Access profile

The doctoral programme is designed for students who have taken master’s degrees in telecommunications or computer science and wish to examine a topic or area in greater depth to contribute knowledge. Although we could say that this is the ideal starting point, it is not the only one. Students with other educational backgrounds could also be accepted, although they may need to take bridging courses.

The doctoral programme is designed for people with technological interests who are creative and want to advance the state-of-the-art in the subject. This activity requires an attitude to technology that goes beyond user knowledge to reach an understanding of technology itself, which the doctoral student will know how to improve as a result. Doctoral studies have two benefits. First, they meet personal needs to understand things, and second they train the person, providing them with methodology and knowledge that they can use in their professional activity in positions that require technological creativity.

Research and development departments in companies or the creation of emerging companies are places where this knowledge could be exploited to the maximum.

The natural route into the doctoral programme is via the various master’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC taught by the ETSETB and the EETAC, in which case bridging courses are not required. For students from other master’s programmes, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will analyse applicants’ academic record and the area in which they will develop their thesis. Based on this information, the committee will decide whether students need to take bridging courses up to a maximum of 30 credits. As a general rule, students who hold a master’s degree in telecommunications (or an equivalent qualification) from other Spanish or European universities can access the research phase directly. Students with a master’s degree in computer science may be asked to take a bridging course in the subject area of telecommunication networks. Students who come from other master’s degrees should take additional credits so that they can gain the knowledge they need rapidly. The range of topics and approaches used to carry out the research makes it difficult to establish specific admission requirements (some theses have a high mathematics content, others are more focused on application). However, in general, knowledge of tools that can be used for performance evaluation will be assessed. Hence, applicants must be able to handle mathematical models, numerical methods, simulation tools such as ns-3, OMNET, Matlab or have knowledge of programming in Java, C++, C or Python for the construction of prototypes. Knowledge of written and spoken English is essential, as this is the language that will be used in the doctoral degree, for training, generation of publications and reports, and the exchange of knowledge with other researchers.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

Finally, with respect to competencies, doctoral students must:
a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society;
g) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds.

Number of places

8

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is three years, counted from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is five years, counting from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. For calculating these periods, the date of admission is considered to be the date of the first enrolment for tutorials, and the date of submission the moment in which the Doctoral School officially deposits the doctoral thesis.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years. When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the minimum period of study requirement.

The calculation of periods of study will not include periods of absence due to illness, pregnancy or any other reason provided for in the regulations in force. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which, where appropriate, must inform the Doctoral School. Doctoral candidates may also temporarily withdraw from the programme for up to one year, and this period may be extended for an additional year. Doctoral candidates who wish to interrupt their studies must submit a justified request to the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which will decide whether or not to approve the request. Each programme will establish conditions for readmission to doctoral studies.

Extension
If full-time doctoral candidates have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, the academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year. In exceptional circumstances, a further one-year extension may be granted, subject to the conditions established by the corresponding doctoral programme. In the case of part-time doctoral candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

Organization

• Hesselbach Serra, Xavier

• Aguilar Igartua, Mónica
• Calveras Auge, Anna
• de Andrade Jardim, Marilet
• Gorricho Moreno, Juan Luis
• Hesselbach Serra, Xavier
• Martin Escalona, Israel
• Soriano Ibañez, Miquel

• Department of Network Engineering (PROMOTORA)

Agreements with other institutions

There are various joint supervision agreements with European and international universities, for example, with Uruguay, Mexico and Lebanon, among other countries, and projects such as 5GAuRA, which is part of the H2020 Marie Curie Programme.

In addition, verbal agreements have been made with European universities for short-term visits of our doctoral students. As a result, doctoral students have been able to carry out research visits of at least three months in the universities or technology schools of Amsterdam, Grenoble, Glasgow, Milan, Louvain and China (Changsha), among other places.

Joint supervision is also carried out with the Telecommunications Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTTC) in the area of wireless technology, fixed networks and security.

Access profile

The doctoral programme is designed for students who have taken master’s degrees in telecommunications or computer science and wish to examine a topic or area in greater depth to contribute knowledge. Although we could say that this is the ideal starting point, it is not the only one. Students with other educational backgrounds could also be accepted, although they may need to take bridging courses.

The doctoral programme is designed for people with technological interests who are creative and want to advance the state-of-the-art in the subject. This activity requires an attitude to technology that goes beyond user knowledge to reach an understanding of technology itself, which the doctoral student will know how to improve as a result. Doctoral studies have two benefits. First, they meet personal needs to understand things, and second they train the person, providing them with methodology and knowledge that they can use in their professional activity in positions that require technological creativity.

Research and development departments in companies or the creation of emerging companies are places where this knowledge could be exploited to the maximum.

