May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 1

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

VHT Study Group Thoughts

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Date: 2007-05-14

Name Company Address Phone email Darwin Engwer Nortel 4655 Great America

Pkwy, Santa Clara CA 95054

+1-408-495-2588

dengwer@nortel.com

Authors:

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 2

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Abstract

Some thoughts on the new 802.11 “Very High Throughput” Study Group.

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 3

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Outline

• Naming the activity

• Possible Approaches

• Possible Process

• Possible Timelines

• Possible Technologies

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 4

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Naming the Activity

• The operating name of this activity is important

• The name guides the effort

• “Very High Throughput” is too vague and is a relative term

• My objective in catalyzing the formation of this group was to move 802.11 beyond Mbps and into the Gbps era, in order to support the transition of the next set of applications from non-wireless medium to wireless

• Hence I favor a name that reflects that objective, e.g. “gigabit wireless”, or some such terminology

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 5

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Possible Approaches (1/2)

• Amendment to existing standard, or New Series?– Amendment to 802.11-2007++, or– A NEW standard – a whole new series of 802.11

• Amendment– An amendment would be built-upon but limited-by current standard– Backwards compatibility would need to be built-in and automatic, in the same way

that 11g is backwards compatible with 11b and 2.4 GHz 11n is backwards compatible with 11b/g, i.e. new implementations must include mechanisms to directly decode/ encode existing frames.

• New Series– Opens up the field (both MAC and PHY) to the best technologies– NO limits, e.g. could operate in new bands– Backwards compatibility can be achieved by including an existing 802.11a/b/g/n

chip in the same device along with the new, 802.11 [Series 2] Gigabit Technology.– I like this approach, but there are complications …

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 6

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Possible Approaches (2/2)

• The New Series approach opens up the field and allows us to explore options that would not otherwise be available to us if we must constrain the technology to directly recognize existing PHY frames in the air.

• But, how do we prevent a whole new series from requiring redevelopment of all aspects of the WLAN, including security, QOS, measurements, management and so on?

• Hence, the overall approach remains an open question for discussion – one that is very important and worthy of careful consideration.

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 7

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Possible Process

• Begin high level discussions around new research and technologies that can be brought to bear on the problem - careful to not go too deep too soon.– i.e. apply a process of successive refinement - start broad and gradually

narrow the scope over time.

• See 11-07-0412-01 for a high level enumerated list of the suggestions that were sent to me via email.

• For example, I suggest we defer deciding on a band of operation until we see some early feasibility studies of what’s possible in the various bands that are available.

• I suggest that we encourage submission of a few feasibility study type presentations to start to get an idea of the technology or research that can be brought to bear on the subject.

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 8

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Possible Timelines

• Possibility #1 - Aggressive– 2007 May-Sept SG - construct PAR+5G– 2007 Nov - TG formed– 2008 comparison criteria/ CFP/ technical proposal submissions– 2009 technology selection– 2010 refinement/ review– 2011 official standard

• Possibility #2 – More realistic(?)– 2007 May-Sept SG - construct PAR+5G– 2007 Nov - TG formed– 2008 usage models/ comparison criteria/ CFP/ technical proposal submissions– 2009 technology selection– 2010 refinement– 2011 Nov – start external review (sponsor ballot)– 2012 Nov - official standard

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 9

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

Possible Technologies

• I suggest that we look beyond just more antennas, wider channels, more complex modulation and more streams (although those are always good base technologies to bring to bear) to even more advanced technologies, e.g.– Carbon nanotube antenna arrays– Network coding– FEC– New bands– Superposition coding– Advanced interference cancellation– and so on …

May 2007

Darwin Engwer, Nortel Networks

Slide 10

doc.: IEEE 802.11-07/0724r1

Submission

References

• 11-07-0412-01-0wng-looking-ahead-to-future.ppt

• 11-07-0419-01-0000-very-high-throughput-study-group.ppt

• http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/11/Reports/802.11_Timelines.htm

• 11-07-0574-01-0000-draft-par-and-5criteria-gigabit-tg.doc

• 11-07-0649-00-0000-vht-sg-approach-proposal.ppt

• 11-07-0661-00-0vht-thoughts-vht.ppt

• 11-07-0721-00-0vht-vht-sg-considerations.ppt