Internet-of-things (IoT) is becoming a reality as our surroundings are getting evermore connected. The International Telecommunication Union is forecasting 100 times increase in the aggregate wireless demand by 2030 relative to 2020. The increasing density of IoT devices in civilian life imposes more stringent efficiency requirements on the use of radio frequencies, also called spectrum. The wireless community has made excellent spectrum efficiency innovations by solving interference challenges of omni-directional radios that propagate in every direction. However, it is questionable if these innovations alone will suffice as cost-effective and secure solutions for future wireless needs. As a promising solution, by transmitting in certain directions, directional radios offer high-speed wireless access, as well as wireless transmissions with lower energy consumption and probability of being intercepted by intruders. However, radio directionality has disadvantages in terms of tolerance to mobility and antenna size; and requires transmitter and receiver to be facing each other, a.k.a. line-of-sight (LOS) alignment, and larger antenna size. This project adapts Software-Defined Radio (SDR), i.e., radio components implemented in software that enable dynamic programmability, to handle the challenges in mobility and LOS alignment of directional transceivers, and to attain practical antenna sizes. The project takes the first steps in making directionality of transceivers a programmable element of SDR platforms. Broader impacts include technical contributions to the 5G-and-beyond vision, the radio infrastructure needed for future smart cities and connected communities, and further proliferation of wireless technology into civilian life. The project offers research opportunities to UCF undergraduate and graduate students, including under-represented minorities.

This project is sponsored by U.S. National Science Foundation award 2006683.

The intellectual merit is making directionality a mainstream wireless design component. The project enhances directional antenna design and angular diversity packaging in the higher frequency spectrum bands, progresses the theory of interference and power management for highly directional links, and provides energy efficient and seamless LOS detection and maintenance of mobile directional links. In particular, the project explores Directional SDR designs that (1) introduce low-cost reflectarray antennas with beam-steering capability, (2) utilize low-power directional transceiver packages with angular diversity in circular or spherical shapes, (3) discover, establish, and maintain directional and/or LOS-requiring links under mobility, (4) perform software-defined beamforming by using highly directional links under mobility, and (5) employ fast heuristics to directionally sense the spectrum and optimize the directional communication link parameters on-the-fly. Focusing on the emerging super-6 GHz bands, the effort explores new methods and technologies for operation at short ranges representing an urban or indoor setting. The overarching goal is to investigate wireless link management and optimization regimes where directionality is the new norm and a mainstream design parameter.