EMULATION OF RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES FOR RAILWAY COMMUNICATIONS

ended

EMULRADIO4RAIL will provide an innovative platform for tests and validation of various radio access technologies (Wi-Fi, GSM-R, LTE, LTE-A, 5G and satellites) that combines very new approaches for testing so called System in the loop (SITL) and Hardware in the loop (HITL). The adaptable communication prototypes will be coupled to both simulations of the communication core network and emulation of various radio access technologies thanks to the coupling between discrete event simulator such as RIVERBED modeler (former OPNET modeler), Open Air Interface, various radio channel emulators, Network emulator, models of IP parameters and real physical systems. The radio access emulation tool will offer a graphical based interface for the users. EMULRADIO4RAIL platform will work at IP level i.e. the radio access emulator will reproduce the radio access behaviour as seen by the applications. EMULRADIO4RAIL will investigate the various communication and environment scenarios in railways covering degraded modes, outages, network overload scenarios, interferences and other perturbations which occur in the railway environment or can be expected in the future. Particular focus will be proposed on interferences, taking into account also intentional ones. EMULRADIO4RAIL will analyse and select the communications characteristics perceivable by the applications and services using the communication bearer (like throughput, packet loss, jitter, etc.). EMULRADIO4RAIL will assess the communication capabilities of existing radio access networks and how they could be emulated. EMULRADIO4RAIL will provide support to Shift2Rail members for integration of the radio access emulation platform in the verification labs. EMULRADIO4RAIL is driven by a consortium composed of the main research and development actors in wireless telecommunications for rail involved in current and recent state-of-the art projects concerning the technologies, methodologies and equipment that should be considered.