EAGER: ML-enabled Early Warning of Blockage and Beam Transitions in Mobile, Hybrid Sub-6GHz/mmWave Systems

To that end, we propose an experiment at NC State University (NCSU) to measure mmWave signals in realistic blockage scenarios.

Utilizing millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies in 5G/6G cellular systems can dramatically increase the data rates compared to 4G systems. However, due to increased path loss, susceptibility to blockage, and stronger directionality of mmWave signals compared to sub-6 GHz signals, coverage, reliability, and resiliency of mmWave communications can be degraded. This project aims to verify the effectiveness of an existing early warning method for 5/6G mmWave blockage, through an experiment at NC State. The experiment will measure mmWave signals in realistic blockage scenarios, to further verify the wide applicability of the physics-based model results.

Sponsor

Principle Investigators

Alexandra Duel-Hallen
Hans D. Hallen

More Details

Utilization of millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies in 5G/6G cellular systems can greatly boost the data rates relative to 4G systems. However, coverage, reliability, and resiliency of mmWave communications can be severely impaired by increased path loss, susceptibility to blockage, and stronger directionality of mmWave signals relative to sub-6 GHz signals as observed in early commercial deployments of 5G mmWave networks. Our existing project has had success in early warning methods for 5/6G mmWave blockage, opening the doors for improved resilience. This supplement would allow those physics-based model results to be tested on actual measured data for further verification of its wide applicability.