The natural route into the doctoral programme is via the various master’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC taught by the ETSETB and the EETAC, in which case bridging courses are not required. For students from other master’s programmes, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will analyse applicants’ academic record and the area in which they will develop their thesis. Based on this information, the committee will decide whether students need to take bridging courses up to a maximum of 30 credits. As a general rule, students who hold a master’s degree in telecommunications (or an equivalent qualification) from other Spanish or European universities can access the research phase directly. Students with a master’s degree in computer science may be asked to take a bridging course in the subject area of telecommunication networks. Students who come from other master’s degrees should take additional credits so that they can gain the knowledge they need rapidly. The range of topics and approaches used to carry out the research makes it difficult to establish specific admission requirements (some theses have a high mathematics content, others are more focused on application). However, in general, knowledge of tools that can be used for performance evaluation will be assessed. Hence, applicants must be able to handle mathematical models, numerical methods, simulation tools such as ns-3, OMNET, Matlab or have knowledge of programming in Java, C++, C or Python for the construction of prototypes. Knowledge of written and spoken English is essential, as this is the language that will be used in the doctoral degree, for training, generation of publications and reports, and the exchange of knowledge with other researchers.

Access requirements

Applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Spanish master’s degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February)

In addition, the following may apply:

• Holders of an official degree awarded by a university in Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes official university course regulations, who have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on official university degrees, of which at least 60 must be at the master's degree level.
• Holders of an official Spanish bachelor’s degree comprising at least 300 credits, as provided for by EU regulations. Holder of degrees of this kind must complete bridging courses unless the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in question included research training credits equivalent in value to those which would be earned on a master's degree.
• Holders of an official university qualification who, having passed the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have completed at least two years of a training course leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialisation.
• Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologation is not required, but the UPC must verify that the degree certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
• Holders of a Spanish doctoral qualification issued under previous university regulations.

Note 1: Doctoral studies entrance regulations for holders of an undergraduate degree awarded before the introduction of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014)

Note 2: Governing Council Decision 64/2014, which approves the procedure and criteria for assessing the fulfilment of academic admission requirements for doctoral studies by holders of non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

Ultimately, admission to the doctoral programme will be regulated by the academic committee of the doctoral programme. As described in Section 8 of this document, this body is directed by the coordinator of the doctoral programme, assisted by a committee comprised of lecturers who participate in the programme who are put forward by the research groups. If the ex officio members of the committee consider it necessary, they may propose other lecturers who represent relevant research areas. The composition of the academic committee of the doctoral programme should be approved by the board of the Department.

The function of the academic committee is to ensure the quality of the doctoral programme by participating in the processes of admission, monitoring, evaluation and assessment. If there is no proposal of a thesis supervisor, the academic committee is responsible for assigning one. Based on the applicants’ thesis topic preferences, the member of the academic committee who is most closely associated with this area will propose a supervisor. If the person responsible for this area cannot meet the requirement, another area will be sought and the request will be repeated. If a supervisor cannot be found after consulting all members of the academic committee, the application cannot be accepted.

If a thesis supervisor is available, applicants are then assessed on the following aspects, with a score of 0 to 10 given for each one and the following weightings:

• Academic record and academic background (30%).
• Research experience (10%).
• Language knowledge (10%).
• Other relevant aspects described in the CV that are not considered in the three previous points (5%).
• Evaluation by the doctoral thesis supervisor (30%).
• Evaluation by the academic committee of the doctoral programme (15%).

Students will be accepted if they have a score of 7 points or over. In all cases, applicants will be notified of the decision, and will be given a report on the overall and partial evaluations. So that the decision is not personalised, the supervisor’s and academic committee director’s evaluations will be averaged, and this will be the score that is announced.

Along with admission, the academic committee will provide enrolment recommendations if bridging courses are required. The recommended credits (up to a maximum of 30) for bridging courses correspond to subjects in the area of telematics that can be taken in the shortest time possible.

Training complements

The academic committee for the programme may require that doctoral students pass specific bridging courses. In this case, it will monitor the bridging courses that are taken and establish suitable criteria to limit their duration.

The bridging courses will be on research training, but doctoral students will never be asked to enrol for a number equal to or above 60 ECTS. The academic regulations of doctoral studies state that bridging courses may also be cross-disciplinary. However, this point is likely to be amended so that bridging courses are only associated with research credits, particularly when an applicant enters the doctoral programme with a bachelor’s degree worth 300 ECTS.

Considering the doctoral student activity report (DAD), the academic committee of the programme could propose additional measures to those established in the regulations that lead to the withdrawal of doctoral students who do not meet the established criteria.

The natural route into the doctoral programme is via a master’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC, in which case it is not necessary to complete bridging courses. For students from other master’s degree programmes, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will analyse the applicant’s academic record and decide the area in which they will prepare their thesis, as well as whether it is necessary to complete bridging courses, up to a maximum of 30 credits.

Currently, bridging courses are offered in the framework of master’s degrees in Telecommunications Engineering at the UPC taught by the ETSETB and the EETAC (https://eetac.upc.edu/en/study/masters-degrees/masteam, https://matt.masters.upc.edu/).

