TNS Living Lab ENoLL Effective member

1. Telecommunication Networks and integrated
Services (TNS) Laboratory
Department of Digital Systems
University of Piraeus Research Center (UPRC)
University of Piraeus
Laboratory Profile
Prof. Panagiotis Demestichas, Dr. Yiouli Kritikou, Dr.
George Dimitrakopoulos
Email: pdemest@unipi.gr, kritikou@unipi.gr ,
gdimitra@hua.gr
http://tns.ds.unipi.gr/

2. Outline
v Profile (brief)
Ø Institution, department, laboratory
v Past and ongoing research activities
Ø Legacy assets – Completed research activities
Ø Emerging assets – Ongoing research activities
v Future interests regarding research activities
Ø Evolution of ICT infrastructures and services
Ø ICT and energy, transportation, environment management, sustainable growth,
Internet-connected social vehicles
v Concluding remarks
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 2

3. Profile (1/6)
v The University of Piraeus comprises nine
academic departments
v The University of Piraeus Research Center
(UPRC) provides administrative assistance
to basic and applied research activities,
conducted by the personnel of the
University of Piraeus
v The Department of Digital Systems was
founded in 1999
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 3

4. Profile (2/6)
v Telecommunication Networks and integrated Services (TNS) Laboratory
v Objective - Short Description
Ø The Laboratory of Telecommunication Networks and integrated Services (TNS) is
framed within the Department of Digital Systems, of the University of Piraeus.
Ø The main objective of the TNS Laboratory is to conduct research and development
in all areas related to telecommunication networks and services. Through its
research, development and educational activities, the Laboratory will contribute to
the realization and sustainable development of a human-centric Information and
Communication Society.
v Personnel
Ø 3 members of faculty
Ø 4 Senior Research Engineers (PhD)
Ø 5 Research Engineers – PhD students
Ø 25 Research/Software Engineers – Thesis at postgraduate or undergraduate level
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 4

5. Profile (3/6)
v Actors
Ø the public sector, the owner of the TNS Living Lab
Ø the European Commission, the sponsor of the TNS Living Lab
Ø the TNS Living Lab partners in the research projects that participates in
Ø the TNS Lab networks (WUN CogCom, WWRF, WInF)
v Tests performed on a yearly basis
Ø tests are performed within the TNS Living Lab on a weekly basis, the results of
which are showcased in approximately ten (10) major events, such as Demonstration
Booths and high profile conferences per year.
v Success stories, external customers
Ø several products (reconfigurable terminals, knowledge based selection algorithms
for terminals and network elements) have been adopted by more than twenty (20)
external customers
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 5

6. Profile (4/6)
v The TNS Laboratory conducts applied and basic research on:
Ø High-speed, fixed-access, broadband networks
Ø High-speed, wireless-access, infrastructures (2G, 3G, 4G, B3G)
Ø Core networks
Ø Services and respective platforms in heterogeneous networks
Ø Internet and Web technologies
Ø Design, management and performance evaluation of communication networks
Ø Software Engineering, Service-oriented platforms
Ø Optimisation techniques, algorithm and complexity theory, queuing theory
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 6

7. Profile (5/6): Legacy assets
TNS Research, Standardization TNS Research, Standardization
Activities: Infrastructure Activities: Services
v FP7/IST E3 (End-to-End Efficiency) v EUREKA/CELTIC IMPULSE (Integrated
Ø Cognitive networks and systems (Technical Multimodal Platform for Ubiquitous Multimedia
Management) Service Execution)
v FP6/IST E2R (End-to-End Reconfigurability) Ø IMS platforms
Ø B3G Infrastructures, Reconfigurable, Software v EUREKA/CELTIC WIN-HPN (Wireless
Adaptable, SDR
Intelligent Hospital Premises Network)
v FP6/IST ACE (Antenna Centre of Excellence) Ø Digital Health
Ø 4G systems
v FP5/IST
v FP5/IST Ø Moebius
Ø MONASIDRE, CREDO, SHUFFLE
Ø E-Business and Digital Health over 2.5G and 3G
Ø B3G Infrastructures, Cooperative
Infrastructures
v FP4/IST v FP4/IST
Ø STORMS
Ø Screen, Montage
Ø Design of 3G Infrastructures
Ø Service Engineering, Accounting, Personal Mobility
v ARIADNE (Ministry of Development, General v DIOSKOUROI
Secretariat for Research and Technology): Ø Training and consultancy on modern
Dynamic Spectrum Management and Planning of telecommunication infrastructures and services for
4G Wireless Access Networks and Terminals. Military personnel
v Consultancy (Ministry of Finance, Ministry of
Education, Private sector related to 4G
systems and WiMAX)
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 7

