在成功主導(dǎo)將60GHz 導(dǎo)入局域網(wǎng)絡(luò)(LAN)后，英特爾(Intel)正推動一項研究，以定義在下一代蜂窩系統(tǒng)中采用毫米波無線頻段的提案。 該技術(shù)將在擴展蜂窩式基礎(chǔ)架構(gòu)方面扮演一項非常重要的角色，但它并不會像 WiGig 擴展 Wi-Fi 后彼此合并的方式一樣進行取代構(gòu)，英特爾移動與無線部門資深總監(jiān)Ali Sadri表示。 Sadri曾經(jīng)主導(dǎo)一項專為 60GHz LAN定義有關(guān)規(guī)格的 WiGig 計劃，該規(guī)格已成為目前 IEEE 802.11ad 的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)基礎(chǔ)，而 WiGig 部門也已在去年與 Wi-Fi 聯(lián)盟整合了。 Sandri 的團隊現(xiàn)正致力于一項以 60GHz 作為小型蜂窩基站回程網(wǎng)絡(luò)的技術(shù)展示，預(yù)計將在今年二月舉行的全球移動通訊大會(MWC)上發(fā)布。該團隊同時也研究以28GHz與39GHz技術(shù)作為 行動裝置接取鏈路的可能性，瞄準(zhǔn)在至少200公尺的距離內(nèi)達到1Gb/s或更高的吞吐量?！拔覀兊哪繕?biāo)是在2016-2017年時開發(fā)出新的媒體訪問控制器與物理層芯片，我們同時也展開一項可讓業(yè)界于2020年發(fā)布的計劃?！? 除了英特爾以外，業(yè)界還有越來越多的公司均認(rèn)為5G蜂窩系統(tǒng)必須采用毫米波頻譜，才能滿足不斷增加的用戶使用更多行動數(shù)據(jù)的需求。去年年底，歐盟委員會(EC)啟動了一項18億美元的 5G 研究計劃，其中就包括了針對毫米波無線技術(shù)的研究。在亞洲所舉辦的一些論壇也正推動類似的目標(biāo)。 盡管所能傳輸?shù)姆秶^小，但更高的頻段確保能有更多頻譜以及更快的數(shù)據(jù)吞吐量。不過，它也帶來了技術(shù)與監(jiān)管方面的挑戰(zhàn)。 為了積極推動這項計劃，Sandri已在CES期間與美國聯(lián)邦通信委員會(FCC)主管晤談了。“我們目前還在教育推廣階段，還必須完成許多的研究、共享模擬以及測試部署等。因此，在FCC考慮改變現(xiàn)行規(guī)則以開啟毫米波頻譜以前，還有好幾年的時間?！? 英特爾正與歐洲兩大聯(lián)盟以及三星(Samsung)等廠商合作，共同開發(fā)5G毫米波頻譜計劃。該公司還在中國與韓國等地追蹤有關(guān) 5G 的最新發(fā)展。Sandri表示，“這是一項巨大的工程，它將是迄今為止最廣泛與復(fù)雜的無線計劃了。” 28GHz vs. 39GHz 至于究竟應(yīng)該采用28GHz還是39GHz頻段來連接移動裝置至5G網(wǎng)絡(luò)？目前已經(jīng)出現(xiàn)不同的爭論了?！叭菍τ?8GHz十分有興趣，而且也已經(jīng)為其投入 許多時間了；但從法規(guī)的觀點來看，39GHz更適于修訂現(xiàn)有規(guī)則，”Sandri表示，這是因為衛(wèi)星服務(wù)使用了一部份的28GHz頻段。相反 地，39GHz顯然還有超過1GHz以上的帶寬可用。 在技術(shù)方面，系統(tǒng)通常會為天線預(yù)留10cm2的固定空間。由于39GHz頻段可實現(xiàn)更小的天線，因而在其天線空間中所能裝載的天線數(shù)量較采用28GHz鏈路時更多——由于該技術(shù)可能需要采用具波束成形的相位數(shù)組天線，因此這個因素也相當(dāng)重要。 此外，Sandri估計，相較于采用60GHz頻段，39GHz可提供約3-5dB的訊號改善，而28GHz頻段僅較39GHz時的訊號改善1.5dB。 未來的研究將更進一步研究該技術(shù)的折衷細節(jié)。工程師們也將在這些挑戰(zhàn)中探索其他可行的技術(shù)方案，如高頻漫游、連結(jié)毫米波與傳統(tǒng)服務(wù)，以及解決都會區(qū)高樓大廈林立可能妨礙高頻訊號接取的問題。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EE Times，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Susan Hong 參考英文原文：Intel Surfs Millimeter Waves to 5G，by Rick Merritt

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{pagination} Intel Surfs Millimeter Waves to 5G Rick Merritt SAN JOSE, Calif. — After leading a successful charge to bring 60 GHz to wireless LANs, an Intel executive is driving research to define a proposal for using millimeter wave wireless in next-generation cellular systems. The technology "will play a very serious role as an augmentation of the cellular infrastructure, but it won't replace it in the same way that WiGig augments WiFi," Ali Sadri, a senior director of millimeter wave standards in Intel's mobile and wireless group, told us. Sadri led the WiGig effort that defined a specification for 60 GHz as a local-area network. The spec became the basis for today's IEEE 802.11ad standard, and the WiGig group was folded into the WiFi Alliance last year. Sadri's team is now working on a tech demo of 60 GHz as a backhaul link for so-called small cell base stations that could be shown at the Mobile World Congress in February. The team is also researching 28 GHz and 39 GHz as access links to mobile devices, targeting a throughput of 1 Gbit/s or more at distances of at least 200 meters. "Our target is to start working on new media access controller and physical layer chips in 2016-2017, and we are also shooting for a project the industry can launch in 2020." Intel is among the growing ranks of companies that say 5G cellular systems will need to use millimeter wave links to meet rising numbers of subscribers using more mobile data. Late last year, the European Commission kicked off a $1.8 billion 5G research effort that includes plans for millimeter wave research. Forums in Asia are pursuing similar goals. The higher frequencies promise more spectrum and faster data throughput, though at shorter ranges. They also pose significant technical and regulatory challenges. As part of his efforts, Sadri went to CES to have dinner with Federal Communications Commission officials. "We're at the educational level. A lot of study has to be done, shared simulations and test deployments, so it will be a couple years before the FCC can consider rule changes" to open up millimeter wave spectrum. Intel is working with two consortia in Europe and has collaborated with Samsung and others on 5G millimeter projects. It is also tracking 5G efforts in places like China and Korea. "It's a huge project. It will be by far one of the most extensive and complex project in wireless to date." A debate already is emerging about the use of 28 GHz and 39 GHz bands for linking mobile devices to 5G networks. "Samsung very interested in 28 GHz and has spent considerable time on that, but from a regulatory point of view, 39 GHz is more suitable for rule modification," Sadri said. That's because satellite services use portions of the 28 GHz band. By contrast, 39 GHz has significantly more than 1 GHz available for use. On the technology front, systems typically have a fixed space of about 10 cm2 for an antenna. The 39 GHz band allows smaller antennas and thus could pack more of them into that space than a 28 GHz link -- an important factor given phased-array antennas with beam forming are a likely requirement. In addition, Sadri estimates 39 GHz offers 3-5 dB signal improvement over 60 GHz. The 28 GHz band offers a benefit of only about 1.5 dB over 39 GHz. Future research will explore such tradeoffs in more detail. Engineers will also explore techniques to work around challenges such as roaming at the high frequencies, linking millimeter and traditional services, and handling reach issues in urban areas where skyscrapers would block high-frequency signals.