CROWN Project Dissemination Activities

• Dr Anil Shukla visited OFCOM in preparation for the fuse bid and also to ascertain the future of CR. Ofcom are pursuing CR through the definition of the white space devices. It is unclear if these devices will be commercially viable, but the concept of shared spectrum has a greater benefit.

•Ofcom will be conducting an independent study into cognitive radios. Two of the bidders for this contract requested input form the CROWN consortium. We are awaiting the tender results.

• SE43 meeting Cambridge - the SE43 meeting and white space demonstration day was attended. The concept of database driven white space devices was emphasised. Meetings with Ofcom staff highlighted that in their consultation consideration was being given to the spatial domain. Ofcom are considering the spatial use of antennas, by requesting antenna information and geolocation information. COST-TERRA will be holding a workshop and CROWN participation was requested.

•The CROWN consortium was represented at the "wireless communications for pubic services and private enterprises workshop on dedicated spectrum for public safety. This high profile event which include the CEO of Aiwave Solutions (the UK TETRA provider), the CEO of teh TETRA and Critical Communications Association, Regional business director P3 Communications, Director of Information Association of Chief Police Officers, Vice President British Association of Public Safety Officials.

•The CROWN consortium also presented their finding to Intellect, Intellect is the leading trade association which serves to represent its members in the UK technology industry. They are formed by 800 SME and multinational member companies and exist solely for their benefit.

•QinetiQ have also written a conference paper for the Ionospheric Radio Systems and Techniques conference on the relevance of Cognitive radios to HF systems.

• CROWN technology demonstration will be held in Future Network and Mobile Summit at Berlin, Germany during 4-6 July 2012.

• CROWN demo poster was displayed in FP7 SACRA project (http://www.ict-sacra.eu/) workshop on “Experimental platforms for 4G and beyond wireless systems”. The workshop took place on the 23rd of February, 2012, in the “Centre International de Communication Avancée”, 2229 Route des Crêtes, 06560, Valbonne, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. 

• CROWN special session and panel discussion was held in CogART during 26-29 October 2011. Special Session on  "Smart Antenna Enabled Cognitive Radio Techniques: Results from the Cognitive Radio Oriented Wireless Networks (CROWN) project". was oranised by Prof. Constantinos Papadias, Athens Information Technology (AIT), Greece and Dr. Tharm Ratnarajah, ECIT, Queen's University Blest, UK. Panel on “Cognitive Radio Networks: Challenges, Opportunities and the Role of the Spatial Dimension”, Moderator: Prof. Constantinos B. Papadias, Athens Information Technology (AIT), Greece, ,Panelist 1: Dr. Irfan Ghauri, Intel Mobile Communications, France, Panelist 2: Prof. Dirk T.M. Slock, EURECOM, France, Panelist 3: Prof. Tharmalingam Ratnarajah, Queen's University Belfast, UK, Panelist 4: Mr. Liang Li, Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany, Panelist 5: Dr. Spyridon Vassilaras, Athens Information Technology (AIT), Greece, Panelist 6: Dr. Anil Shukla, QinetiQ.

• Dr Anil Shukla (QQ) organized a workshop entitled “The IET Seminar on Cognitive Radio Communications Systems,” via UK’s Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). The workshop was held at Savoy Place, London in October 2010. The objective of the workshop was to highlight the CROWN work and enable the audience to see the wider context of cognitive radios.

• Prof. Dirk Slock (EUR) organized a special session at “The 5th International Conference on Cognitive Radio Oriented Wireless Networks and Communications (CrownCom-2010),” held in June 9-11, 2010 at Cannes, France. The session was entitled “S8: Research Advances in Cognitive Radio Oriented Networks within the European Project CROWN.”

• Prof. Constantinos Papadias (AIT) and Prof. Aawatif Hayar (EUR) organized a special session at “The 21st Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications 2010 (PIMRC 2010),” , held in Istanbul, Turkey. The session was entitled “S3: Cognitive Radio Techniques.”

• The CROWN consortium also arranged and held a meeting at Ofcom’s premises in London, UK, where project’s main axes were presented to Ofcom’s Head of R&D, Dr. William Webb, as well as to the Head of Ofcom’s Technical Policy Director, Dr. Reza Karimi. This meeting provided both dissemination of CROWN to Europe’s most important Spectrum regulator, as well as important input & validation to the consortium on behalf of Ofcom.

• Prof. Constantinos Papadias (AIT) delivered an invited tutorial on cognitive radio entitled “Cognitive radio: a look into the past, present and future” at the “3rd International Symposium on Applied Sciences in Biomedical and Communication Technologies,” Rome, Nov. 7-10, 2010.