Special Issue on Reconfigurable Radio Technologies in Support of Ubiquitous Seamless Computing

摘要

This special issue is devoted to the topic "reconfigurable radio technologies in support of ubiquitous seamless computing." Currently, wireless communications comprise a wide set of Radio Access Technologies (RATs). Important evolutions are the introduction of 2.5G/3G/ 4G mobile infrastructures, the suite of IEEE 802 wireless technologies, and the advent of Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB). Moreover, significant research effort is dedicated to the elaboration of the era of wireless communications, Beyond the 3rd Generation (B3G). The B3G concept sees radio access technologies and networks as complementary components of a heterogeneous wireless-access infrastructure. Users can be served through the most appropriate networks, in terms of cost and QoS. Network providers can rely on different technologies for offering the required capacity and QoS levels, in a cost-efficient manner. Therefore, next generation wireless systems will offer a continuity of experience achieved through seamless connectivity. Reconfigurable radio offers essential enabling technologies for the B3G era. It envisages terminals and network segments that dynamically (seamlessly and securely) adapt to the set of RATs, which are most appropriate for coping with the traffic demand, environment context both temporally and geographically. Reconfigurable radio, being an enabler for B3G, is expected to boost the introduction of seamless ubiquitous computing applications and scenarios.