8. Profile (6/6): Emerging assets
v Contributions to EU-funded projects and initiatives
Ø FP7/ICT ONEFIT (Opportunistic networks and Cognitive Management Systems for
Efficient Application Provision in the Future Internet) – STREP – Project coordination
Ø FP7/ICT UniverSelf (Self-management in the FI) – IP – WP leadership
Ø FP7/ICT iCore (Internet Connected Objects for Reconfigurable Eco-systems) – IP
Ø FP7/ICT ACROPOLIS (Advanced coexistence technologies for Radio Optimisation in
Licensed and Unlicensed Spectrum) - NoE
Ø COST ICT Action IC0902 on Cognitive radio and networking for cooperative
coexistence of heterogeneous wireless networks – National representative
v Active participation to standardization bodies, research fora
Ø ETSI-RRS (Reconfigurable Radio Systems), AFI (Autonomic network engineering for
the self-managing Future Internet)
Ø IEEE SCC41 (Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks)/1900.4 WG on Architectural
Building Blocks Enabling Network-Device Distributed Decision Making for Optimized
Radio Resource Usage in Heterogeneous Wireless Access Networks
Ø Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF), Future Internet Initiatives, European
Networks of Living Labs (ENoLL), Cognitive Communications WUN
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 8

9. Legacy assets (1/5): Cognitive wireless networks: cognitive
network management, self-organizing network (prototype)
v Input
Ø Context: traffic, mobility, interference, element status
• Change of element status, e.g., fault of some component like TRX → trigger
for self-healing mechanisms
Ø Profiles: equipment, application, user requirements and preferences
Ø Policies: optimization objectives, strategies, constraints, strategies
v Optimization mechanisms
Ø Algorithms for various time scales, optimal or near-optimal
Ø Short time scale: greedy, online
Ø Mid-term: simulated-annealing, taboo search, genetic algorithms
v Output
Ø Configuration at various levels
Ø Radio Access Technology and spectrum selection per BS/TRX
Ø Interconnection of network elements
Ø QoS level determination per user class
v Learning
Ø Contexts encountered in time space
Ø Solutions applied, resources used, and efficiency exhibited
Ø OFDM case: subset of subcarriers that can be used
v Impact
Ø Optimal QoS, operational efficiency, automation of tasks, minimization of human
involvement, reduction of operational expenditure (OPEX) and of capital
expenditures (CAPEX) (avoid worst case based planning)
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 9

10. Legacy assets (2/5): Management functionality for
cognitive devices (software prototype)
v Knowledge-based, reactive and proactive,
learning-based, handling of situations
v Selection and enforcement of optimal device
configuration based on
Ø Context (Monitoring, Sensing), profiles, policies
Ø Negotiation (English, Dutch models)
Ø Policies and profiles
Ø Selection algorithms for operator-driven (policy-
driven) connection with infrastructure or in ad-hoc
mode
Ø Knowledge base: learning and exploiting experience
on contexts most likely encountered, network and
configuration capabilities, user preferences
§ Utilization of Bayesian networks, artificial neural Prototype
networks: Learning user preferences conditional probabilities
v Implementation of prototype
Ø Deployed on various devices:
NOKIA 810, HP PDA
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 10

11. Legacy assets (3/5): Platform for the integration and
management of cognitive systems in future networks
(IMaCS)
IMaCS combines Composite Wireless Network
v Integration of cognitive management Cognitive Reconfigurable Devices
schemes
Cognitive Network
Management System Policies
Ø Collaborative (network-terminal, network- Context information
Reconfiguration decisions
Knowledge
Sharing
edges) decision making algorithms Context
information
§ Efficient operation of the heterogeneous,
cognitive system, through self-x principles Knowledge
Sharing
Ø Autonomous decision-making algorithms Cognitive Access Points
Ø Information and knowledge acquisition and
sharing mechanisms
Ø Information related to context, profiles,
policies (e.g., optimization objectives,
constraints, strategies)
v Virtualisation of infrastructure
Ø Every application, service, infrastructure
element can be virtualised as a new set of
services
Ø Infrastructure elements can offer various
services to composite services/applications
§ Efficient exploitation of the infrastructure,
through high-level interfaces, which are
offered to developers of services/applications
§ Services/applications can issue actions (e.g.
reconfiguration services) towards the
infrastructure
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 11

