ATWC

The project aims at using adaptive optimization to reduce energy consumption in a multimode wireless communication terminal. This is becoming increasingly important to reduce carbon emission and pollution associated with battery disposal especially considering the projected growth of wireless networks. The idea is to use hardware re-configurability not only for multi mode/multi standard operation, but also to adapt the performance of the terminal to the requirement of the user in the changing environment. The main innovation compared to existing adaptive transmission techniques is to dynamically configure the system to achieve the Quality of Service required by the user instead of trying to maximize the throughput. This calls for significant progress in the re-configurability of all the circuits of the terminal and on the estimation of the channel operating conditions requiring specific skills in electronic design and communication systems. The research will concentrate on these aspects with a special emphasis on the reconfiguration of the analog/RF portion of the transceiver. Extending the re-configurability of a mobile terminal in addition to making it more eco friendly, also allows to implement a commercially competitive multi-mode multi-standard personal communication device which is a key enabling technology to achieve a broad connection for all at any time and any place. The teams involved focus on different areas of expertise: University of Pavia and the University of Lund in RF integrated circuit design, Marvell on the definition of the targets and on the industrial compatibility of the solutions, Ericsson on communications and system aspects. They are all well known for their contributions to the design and implementation of electronic circuits and systems for mobile terminals. As such they represent the proper starting point for a work that will require a deep-interaction among all fields of expertise.