues (including multiple access, radio resource management, scheduling, coverage, and throughput) and networking issues (including intelligent routing, load balancing, and handoff).

Instructor Bios:
Halim Yanikomeroglu received a Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada, in 1998. Since then Dr. Yanikomeroglu has been with the Department of Systems & Computer Engineering at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, where he is now an Associate Professor with tenure. His research interests include almost all aspects of wireless communications with a special emphasis on infrastructure-based relay/multihop/mesh networks. At Carleton University, he teaches graduate courses on digital, mobile, and wireless communications. Dr. Yanikomeroglu has been involved in the steering and technical program committees of numerous international conferences in communications; he has also given several tutorials in such conferences. He was the Technical Program Co-Chair of the IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference 2004 (WCNC'04). He is an editor for IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, and a guest editor for Wiley Journal on Wireless Communications & Mobile Computing; he was an editor for IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials for 2002-03. Currently he is serving as the Vice-Chair of the IEEE Technical Committee on Personal Communications. Dr. Yanikomeroglu is a registered Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario, Canada.