Learning
The partnership’s 5G Networks course provides graduate students with a unique learning experience with academic and industry leaders in the field.
5G Networks Course
Offered by: Department of Systems and Computer Engineering
Instructor: Jun (Steed) Huang, PhD.
Calendars
Assumed Knowledge
Familiarity with computer communications, wireless networks, and communications systems.
Course Description
Principles enabling 5G communications; physical, link and network layer protocols used for 5G communications and networking. Topics include: evolution from 1G to 5G, standardization, spectrum planning, 4G LTE Fundamentals, 5G New Radio enhancements, 5G Core and beyond 5G.
Objectives
As part of this course, students will:
- Become familiar with mobile network evolution from 1G to 5G.
- Learn the 5G use cases families: EMBB, URLLC, mMTC, V2X, D2D.
- Understand principles enabling 5G communications.
- Identify the deployment scenarios (DRAN, CRAN, ERAN, VRAN).
- Study tools for the design or deployment of 5G networks.
- Describe Network Evolution proposals from LTE – NSA, SA.
- Explain Network Slicing across Core, Transport and Access.
- Overview the NFV/SDN and management infrastructure.
- Address blockchain as a key security topic in a growing MTC ecosystem.
- Know synchronization options for New Radio NSA: PTP and GNSS.
- Simulate massive MIMO, beam forming, spectrum planning and dynamic TDD.
- Examine 5G/6G network complexity and the role of AI to reduce TCO
Learning outcomes
- Plan, design, develop and manage 5G networks by applying and contributing the best practices, standards, algorithms and tools.
- Understand research papers and perform research within the area of 5G network planning using a variety of resources.
- Communicate 5G subject matters effectively to a range of audiences, orally, in writing and visually.
Textbooks (Carleton Library)
Book 1 is used as a main lecture book (focusing on Chapter 1 to 7), Book 2 is used as a
homework and project source (focusing on Chapter 5 & 10):
- Erik Dahlman, Stefan Parkvall, Johan Skold, 5G NR: The Next Generation Wireless
Access Technology, Academic Press, 2018. - Saad Z. Asif, 5G Mobile Communications – Concepts and Technologies, Taylor &
Francis Group LLC – CRC Press, 2019.
Evaluation and Grading Scheme
- Homework 15%
- Lab project 25%
- Midterm 25%
- Final 35%
Requirements
Homework and Midterm: There will be three homework assignments and one midterm; they will all be returned to students for further studying.
Lab Project: Students will be required to work on a group project related to the simulation
aspects of 5G networks. Projects will involve a literature review and implementation. Students are responsible for forming and managing their groups. Instructor and TA will include two hands-on sessions on Matlab, Ansible or HFSS for simulation, 1 virtual tour visit to Ericsson Kanata facility, with an invited expert talk.
Final: There will be one final exam. The final exam will be formally scheduled by online Exam Services. Since the final examination is for evaluation purposes only and will not be returned to students. You will be able to make arrangement with the instructor or with the department office to see your marked final examination after the final grades have been made available.
Week-by-Week Breakdown
- Week 1. The 5G Use Cases.
- Week 2. Specification of 5G in 3GPP and NR.
- Week 3. Densification and Small Cells.
- Week 4. Beam Centric Design and Mu-MIMO.
- Week 5. 5G Core Network.
- Week 6. Radio-Access Network.
- Week 7. Dynamic Time-Division Duplex and PTP/GNSS.
- Week 8. Downlink Blind Decoding and Search Spaces.
- Week 9. NR Uplink Multi-antenna Precoding.
- Week 10. Machine-Type Communication with Blockchain.
- Week 11. SDN and NFV in Slicing.
- Week 12. 6G, ML and AI.