Below are some of the subjects that are currently offered on these master’s degrees:

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

Students enrolling in the doctoral programme for the first time must do so by the deadline specified in the admission decision.

Unless otherwise expressly indicated, enrolments corresponding to admission decisions issued from the second half of April on must be completed within the ordinary enrolment period for the current academic year.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

Ordinary period for second and successive enrolments: first half of October.

More information at the general registration section

Procedure for the preparation and defense of the research plan

Doctoral candidates must submit a research plan, which will be included in their doctoral student activity report, before the end of the first year. The plan may be improved over the course of the doctoral degree. It must be endorsed by the tutor and the supervisor, and it must include the method that is to be followed and the aims of the research.

At least one of these annual assessments will include a public presentation and defence of the research plan and work done before a committee composed of three doctoral degree holders, which will be conducted in the manner determined by each academic committee. The examination committee awards a Pass or Fail mark. A Pass mark is a prerequisite for continuing on the doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates awarded a Fail mark must submit a new research plan for assessment by the academic committee of the doctoral programme within six months.

The committee assesses the research plan every year, in addition to all of the other activities in the doctoral student activity report. Doctoral candidates who are awarded two consecutive Fail marks for the research plan will be obliged to definitely withdraw from the programme.

If they change the subject of their thesis, they must submit a new research plan.

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial.
Hours: 288.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Mobility.
Hours: 480.
Type: optional.

Activity: Assessment based on doctoral student activity report (DAD) and research plan.
Hours: 4.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Training in information skills.
Hours: 1.5.
Type: optional.

Activity: Research methodology.
Hours: 12.
Type: optional.

Activity: Innovation and creativity.
Hours: 8.
Type: optional.

Activity: Language and communication skills.
Hours: 18.
Type: optional.

Activity: Courses and seminars.
Hours: 18.
Type: compulsory.
At least six seminars will be held per year. Students should attend at least three.

Activity: Specific programme workshops.
Hours: 6.
Type: compulsory.
This doctoral programme participates in an annual workshop, which is already in its third edition. The Barcelona Forum on PhD workshop. Research in Information and Communication Technologies takes one day.

Activity: Publications.
Hours: 50.
Type: compulsory.
Description: training objective and content.
The doctoral programme determines that each student must have at least one relevant JCR publication (as well as other types of publications) to complete their doctoral thesis. Publications can be completed in any phase of the three years of the doctoral degree.

Activity: Other workshops.
Hours: 72.
Type: optional.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year for full-time doctoral candidates who have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, in the terms outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In the case of part-time candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

International Mention

The doctoral degree certificate may include International Doctorate mention. In this case, the doctoral candidate must meet the following requirements:

a) During the period of study leading to the award of the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate must have spent at least three months at a respected higher education institution or research centre outside Spain to complete courses or do research work. The stays and activities carried out must be endorsed by the thesis supervisor and authorised by the academic committee of the programme. The candidate must provide a certifying document issued by the person responsible for the research group of the body or bodies where the stay or activity was completed. This information will be added to the doctoral student’s activity report.
b) Part of the thesis (at least the summary and conclusions) must be written and presented in one of the languages commonly used for science communication in the relevant field of knowledge, which must not be an official language of Spain. This rule does not apply to stays and reports in Spanish or to experts from Spanish-speaking countries.
c) At least two PhD-holding experts belonging to a higher education institution or research centre outside Spain must have issued officially certified reports on the thesis.
d) The thesis examination committee must have included at least one PhD-holding expert from a higher education or research institution outside Spain who was not responsible for the candidate’s stay abroad (point a) above).
e) The thesis defence must have taken place on UPC premises or, in the case of joint programmes, at the location specified in the collaboration agreement.

List of authorized thesis for defense

• ALI, ZORAZE: AI/ML for multi-technology RAN automation with full and limited infrastructure support
  
