Description
The mobile communications systems, since they were first introduced during the eighties, have acquired great relevance in the people´s way of live. The amount of users of mobile services is increasing all over the world. Not only mobile telephony but also mobile data services are having great success. Any communication system aims to offer a large range of services to a large number of users. Both requirements are translated in practice into an improvement of the connection bit rate and the quality of service management, as well as an increase of the coverage area and the minimization of the required radio resources per user. Each operating system corresponds to a tradeoff among these concepts. During the course the most relevant wireless systems from the last 20 years will be studied. During the course the main transmission and multiplexing schemes and systems are reviewed. This study is performed from different perspectives: public and private systems, cellular versus adhoc networks, and finally voice versus data oriented connections. All these concepts are analyzed theoretically and practically through the review of the most known standards such as the GSM, UMTS, TETRA or the IEEE 802 wireless standards (802.11, 802.15, 802.16, ...). Last but not least, the course is focused in the wireless/radio link, however implementation aspects, network planning, transport network, etc. are also covered through the different chapters.
Type Subject
Optativa
Semester
Second
Credits
5.00
Objectives

The main objectives of the course are:

1. To learn the basic knowledge of mobile communication systems, its classification and most important characteristics.
2. The capacity to relate this knowledge with the contents of other subjects where similar aspects are explained.
3. The ability to understand and learn English papers dealing with mobile communication systems.
4. The ability to work in group to solve a problem where a real situation is considered.
5. The capacity for oral and written communication in the native language.

Contents

An outline of the course follows:

1. Introduction and basic wireless communication knowledge
1.1. Evolution and classification of mobile communications systems
1.2. Cellular networks, medium access techniques, modulation, etc.

2. Professional mobile systems
2.1. PMR
2.2. Analog trunking
2.3. Digital trunking (TETRA)

3. Public mobile systems
3.1. 1st generation systems. TACS, ETACS, AMPS, DAMPS
3.2. 2nd generation systems. GSM
3.3. 2.5G systems. GPRS. HSCSD, EDGE.
3.4. 3rd generation systems. UMTS , HSDPA, HSUPA.

4. Wireless Data Networks
4.1. Wireless Communications Basics
4.2. Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN). IEEE 802.11a/b/g
4.3. Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN). IEEE 802.15.1/3/4
4.4. Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks (WMAN). IEEE 802.16a/e.

5. The road to 4G and enabling technologies
5.1 Avanced transmission and detection techniques
5.2.MIMO

6. Practical Sessions
Mobile operator visit.
Teamwork. Wireless system design/proposal for a real implementation case / problem.

Methodology

The methodology follows. The student can choose whether he prefers to assist to master classes (A) or online classes (B) with eventual review master classes (C):

A. Theoretical sessions using electronic slides. The teacher provides the student with the notes of the class. These notes are available on paper or electronic support.

B. Theoretical sessions online, using electronic guides, notes, forums, news, e-mail, virtual classes, etc.
C. Theoretical sessions for the students using the online methodology (B). These sessions are used to review and discuss the most important topics of the subject.

Furthermore, other learning activities are proposed:

D. Participation to virtual forums. The teacher creates online forums proposing many topics to discuss. The students contribute to this forum with ideas, problems, etc. The ability to communicate using written native language is encouraged.

E. Teamwork in the practice sessions. The students are supposed to solve a situation where real restrictions are considered.

Evaluation

The evaluation mechanisms of the subject are:

(A, C). Written exams (one each quarter), based on quizzes and short questions.
(F). Written document explaining the solution to the problem based on a real situation.
(J). Participation at class and in online forums.

The mark in every written exam weights 25 % in the final qualification (A, C). An additional 25 % is obtained from the written document (F) and oral and written contributions (J)

Evaluation Criteria

Next the connections between the objectives of the subject and the evaluation instruments are emphasyzed:

1. To learn the basic knowledge of mobile communication systems, its classification and most important characteristics. (A, C)
2. The capacity to relate this knowledge with the contents of other subjects where similar aspects are explained. (A, C9
3. The ability to understand and learn English papers dealing with mobile communication systems. (J)
4. The ability to work in group to solve a problem where a real situation is considered. (F)
5. The capacity for oral and written communication in the native language. (J)

Basic Bibliography

The subject provides the student with slides and notes that cover all the lectures during the course.

Additional Material

Rábanos, H., `Ingeniería de sistemas trunking´, Síntesis, 1998
Tabbane, S. `Handbook of Mobile Radio Networks´, Artech House, 2000.
Rábanos, H., `Comunicaciones móviles´, Centro de Estudios Ramon Areces, 2004.
Siegmund M. Redl et. al., `An introduction to GSM´, Artech House Publishers, 1995
Halonen, T. et. al., `GSM, GPRS and EDGE performance´, Wiley, 2002
Andersson, C., `GPRS and 3G Wireless Applications´, Wiley, 2001
Varios autores, `Telecomunicaciones móviles´, Marcombo, 1998.
Holma, H., `Wcdma for umts: radio access for third generation mobile communications´, Wiley, 2000.
Smith, C., `3g wireless networks´, McGraw Hill, 2002.
Morrow, R., `Bluetooth operation and use´, McGraw Hill, 2002
Bahai et al., `Multi-carrier digital communications. Theory and applications of ofdm´, Springer, 2004.
Ohrtman, F., `Wimax handbook. building 802.16 wireless networks´, McGraw Hill, 2005.
Nauymi, L., `Wimax. technology broadband wireless access´, Wiley, 2007.
Hanzo, L., `OFDM and MC-CDMA for broadband multi-user communications, wlan & broadcast´, Wiley, 2003