Real-time adaptive cross-layer dynamic spectrum management for fifth generation broadband copper access networks

Research on performance optimization of the physical layer of communication networks has been focused on the development of transmission techniques such as MIMO and OFDM/DMT that effectively exploit the space and frequency dimension. However, the physical layer is usually configured statically and thus fails to properly exploit the time dimension. Upper layers in the protocol stack hold crucial information on the time dependent nature of the network traffic, which can indeed be exploited by the physical layer to dynamically select different configurations and increase overall network efficiency. Therefore, the aim of this project is to develop real-time adaptive physical layer control algrithms that can be combined with existing upper layer network functions so as to additionally exploit the time dimension optimally. The possibilities and performance gains of real-time adaptive physical layer control will be explored in the context of fifth generation broadband copper access networks (5GBB). 5GBB envisages a hybrid fiber-DSL deployment where the fiber network is terminated near the boundary between public and private property. In such deployment, the reduced copper loop length, together with the use of specific (e.g. full duplex) transmission techniques, enables data rates of up to 10 Gbps. In addition, the specificity of the deployment scenario is to make, for the first time, the implementation of real-time adaptive physical layer control algorithms a feasible objective.