INESC TEC starts developing point-to-multipoint system

In January, INESC TEC’s Telecommunications and Multimedia (UTM) started working on the project “HiperWireless: Point-to-Multipoint Microwave Communications using the 17GHz License-free Band”, where the goal is to develop a point-to-multipoint communication system using the 17 GHz band. The system is composed of a base station and a set of client stations, similar to what is found in a 3G/4G network or a Wi-Fi network, for example.

“The goal is for the system to overcome the limitations of the current commercial solutions, which focus solely on point-to-point topologies, based on closed platforms and technologies, and operating mainly in a 5 GHz band, increasingly saturated by the operation of Wi-Fi networks and terminals”, explains Rui Campos, a researcher at UTM who is involved in the project.

The communication systems is being created for Wavecom - Soluções Rádio, SA, an engineering company located in the city of Aveiro, Portugal, specifically for the line of products Wavesys. The technology should support maintenance and surveillance operations in onshore and offshore wind parks, an area in which Wavecom  is already experienced. Moreover, it can be used in other scenarios where wireless broadband communications are a requirement.

The HiperWireless is financed as part of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) (R&TD Project for Companies/Individual Projects). The UTM team is composed of Manuel Ricardo, Henrique Salgado, José Ruela, Luís Pessoa, Mário Lopes, Mário Pereira and Rui Campos and the project’s duration is 21 months.

The INESC TEC researchers mentioned in this article are associated with the following partner institutions: FEUP, INESC Porto.