This project concerns the design and implementation of TDMA (time division multiple access) wireless communications systems.
In wireless communication systems the spatial reuse of radio channels is important for improving the efficiency of spectrum use. In other words, a wireless communication system will have greater traffic carrying capacity if the same radio channel (frequency) can be reused simultaneously in two or more geographically separated parts of the network. In TDMA systems, timeslots are allocated to carry the data of users. Normally each user will be allocated a different timeslot so as that two (or more) users don’t transmit at the same time and mutually interfere with each other. However, if the users are sufficiently separated geographically it may be possible for them to use the same timeslot simultaneously without causing excessive interference to one another. (This assumes that the users are transmitting to different receivers, i.e. each transmitter-receiver pair must be sufficiently separated from other pairs.)
The object of this project is to develop strategies for allocating timeslots to users so as to maximize the reuse of timeslots (or alternatively minimize the number of distinct timeslots required to serve all users). The network considered could be either an infrastructure network (i.e. a network with base stations) or an ad-hoc network (in which pairs of users communicate directly). To limit the scope (and difficulty) of the problem, we will assume that the network has only one (TDMA) radio channel. (Another project will investigate allocating users to multiple radio channels, but without timeslot reuse.)Undergraduate
A Matlab (or similar) based software tool for investigating and visualizing timeslot reuse in a TDMA wireless system. Demonstration of a strategy for allocating timeslots to users to improve the efficiency of timeslot (re)use.
Courses in radio systems and data/digital communications desirable but not essential.
Lab allocations have not been finalised