  Author: ALI, ZORAZE
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 19/07/2023
  Reading date: 15/11/2023
  Reading time: 11:00
  Reading place: Sala principal (C4-001) de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Telecomunicación y Aeroespacial de Castelldefels (EETAC)
  Thesis director: GIUPPONI, LORENZA | MANGUES BAFALLUY, JOSEP
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: TORIL GENOVÉS, MATÍAS
       SECRETARI: ZOLA, ENRICA VALERIA
       VOCAL: MOYSEN, JESSICA
  Thesis abstract: This thesis studies and proposes solutions to some of the most relevant challenges in the Radio Access Network (RAN) management arising from its evolution beyond 5G and towards 6G. The tackled problems are selected due to the increasing inherent complexity with which these technologies come along, which justifies the need for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) techniques. In particular, we identify two axes of complexity: the infrastructure support complexity axis (x-axis), where the complexity varies based on the level of infrastructure support, and the technology complexity axis (y-axis), which captures the complexity variation based on the number of technologies to be operated in a coordinated way. Based on these axes, we define three RAN scenarios: infrastructure-based single-technology, infrastructure-based multi-technology, and limited infrastructure-based single-technology. The main objective is to study these scenarios in depth and identify a set of representative use cases along these axes that can be addressed with AI/ML solutions to automate RAN. In this line, our methodology consists of a three-step approach, using existing and implementing new high-fidelity and standard-compliant simulation models of the open-source ns-3 and 5G-LENA system-level simulators coupled with the proposed AI/ML frameworks.In the first step, we focus on the two use cases, 1) handover (HO) management and 2) initial Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) selection in the infrastructure-based single-technology RAN scenarios. The traditional HO schemes have the drawback of considering only the quality of signals from the serving and the target BS to make a HO decision, which can impact users´ QOE. Also, the initial MCS at the start of the session is usually handled conservatively, i.e., the lowest MCS is assigned to a mobile device that connects to a new BS, impacting its initial throughput. To address these drawbacks, we propose AI/ML solutions prioritizing QoE for HO decisions and optimizing initial MCS allocation using network data. First, we design single-task AI/ML models for each use case, then propose a multi-task framework for addressing multiple use cases concurrently, reducing training costs.In the second step, we deal with the infrastructure-based multi-access technology scenarios by focusing on the coexistence of License Assisted Access (LAA) and LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) with WiFi. These technologies must ensure fair coexistence to operate in the unlicensed spectrum. However, this thesis discovers that the inherent delay in receiving HARQ feedback in the LAA enables it to monopolize the channel, which then degrades neighboring WiFi networks' performance. To solve this, we propose an AI/ML-based scheme that infers feedback without delay. Our scheme achieves a favorable trade-off between WiFi fairness and LAA performance in terms of throughput and latency compared to benchmark approaches. Additionally, we propose a statistical framework to evaluate fairness in LAA and LTE-U coexistence with WiFi, confirming LAA's better fairness over LTE-U's.Finally, in the third step, we focus on the limited infrastructure-based single-technology RAN scenarios. Without base stations, in these scenarios, operations like resource selection and scheduling are uncoordinated, introducing another level of complexity. Specifically, this thesis focuses on vehicle-to-vehicle communication with limited infrastructure, where a roadside unit broadcasts basic information using 3GPP NR-V2X technology. Nevertheless, vehicle resource selection in NR-V2X involves continuous channel sensing, but it consumes more energy. Alternatively, not employing sensing saves energy but increases interference. Hence, an energy-performance trade-off arises. To address this, we propose an AI/ML-based partial sensing mechanism to dynamically balance V2X user performance and energy consumption, surpassing the manual configuration of standard sensing parameters.
  
• ROBLES GONZÁLEZ, ANTONIO: Private user-centric management of electronic services in smart communities
  
  Author: ROBLES GONZÁLEZ, ANTONIO
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Deposit date: 13/07/2023
  Reading date: 05/10/2023
  Reading time: 12:00
  Reading place: Aula Màster C3-005, Campus Nord (ENTEL-MAT)
  Thesis director: PARRA ARNAU, JAVIER | ARIAS CABARCOS, PATRICIA
  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: ALMENARES MENDOZA, FLORINA
       SECRETARI: PALLARES SEGARRA, ESTEVE
       VOCAL: MENG, WEIZHI
  Thesis abstract: Smart community services are reaching nearly every area of our daily life, often requiring private information from their users. The scope of all contributors to these services is to collaboratively share information for the benefit of all stakeholders, including citizens (user), organizations, schools, and governing institutions. User contribution can be participatory --flence intentionally given --0r smart community services can gather information opportunistically from user sensors and/or APls nearly automatically or with less user influence. The present dissertation focuses on participatory user contribution. SCS increasingly demand consciously undertaken participatory user contributions, that predominantly require a login-based user verification process based on an identification (I) and authentication (A) process. Throughout this process, the user logs in with a user identity, regardless of whether it is a real one or not. The verification process is associated with immanent privacy threats to users. The users can contribute with tagging, posting, or uploading information demanded by the SCS, which may need reliability guarantees linked to the trustworthiness of the users. Nowadays becoming more aware about their privacy and right to self-determine, users are not so willing to contribute unconditionally to the SCS, leading to a conflict between user privacy and the SCS requirements. The verification process for a user login as well as his contributions implies user privacy threats. Chapter 3 and 4 of the dissertation focus on the privacy threat analysis (PTA) of the user verification process and chapter 5 on user self-determined privacy aware contributions to the SCS. Chapter 3 focuses on the PTA of the verification process in the modelling phase. We extend the scientifically grounded LINDDUN PT A framework to be used systematically for modelling of the verification process to perform a user login. Our contribution includes the modelling of the I and A processes, considering IA methods, the extension of the trust boundary concept, and extensively extends the privacy threat mapping table. Our contributions are assembled in a systematic and reproducible step-by-step guide intended for privacy auditors including knowledge and decision support, whereby the results do not depend on the knowledge of the auditor or his intuition. The results provide the requirements for the authentication schemes (AS) to be implemented or selected. Chapter 4 focuses on the PTA of the verification process of realized AS. Bonneau et al. proposed a comparison framework to extensively evaluate AS for usability (U), deployability (D) and security (S), namely, the UDS framework. We extend it with a new defined privacy (P) category to become the UDSP framework. Our evaluation of the 38 AS -including biometrics -with the UDSP framework reveal inter alia fundamental privacy threats, for which we propose guidelines for more secure implementations. Chapter 5 focuses on self-determined and user accepted revocable privacy. The contributing user in particular is exposed to privacy threats when he contributes to a critical incident of a SCS, that requires evidence and trustworthiness for the contribution. That is the reason why we propose a taxonomy concept for classifying the criticality of incidents, including a mapping to enhanced privacy requirements and the cryptographic primitives that would support their realization in a privacy preserving fashion. The taxonomy for user self-determination comprising enforceable graded revocable privacy, which is nonetheless partially applicable to the right to be forgotten, is exemplified for two proofs-of-concepts applying cryptographic primitives alike blacklistable anonymous credentials and group signatures with distributed management.
  