12. Legacy assets (4/5): Platform for the integration and
management of cognitive systems in future networks
(IMaCS)
IMaCS implementation
v The current implementation comprises diverse
network elements, several user devices and
self-management functionalities
v Utilisation of JADE/JADEX agent platform
Ø Provides various service orchestration functionalities
Ø High- level interfacing mechanisms
based on XML
Ø Ontology for information flow which can be easily extended/modified
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012

13. Legacy assets (5/5): Experimentation platform for the
assessment of an IEEE 1900.4-based management
architecture*
v After identifying and describing
the exact info to be conveyed…
Generated
Traffic
Co
nt
Information
ex
Setup of a platform to
t
Re
RAN
v …
co
GENERATOR agent
nfi
experiment on a IEEE 1900.4-agent Policies/Context RAN1
gu
… OSM
Packet Based Core Network
rat
based architecture,
i
on
TRC
s
RMC
functionality and interfaces
(Cognitive) Terminal
RRC
v Multi-agent environment based TRM
…
RAN NRM
on JADE (Java Agents Radio agent
DEvelopment framework) OSM Enabler
agent Network
v Performance assessment TMC
Spectrum
Network N
RAN Status
Context
Ø Indicative scenarios Usage Status
& &
Policies
e xt
Policies Cont
Ø Results w.r.t. measured signalling Spectrum
Info
s
ation
load/delays Assignment
Reconfiguration Manager
TRM – Terminal MT
R e co n
figur
OSM – Operator Spectrum Manager
NRM – Network Reconfiguration Manager
&RulesTerminal Reconfiguration Controller
TRC – agents
NRM MT – RAN Reconfiguration Controller
RRC
TMC – Terminal Measurement Collector
agent RMC – RAN Measurement Collector
agent(s)
MT
Status RAN – Radio Access Network
Notification
[*] IEEE Std 1900.4™-2009, IEEE Standard for Architectural Building Blocks Enabling Network-Device
TNSDistributed Decision Making for Optimized Radio Resource Usage in Heterogeneous Wireless Access Networks
- UPRC Profile – January 2012

14. Emerging assets (1/3): OneFIT: Networking schemes for
wireless access to the Future Internet
v Main direction:
Opportunistic networks and cognitive
management systems for efficient
application provision in the Future InterneT
(OneFIT)
v Web site: www.ict-onefit.eu
v Opportunistic networks
Ø Operator governed (through resources, policies,
and information/knowledge)
Ø Coordinated with the infrastructure
Ø Comprise network elements of infrastructure
and devices (envisaged in the Future Internet)
Building on: spectrum management, secondary
v Requirements: Ø
usage, infrastructure-less networks, social
Ø Numerous diversified applications, social networking, networks
prosumer concept -> applications with a “localized”
interest Ø Context, profile, policy, knowledge-aware routing
Ø Machine-to-Machine (M2M): communication without v Cognitive management systems
(or only limited) human intervention
Ø Provide the means for feasibility determination,
Ø Increased interest for wireless creation, maintenance, handling of forced
Ø Utmost efficiency in resource provision (resource terminations
utilization, “green” decisions, further lower costs)
Ø Resolve potential congestion situations, expand
v Control Channels for the Cooperation
infrastructure coverage when/where temporarily Ø Information definition, signaling flows, protocols
needed, efficiently offer localized applications and (packet structures, exchange)
content
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 14

15. Emerging assets (2/3): UniverSelf: Autonomic management
of FI infrastructure
v Main direction:
Autonomic network elements in infrastructure
(access points, routers, gateways, etc.):
behaviour determination based on
Ø Context changes (alterations in environment or
internal system status)
Ø Policies (rules), capabilities (profiles)
Ø Optimization mechanisms
Ø Knowledge, experience development/sharing
v Intelligence evolution and deployment
Ø Distributed reactive/proactive situation handling
based on knowledge development and sharing
Ø Wireless self-organized networks exploiting
cognition techniques
Ø Distributed traffic engineering in wireline segments
exploiting cognition techniques
v Requirements in FI era:
v Federation
Ø Demanding situations in terms of Quality of
Experience – Quality of Service, in order to Ø Existence of autonomic systems for (specialized in)
adequately support a wide range of applications, managing particular technologies/segments/networks
including video, voice, data flows, etc. Ø Federation of these autonomic systems for end-to-
Ø Changing situations (potentially unpredictably) end, optimal provision of applications
Ø Efficiency in QoE and QoS provision in terms of Ø Interface definition and standardization
total cost of ownership, e.g., OPEX, CAPEX, etc., v Validation
decisions with “green” footprint Ø User-oriented criteria; Business drivers
Ø Evolution of existing and emergence of new Ø Approach based on prototyping, experiments, trials,
business models (roles and entities), in order to pilots; Result analysis and system fine-tuning
utilize new opportunities opened by the FI
Ø Consolidation and trust generation
Ø Coherence, convergence, stability, scalability
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 15

