What is Cognitive Radio?

Solving the
Spectrum
Crisis

What is Cognitive Radio?

An Overview of Cognitive Radio
Network Technology

November 2012

xG® and xMax® are registered trademarks of xG Technology, Inc. Copyright 2012, All Rights Reserved.
www.xgtechnology.com 1

What Is Cognitive Radio?

 Cognitive radio networks, like xG’s xMax system, represent an innovative
approach to wireless engineering in which radios are designed with an
unprecedented level of intelligence and agility
 Cognitive radios are able to monitor, sense, and detect the conditions of their
operating environment, and dynamically reconfigure their own characteristics
to best match those conditions
 Cognitive radio technology enables radio devices to use spectrum (i.e., radio
frequencies) in entirely new and sophisticated ways


How Cognitive Radio Works

 Using complex calculations, cognitive radios can identify potential
impairments to communications quality in their environment, for example,
interference, path loss, shadowing and multipath fading
 They can then adjust their transmitting parameters, such as power output,
frequency, and modulation to ensure an optimized communications
experience for users


Cognitive Radios vs. Conventional Radios

Conventional (“dumb”)Radios
 Designed with the assumption that they were operating in interference-free
spectrum
 Unable to dynamically change parameters, channels or spectrum bands in
response to interference
 View congested radio spectrum as essentially unusable for communications
due to heavy interference



Cognitive Radios
 xMax cognitive radios have been engineered from the ground up to function
in challenging conditions
 Can view their environment in great detail, allowing them to quickly identify
unused “gaps” in spectrum that are not being used
 Can instantly find and tune to other spectrum if interference is detected on
the frequencies being used (example - xMax samples, detects and determines
if interference has reached unacceptable levels up to 33 times a second)



 Cognitive radios can use frequencies and find available bandwidth where
other radios can only see static
 xMax uses Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) to identify spectrum not being
used, detects and mitigates interference, locks on a signal, and sends/receives
 Increases throughput and range while minimizing interference


xMax Cognitive Radios Improve
Spectrum Efficiency

 Can access unused frequencies to extract more wireless bandwidth
 “Sees through” the spectrum clutter, eliminates interference, and allows
optimal use of licensed and unlicensed spectrum
 Designed to be frequency agnostic – its cognitive “identify and utilize”
spectrum sensing technology can be used to power radios in any frequency
band
 Is able to exploit both licensed and/or free unlicensed spectrum, i.e., delivers
a solution to users who have spectrum, and those who do not


Why Cognitive Radio is Important

 Demand for mobile data services is expected to outstrip
network capacity by as early as 2013
 U.S. commercial networks are operating at 80% of total
capacity, with 26% at full capacity
 Reclaiming and reallocating needed spectrum in
traditional ways takes years and costs billions
 Cognitive radio represents a technology solution to
increasing spectrum capacity and utilization


Cognitive Radio Uses

 Incumbent Wireless Carriers: allows incumbent wireless providers to dramatically
increase capacity of their networks and reduce interference
 Rural Broadband Telcos: can help independent local providers overcome the
obstacle of high cost/scarcity of spectrum to deploying wireless in underserved
rural markets
 Department of Defense/Military Applications: satisfies the need for a mobile,
interference-resistant, scalable, frequency agile, cost-efficient wireless system
 Public Safety: provides resilience and continuity of operations in wireless-
impaired environments that is NOT AVAILABLE from commercial wireless systems
 Utilities/Smart Grids: provides an efficient means of measuring and reporting
usage
 Mobile Content Providers: gives content providers (Google, Facebook, etc.)
control of their own content delivery systems
 Cable Markets: allows operators without spectrum to have a competitive entry
into the wireless market


Cognitive Radio in the News

"Companies Try to Create Room "Despite Calls for Spectrum Sharing, "4G on the Baby Monitor Frequency"
on Radio Spectrum” Technological, Regulatory Questions
Linger"

"Adaptive Radio: The Next Big Thing "Rural America's (other) Great "TV White Space Rules Open the Door
in Wireless?" Broadband Hope” for Even More Innovation"

“Military official: xG Technology “xMax Cognitive Radio System Brings “Preparing the Pieces of Upcoming
System a Potential Game Changer” Hope to Rural Broadband” Defense Communications”


xMax Cognitive Radio in Action: Commercial

Urban/Suburban – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Showcases xMax cognitive radio and interference mitigation technology
delivering high-quality mobile voice and broadband data
 Delivers traditional cellular range at less than 1/10 the transmission power
 Transparent integration with common smartphones and laptops without using
Ft. Lauderdale, FL commercial cellular connection or data plans
Mixed – Macclenny, Florida
$3.3 million purchase order from Northeast Florida Telephone Co., Inc.
 Allows NEFCOM to provide wireless voice and advanced broadband in Baker
County
Macclenny, FL  Delivers cost-effective modern service-suite to small community
Rural – Lewisville, Arkansas
Ongoing deployment trials with Townes Tele-Communications, Inc.
 System demonstrated excellent range in low-noise areas
 Meets need for cost-effective, high-performance wireless capability in under-
Lewisville, AR served rural markets


xMax Cognitive Radio in Action: Military

Military - US Army - TX, NM, NJ
► Successfully completed initial trials with the US Army
 With technicians in the Army Research Laboratory and
in the hands of soldiers training in field exercises
► Conducted at
 Battle Management Command in Fort Bliss, TX
 Signal Center of Excellence in Fort Gordon, GA
 Communications Electronics Research and
Development Command (“CERDEC”) at Aberdeen
Proving Grounds, MD
► Meets the need for extremely mobile, scalable,
frequency agile, cost-efficient communications, with
White Sands, NM
highly flexible deployment schemes for hostile electronic
environments

“During a test, a military jammer managed to shut down all the Army’s
communications systems, except for the xG network’s xMax solution.”
Mike McCarthy, Dir. Operations, Fort Bliss, TX


Cognitive Radio: Experts’ Perspectives

“The only way to solve people’s need to communicate wirelessly is by new technology. You can’t
create new spectrum. “ Dr. Martin Cooper, past president of Motorola and inventor of the cell phone

“xG has leading-edge products, solutions and capabilities in cognitive radio that solve a very real
and growing concern. The explosive proliferation of bandwidth-consuming devices will only
accelerate the need for the cognitive radio technology xG is pioneering.”
Jack Grubman, TMT Industry Expert. 2012

“Cognitive-radio technology from xG Technology is a ‘potential game changer’ in battlefield
communications based on its flexible deployment model and ability to operate in spectral
environments fraught with interference and targeted jamming.”
Mike McCarthy, Director of Operations, Brigade Modernization Command, CERDEC, 2011

“Unlike other cognitive radio systems currently being trialed, xMax features advanced inter-
ference detection and avoidance capabilities designed to work around both intentional and
unintentional interference.” Andrew Seybold, Mobile Wireless Consultant, 2011

“In areas with no cost-effective broadband coverage, xG has the ability to deploy a cost effective,
full-function cellular system serving government and/or consumer communications needs and
open new possibilities for operators.” Craig Mathias, International Expert in Wireless Communications, 2011

“There are no realistic alternatives to xMax for a business wishing to deploy a dedicated mobile
network without owning a spectrum license.” PA Consulting Group Report, 2010


Cognitive Radio: Find Out More

For additional information about xMax cognitive radio solutions,
please contact:
xG Technology, Inc.
240 South Pineapple Ave., Suite 701
Sarasota, FL 34293
941.953.9035
www.xgtechnology.com
www.xgtechnology.com/blog

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