Last update: 23/09/2023 04:45:29.

List of lodged theses

Last update: 23/09/2023 04:30:25.

List of defended theses by year

• AGUILAR ROMERO, SERGIO: Contributions to IPv6 support over Low Rate Low Power Wireless Networks
  
  Author: AGUILAR ROMERO, SERGIO
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 06/07/2023
  Thesis director: GOMEZ MONTENEGRO, CARLOS | VIDAL FERRÉ, RAFAEL
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: HOEBEKE, JEROEN
       SECRETARI: PARADELLS ASPAS, JOSE
       VOCAL: ADELANTADO FREIXER, FERRAN
  Thesis abstract: The main objective of this thesis is contributing to IPv6 support over Low Rate Low Power Wireless Networks (LRLPWNs). One family of LRLPWNs is Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs), which includes technologies like LoRaWAN and Sigfox. LPWANs do not support IPv6 out-of-the-box. To this end, a framework called Static Context Header Compression and fragmentation (SCHC) was created by the IETF. SCHC follows a technology-agnostic approach and, as a new framework, performance and optimal configuration values were unknown. In this thesis, all SCHC fragmentation modes over LoRaWAN were evaluated and their performance was obtained in terms of channel occupancy, goodput and delay, for packet sizes required for IPv6. One mode outperforms for reliable communication: the SCHC ACK-on-Error mode. LPWANs have a bottle-neck in downlink traffic, i.e., from gateway to device, mainly due to duty-cycle restrictions and network capacity. Therefore, optimizing the downlink messages number and size becomes critical, especially for Acknowledgement (ACK) traffic. A mathematical model of the SCHC ACK-on-Error ACK burden was built, and the configuration values for the main SCHC ACK-on-Error parameters were proposed, optimized over Sigfox and LoRaWAN, and its advantages quantified. ACK pooling was defined, i.e., pooling a large number of errors in a single ACK, which provides benefits for high error rates, while smaller ACKs perform better for low error rates. To minimize and optimize the ACK size, this thesis evaluated the Receiver-Feedback Technique (RFT) of SCHC, i.e., Compressed Bitmap, and compared its performance with 5 alternative RFTs that are proposed in this thesis. All RFTs were evaluated regarding the ACK size, number of L2 frames per ACK and Time-on-Air, using an uncompressed bitmap as benchmark RFT. Results were obtained for all LoRaWAN world regions. Tests were performed using Sim-RFT, a channel error simulator developed in this thesis. Following the development of the SCHC framework, technology-specific versions of SCHC were designed for specific LPWANs. In this thesis, the adaptation of SCHC over Sigfox has been deeply studied, providing mathematical models for the number of messages and ACKs, packet transfer time, and proofed in live networks. Results are obtained covering all Sigfox world regions, and validating SCHC over Sigfox application feasibility. As part of the results, an excess of ACK traffic was found, which provides further optimization opportunities. Since LPWAN devices are typically battery-powered, an energy consumption model of SCHC Packet transfers over Sigfox was developed and validated on real hardware. Two strategies were evaluated and results are provided for average current and energy consumption, device lifetime, depending on packet size and transfer period. Another family of LRLPWNs are low rate channels over Wake-Up Radio (WuR) for Cross Technology Communication (CTC). In this thesis is presented the design, implementation and evaluation of an adaptation layer to provide IPv6 support over WuR-CTC systems, by adapting the SCHC framework. Among others, experimental results show that this solution allows transferring packets from IEEE 802.15.4 to IEEE 802.11 devices, without a gateway. Moreover, the designed solution supports latency-stringent applications in smart environments, where a human in the loop expects real-time interaction between devices. Results of this thesis shown that the ACK burden of SCHC ACK-on-Error increases depending on the error rate. ACK pooling provides better results for high error rates. Therefore, the Compound ACK message was proposed and adopted by the IETF LPWAN WG, allowing aggregated receiver feedback in a single message, reducing the total number of ACKs. The Compound ACK provides a pooling of errors for high error rates, and smaller ACKs for low rates, helping to alleviate the downlink bottle-neck. Moreover, a LPWAN Convergence SCHC Profile is presented and explored.
  