16. Emerging assets (3/3): iCore: Internet Connected Objects
for Reconfigurable Eco-systems
v Main direction: Open cognitive
framework for the Internet of Things:
(i) Virtual Objects (VOs): Cognitive virtual
representations of real-world objects (RWOs)
and digital objects (DOs)
(ii) Composite Virtual Objects (CVOs): Cognitive
mash-ups of semantically interoperable VOs
(iii) Users/stakeholders perspectives
v VOs comprise cognitive mechanisms (self-
management and learning capabilities)
Ø Offering information and knowledge on the RWO/DO
context of operation (e.g., location, availability of
energy, computing, storage, communication
resources, etc.) and profile (capabilities).
Source: iCore Consortium Ø Transforming raw measurements to knowledge
v Requirements: Ø Corresponding to the end-users/stakeholders
Ø Address heterogeneity of objects of the requirements
Internet of Things (IoT) v CVOs: use VOs, and deliver services in
Ø Increase the reusability of objects, outside the accordance with the user/stakeholder
scope in which they were originally deployed (e.g.
a traffic monitoring or security camera to be requirements.
used for the creation of the digital v Scalable fabrics (in each level) for the
representation of any object) registration, discovery composition of services
Ø Increase reliability, availability of services and v Validation use cases: ambient assisted living,
energy efficiency
v smart office, transportation, and supply chain
Ø Allow business integration of the views of multiple
stakeholders in the composition of services management and logistics
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 16

17. Future interests: ICT infrastructures, management
v All facets associated with
networks, management,
applications and services
Source: eTOM standard by TeleManagement Forum
v Training activities (MSc, PhD,
undergraduates) related to the eTOM
and other management models
v Research achievements with emphasis
on resource and services development
v Research on management frameworks
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 17

18. Future interests: ICT and energy networks
Transmission
Energy
Power
network Distribution
Consumers
Sources
v Objectives
Production
Ø High demand
ON
OFF
OFF Internet
Ø Sharing and
exploitation of
available renewable
The
Energy
mix:
resources
Vehicles,
electricity,
smart
• Renewables (solar,
wind,
hydro,
homes,
heating,
computing
biomass,
geothermal,
hydrogen)
• Nuclear Ø Find minimal cost allocation of energy production
• Fossil (coal,
oil,
natural
gas,
LNG)
resources, minimise outages
v Energy generation Ø Decrease the environmental cost of production
and transferring
Ø Renewable and legacy energy
resources v Technical Approach
v Distribution network Ø Interfaces among ICT and Grid Infrastructures
Ø From resources Ø Transfer of information and corresponding
decisions, according to QoS requirements
v Transmission network
Ø ICT infrastructure offers also processing/
Ø To end users/ consumers
computing resources for reaching optimal
v Consumers decisions
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 18

19. Future interests: ICT and environment management
v Objectives
Ø Minimum cost/ highly reliable
acquisition of information
Ø Knowledge development through
computations in the ICT
infrastructure (and general devices)
Ø Decision enforcement
v Technical Approach
Ø Business drivers, requirements
v Services to support engineering
Ø Emergency handling (fires, oils, Ø Device development/ Interface
floods, spill) development
Ø Long term studies for sustainable Ø Integration with ICT infrastructure
development Ø Validation through prototyping
Ø Security and safety experimentation and pilot with
respect to business drivers
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 19

