Initiation of IEEE802.16j Standard..

From this time on, I will use several posts to talk about some of my experience in joining in the IEEE802.16j sessions. During my short working experience, I joined in two IEEE802.16j sessions, i.e. the 43th and the 44th held in Tel Aviv, Isreal, and San Diego, USA, separately.

On 802.16 Working Group closing plenary meeting of July 21st, 2005, the new study group supporters, including Mitsuo Nohara (currently the chair), Peiying Zhu (vice chair, from Nortel in Canada), Mike Hart (from Fujitsu in England), etc. exchanged the views on Mobile Multi-hop Relay Networking and had open comments and technical discussions. They supported the creation of new study group and planned future activity and schedule. The session started from #39 meeting and is chaired by Mitsuo Nohara (from a Japanese operator).

IEEE 802.16's Mobile Multihop Relay Study Group was chartered on 22 July 2005. The Study Group expired on 30 March 2006, with the approval of its Project Authorization Request (PAR) P802.16j. The development of the P802.16j project has been assigned to IEEE 802.16's Relay Task Group. The PAR addresses "Air Interface for Fixed and Mobile Broadband Wireless Access Systems - Multihop Relay Specification."

In the #39 session held in Taipei, the task group summarized the scope of proposed relay project and its main features. Participants provided contributions on ideas for usage and application scenario, i.e. Network topology and capability of RS; Principle requirements on PHY/MACprotocols in IEEE802.16 to provide multi-hop connection; ideas for spectral scenario and securityissues, and references of the technology such as IEEE802.1 bridging. They discussed and agreed on the need for clarification/revision of the concept table, the need for Common Terminology, and the call for Contributions to be issued including PAR and 5 Criteria (Scope, Purpose, Reason, etc.), and the scope of MMR task including evaluation criteria, backward compatibility.

In session #40, the contributions provided technical issues relevant to a “PAR and Five Criteria” and direction of MMR activities for high level issues such as service scenarios, network topologies, etc.

In the #41 session held in India, the contributions included comments on the “Discussion Base on Draft PAR and Five Criteria”, technical issues relevant to a Tutorial Presentation and distinctions from other IEEE 802 standards and projects such as 802.1 on Spanning Tree and Bridge, 802.11s and 802.16h. At this meeting, the PAR and 5 Criteria were completed and the participants reacted to 802.1 comments.

In session #42 in Denver, Tutorial Session, Comment resolution on 802.16j PAR & 5 Criteria, and reactions to 802.1 comments were dealt with. Until here, 802 EC endorses PAR approval. And from the next session, the Relay Task Group would start the formal meeting.