• CASALS IBÁÑEZ, LLUÍS: Contributions to the Evaluation and Improvement of LoRaWAN
  
  Author: CASALS IBÁÑEZ, LLUÍS
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 30/05/2023
  Thesis director: GOMEZ MONTENEGRO, CARLOS | VIDAL FERRÉ, RAFAEL
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: FAMAEY, JEROEN
       SECRETARI: GARCIA VILLEGAS, EDUARD
       VOCAL: TUSET PEIRÓ, PERE
  Thesis abstract: Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies have gained significant momentum as wireless solutions for implementing Internet of Things (IoT) applications and services. The unique set of LPWAN features, such as long range, low power consumption, and low infrastructure cost, along with challenging message sizes and message rates, has attracted the attention of the industry, academia and standard development organizations. Within the LPWAN family, LoRaWAN has become a very popular technology. After the publication of the LoRaWAN specification and the availability of certified hardware, many researchers have devoted their efforts to investigate the performance of this technology. Since the IoT is expected to include a very large number of devices (such as sensors and actuators), and LoRaWAN is expected to support up to hundreds of thousands of IoT devices per radio gateway, the energy efficiency, performance and scalability of LoRaWAN are hot research areas.This PhD thesis focuses its research on a set of crucial topics around the aforementioned areas. Many LoRaWAN devices, such as sensors or actuators, will typically run on battery power. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the power consumption characteristics of LoRaWAN. However, published works only focus on this topic to a limited extent, providing only rough estimates of parameters related to LoRaWAN energy performance, without considering the realistic behavior of the LoRaWAN device hardware, as well as the impact of the main LoRaWAN parameters and mechanism settings. Therefore, one of the objectives of this PhD thesis is to propose an analytical model that characterizes device current consumption, lifetime and energy cost of data delivery.On the other hand, the study of the behavior of confirmed data transmission and the evolution of the Spreading Factor (SF) parameter due to the rules defined in the LoRaWAN specification in case of retransmissions is also in our interest. Through simulations, we study the behavior of LoRaWAN under controlled conditions, for different load conditions or different active LoRaWAN functionalities (e.g. confirmed versus unconfirmed data transmission). Starting with the FLoRa simulator, based on OMNeT++, we improved and completed this simulator to include the unimplemented functionalities and correct some behaviors that did not conform to the LoRaWAN specification. In a preliminary analysis, we realize that SF tends to downgrade to SF12, corresponding to the lowest data rate and the longest data transmission time, which leads to poor network performance, although it could be, in some conditions, more reliable. We have called this phenomenon the "SF12 well". In this context, we have considered alternative mechanisms to update the SF parameter in the case of data retransmissions, which allows to improve the transmission in the uplink channel.As the third objective of the present PhD thesis, we focus on the impact of the packet size on the energy efficiency in LoRaWAN. Furthermore, to understand the observed behavior, we also consider the impact of packet size on other performance parameters. Existing studies on LoRaWAN energy efficiency evaluation, including those that consider packet size as a parameter, present significant limitations. We also carry out our study by means of the simulator we developed to address the above objective, with additional modifications to compute energy consumption in a more detailed process. In this work we also apply the realistic energy model obtained in the first proposed objective. As a complementary work, we also evaluate the influence of duty cycle constraints on the overall performance of LoRaWAN and specifically on the energy performance.
  

• EXPÓSITO VENTURA, MARTA: Viewability contributions towards a better online advertising ecosystem
  
  Author: EXPÓSITO VENTURA, MARTA
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 20/04/2023
  Thesis director: FORNE MUÑOZ, JORGE | RUIPÉREZ VALIENTE, JOSÉ ANTONIO
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: ARIAS CABARCOS, PATRICIA
       SECRETARI: PALLARES SEGARRA, ESTEVE
       VOCAL: CALLEJO PINARDO, PATRICIA
  Thesis abstract: Online advertising makes possible most of the freely available online content and services.However, it is far from being mature and there are still controversial topics that need to beaddressed. One of these topics is viewability, a metric that attempts to measure whether animpression could have been seen by a user.The purpose of this industrial doctorate, which was conducted within ExoClick ad-network, isto contribute to the improvement of the online advertising ecosystem through the study ofviewability. To achieve this, we defined three main objectives: (1) to identify the viewabilitybenefits and challenges, (2) to analyze the viewability standard and to test its possibleimplementations, and (3) to evaluate the impact of a viewability-driven feature in an adcompany. For the first objective, we performed1. a systematic literature review of viewability.From this literature review, we identified the main benefits of viewability and the issues thatshould be addressed to promote its adoption. Then, to assess the second objective, wetested in ExoClick production environment a subset of viewability implementation methods tosee their results on different dimensions. Afterward, for the third objective, we evaluated indifferent sites the impact of using viewability in ad-refresh, a technique used to replace thead that has been already displayed on the publisher's site with a new ad. Finally, wediscussed our results in terms of the three objectives of this dissertation, by providing anoverview of the implications of viewability in the ad industry and the potential improvementsof the current viewability standard, and by defining a set of guidelines to integrate it into anyad tech system. The results and conclusions obtained in this dissertation can motivate andhelp the different stakeholders to keep working on viewability adoption and integration toobtain a better, and more sustainable, online advertising ecosystem.
  