20. Future interests: ICT and intelligent transportations
Travellers Centers -­‐ Services
Maintenance
v Objectives
Commercial
Traffic
Emergency
Toll
and
Remote
traveller
Management Management Administration
Vehicle
Administration
Construction
(focusing on services)
support Management
Ø Dynamically resolve
Information
Fleet
and
Archived
Personal
information
service
Emissions
Management
Transit
Management
Freight
data
congestion situations
provider Management Management
access
Ø Reduce time and increase
Wide
area
(wireless)
the utilization of
Wireline (fixed-­‐point
to
fixed-­‐point)
communications
communications
transportation means
Dedicated
short-­‐range
Reduce emissions, handle
Vehicle-­‐to-­‐Vehicle
communications
Ø
communications
Roadway
Vehicle Toll
(Emergency,
commercial,
transit,
maintenance
and
collection Parking
emergencies
management Commercial
construction) vehicle
check
Roadside
v Achievements combining ICT and transport v Technical Approach
Ø Car pooling system Ø Information extraction from the
Y. Kritikou et al, “A management scheme for improving transportation efficiency
infrastructure
v
and contributing to the enhancement of the social fabric”, Telematics and
Informatics journal, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 375-390, November 2009
Ø ICT infrastructure for transferring
v Y. Kritikou et al, “A Management System for Improving Traffic Efficiency in
Transportation Infrastructures”. In Proc. of 1st International Symposium on information with QoS guarantees
Vehicular Computing Systems 2008 (ISVCS 2008), Dublin, Ireland, July 2008
Ø Processing/computing of optimal
Ø Cognitive networks and transportation decisions potentially through ICT
infrastructures infrastructure means
v G. Dimitrakopoulos, P. Demestichas, “Intelligent transportation systems based on
cognitive networking principles”, IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine , Vol. 5, Ø Provision of services and management
No. 1, pp. 77-84, March 2010
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 20

21. Future interests: Internet-connected social vehicles (1/3)
v Target
Ø Facilitate the creation of efficient
innovation ecosystems that develop
services and applications making use of
information generated by users (e.g.
through social networks) or captured from
sensors (Internet of Things);
v Motivation Retrieve context
Ø Everyday phenomena in transportation information from other
vehicles and the
environments infrastructure
§ Increased utilization of vehicles
§ Traffic congestions Intelligently process
V2I
information and plan
§ Delays actions
§ Pollution
§ Degradation of life quality
§ Emergencies / accidents Issue directives to
driver / propose actions
§ Influence on social fabric
Requirements
V2V
v V2I
§ Exploitation of ICT in urban
transportation environments (smart
cities) through NG services /
applications
§ Improvement of the driver’s and
pedestrians’ safety levels
§ Improvement of the passengers’
quality of life through entertainment.
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012

22. Future interests: Internet-connected social vehicles (2/3)
v Solution Road signs, traffic
lights, road segments,
Ø Vehicles and objects of the transportation other objects
infrastructure that are connected through
an all IP-based infrastructure IP-based communication
Exchange of information directly or
interface
Ø
indirectly (through social networks) Provision of data directly or
indirectly (e.g. through web-
Ø Resolution of issues, so as to result in a more based services and communities,
social networks, etc.)
efficient, safe and green world of
Vehicle -1 Autonomic Vehicle -2 Autonomic
Management Management
Functionality Functionality
transportation.
v Technical challenges / expertise
Ø Traffic assessment and management
Ø Real-time collection of context information
based on social networks Input
Ø In-vehicle and on-road safety and emergency Profiles and
policies
Contextual data
management derivation
acquisition
Ø Intelligent parking management based on
experience creation
sensors
Decision
Knowledge and
Autonomic Making
Exploitation of autonomic networking
management
Ø algorithmic process
principles
Output
Ø Cognitive systems Decisions for:
1) extension of vehicle horizon
2) Self-healing through web services
§ Lane keeping 3) directives for improving energy
efficiency
§ Obstacle recognition Repository
(database)
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012

23. Future interests: Internet-connected social vehicles (3/3)
v Benefits
Ø Important value-adding mechanisms for the wireless industry (manufacturer,
application / service provider) and the user
Ø Enhanced vehicular service provision
Ø Lower costs (components of the total ownership costs)
Ø Management decisions with a “green” footprint.
v Exploitation of consortium from various viewpoints
Ø Research
Ø SMEs (software providers, network operators)
Ø End-users
Ø Public organizations (statistical traffic data)
v Adoption of user-centric methodologies
Ø Direct exploitation in Kifissia, Athens, Greece
Ø Reduced time-to market
Ø Opening new gates in research
v G. Dimitrakopoulos, P. Demestichas, V. Koutra, "Intelligent Management Functionality for Improving
Transportation Efficiency by means of the Car Pooling Concept", IEEE Transactions on Intelligent
Transportation Systems, to appear.
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012

24. Conclusions
v Aspects covered
Ø Profile
Ø Legacy and Emerging Assets related to the FI
Ø Future Interests
§ Evolution of ICT infrastructures and services
§ ICT and energy, smart energy
§ ICT and transportation, intelligent transportation systems
§ ICT and environment management, sustainable growth
§ Internet-connected social vehicles
TNS - UPRC Profile – January 2012 24