• LEYVA PUPO, IRIAN: Strategies for the UPF Placement in 5G and Beyond Networks
  
  Author: LEYVA PUPO, IRIAN
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 26/01/2023
  Thesis director: CERVELLO PASTOR, CRISTINA
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: LOPEZ SOLER, JUAN MANUEL
       SECRETARI: SALLENT RIBES, SEBASTIAN
       VOCAL: BOTERO VEGA, JUAN FELIPE
  Thesis abstract: This doctoral thesis focuses on the design of strategies (i.e., exact and heuristic-based methods) to optimize the placement and reconfiguration of user plane functions (UPFs) in 5G and beyond networks. These solutions seek to ensure QoS satisfaction while reducing the expenditures associated with deploying and operating 5G services. To this end, we study the UPF placement problem (UPP) using three lines of research: static placement, dynamic placement, and reconfiguration scheduling. For each, we consider PDU service requests composed of single or multiple UPF instances. For static UPF placement, we envision several solutions that aim to minimize expenditures related to the deployment and operation of UPFs while fulfilling service requirements. First, we address the case in which all UPF functionalities are centralized in a single instance. Then, we extend the problem to include more complex service topologies (i.e., single- and multiple-branch service function chains [SFC]), which we refer to as the UPF placement and chaining (UPC) problem. For the centralized UPF functionalities, we conceive two integer linear programming (ILP) models and a heuristic algorithm. These solutions contemplate several aspects of the system, such as node available capacities and service requirements for latency, reliability, and mobility. Then, we propose an ILP and two approximated solutions (i.e., a heuristic and a simulatedannealing-based metaheuristic) to address the UPC problem. These solutions consider additional aspects of the UPP, such as UPF-specific requirements, virtual network function (VNF) order in the service chains, and routing paths. The heuristic-based strategies combine various mechanisms to enhance their performance. Specifically, the heuristic algorithm reduces SFC rejections and provisioning costs by considering service demands, available resources, and the effects of VNF mapping decisions on the VNFs forming the service chain. The envisioned metaheuristic approach incorporates several mechanisms, such as restart-stop and variable Markov chain length, that reduce its solution time and improve the solution¿s quality. Different approaches are adopted to address the dynamic UPF placement and session-mapping reconfiguration problem. We conceive two exact solutions and a heuristic algorithm to determine the best reconfiguration setup. Their primary goal is to minimize expenditures associated with the service operation and reconfiguration procedure and guarantee satisfaction with the service requirements. Therefore, these approaches consider multiple cost components (e.g., server activation, VNF deployment, and migration) and system specificities (e.g., node available capacity). The proposed heuristic aims to enhance the problem¿s solution efficiency in online scenarios by incorporating two strategies: partial unmapping of SFCRs and an improvement phase. Furthermore, three scheduling mechanisms are provided to determine the best time to readjust the UPF placement and session-mapping configuration to cope with latency violations produced by user mobility. More specifically, we design two optimal stopping theory-based schedulers and a machine learning-based framework to anticipate poor QoS events and proactively trigger reconfiguration procedures. These scheduling solutions make reconfiguration decisions based on historical system data (e.g., system QoS), current QoS values, and a pre-established tolerance threshold. Extensive simulation results validate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed solutions. Overall, the heuristic-based approaches provide near-optimal results with significantly lower execution times than the mathematical models. Moreover, the conceived scheduling methods display outstanding performance, reducing the number of reconfiguration events and maintaining the QoS of the system under desirable levels for nearly the entire simulation.
  

• LLORENS CARRODEGUAS, ALEJANDRO: Strategies for Improving Resilience in Distributed Communication Systems
  
  Author: LLORENS CARRODEGUAS, ALEJANDRO
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 26/01/2023
  Thesis director: CERVELLO PASTOR, CRISTINA
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: VIDAL FERNANDEZ, IVAN
       SECRETARI: SALLENT RIBES, SEBASTIAN
       VOCAL: BOTERO VEGA, JUAN FELIPE
  Thesis abstract: With the development of industry and society, new verticals have emerged such as Industry 4.0, cooperative sensing, and massive IoT. These verticals require network robustness and availability to maintain high levels of QoS, just as 5G and beyond networks must guarantee to the end-users. In this regard, several technologies have been identified by network operators and academic institutions as crucial pillars in deploying these networks. More specifically, due to their advantages, SDN, NFV, and MEC are likely to make the deployment of 5G and beyond networks easier for operators. Nevertheless, network resilience and robustness are not guaranteed using these technologies. The literature addressing resilient and fault-tolerant strategies is focused on proposing unique mechanisms to be applied in each of the above paradigms. Furthermore, the proposed approaches are mainly related to communication mechanisms used in distributed domains to improve network scalability and resilience. Thus, they lack other perspectives and factors that can also impact the robustness and fault tolerance of the network, such as the VNF allocation in resource-constrained environments. This thesis therefore focuses on designing and implementing novel strategies to improve network resilience and fault tolerance in SDN/NFV environments through communication and event-allocation approaches. In particular, the proposed communication mechanism, different from existing related works, guarantees network information exchange among control elements of both systems. This proposal enables auto-discovery and failure awareness, thus ensuring the necessary dynamism in the next-generation networks. Additionally, the control elements can improve their decision-making process by considering information external to the region controlled by them. Then other controllers¿ control and management policies, such as load-balancing methods, can be improved by considering this newly available information. This thesis also introduces the VNF management and allocation process as factors that can impact network resilience when analyzing the VNF¿s characteristics and its deployments in resource-constrained environments. For the former case, we analyze the consequences of applying load-balancing and auto-scaling mechanisms over a cluster of transparent VNFs. Due to the particularities of this kind of virtual function, network loops may appear when applying the above mechanisms without considering their characteristics. Therefore, this study employs an SDN-based solution to address the problems of managing a cluster of these VNFs. The latter case explores the deployment of VNFs in resource-constrained environments like single-board computers (SBCs), which have gained attention as computing infrastructure close to the end-users. The specifications of this scenario (i.e., limited computational resources and battery-powered) entail challenges since existing platforms to orchestrate and manage VNFs do not consider energy levels during their placement decisions and, consequently, are not optimized for energy-constrained environments. Thus, an energy-aware scheduler is presented to deploy and manage VNFs in an SBC cluster. The proposed scheduler reduces the battery consumption of the cluster¿s nodes, thus improving the system¿s resilience. To enhance the proposed scheduler¿s scope, an intelligent global controller is described to deploy events in a multi-cluster edge system. This approach integrates the implemented communication mechanism to gather the node¿s information to select the best participants when deploying virtual functions. This solution incorporates a machine learning method to guarantee cost-effective resource utilization and increase the system¿s lifetime. In general, the approaches proposed in this thesis have been evaluated in real testbeds using leading technologies. The results have proved the applicability of the proposed strategies to improve network
  

• MARTÍN PRIETO, ÁLVARO: Control strategy and predictive methods for performance and component lifetime enhancement in vehicle powertrain
  
  Author: MARTÍN PRIETO, ÁLVARO
  Thesis file: (contact the Doctoral School to confirm you have a valid doctoral degree and to get the link to the thesis)
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN NETWORK ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Network Engineering (ENTEL)
  Mode: Normal
  Reading date: 26/04/2023
  Thesis director: AGUILAR IGARTUA, MONICA
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: FERNANDEZ VILAS, ANA
       SECRETARI: FORNE MUÑOZ, JORGE
       VOCAL: BARBECHO BAUTISTA, PABLO ANDRES
  Thesis abstract: In the past years, battery electric vehicles have been gaining market share. These vehicles are progressively seen as a viable option by customers of all kind. However, although manufacturers and research institutions are putting their effort on improving the capacity of the battery, the reduced kilometric range of the vehicle is the main drawback and what maintains nowadays customers hesitant. To solve this issue, research is trying to innovate on materials to be used on batteries and components, as well as trying to reduce the weight of the vehicle to increase the range. Another way of improving the performance of these vehicles is via software optimization. By having a software operation strategy, the vehicle can improve its performance without any change of hardware, which is a great benefit for both the manufacturer and the customer. This thesis addresses the topic of software operation strategy which, with the hardware already available in a vehicle, has the ability of optimizing several parameters, such as cooling power. Previous research has shown that Dynamic Programming provides an optimal solution but requires high computational performance and is not real-time feasible. In this thesis, the availability of a power boost function will be discussed and enhanced with a software operation strategy. This function allows the vehicle to deliver a temporary power boost when required. The main issue with this function and the reason why it cannot be delivered at all times is the temperature control. Temperature greatly affects the behavior of the components, reduces their lifetime and must be monitored. To deal with this issue, this thesis proposes prediction of the velocity of the driving cycle using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). The main idea is to predict the complete driving cycle in order to have a previous knowledge of all the parameters before driving. As a result of this approach, the vehicle is able to condition the system to deliver the power boost at the precise moment that it will be required, since complete knowledge of the trip environment is known. This optimizes the energy consumption of the cooling system and the availability of the Power Boost function is enhanced. To ensure correct working of the function, the machine learning algorithm that predicts the driving velocity is combined with an online algorithm. The online algorithm will work real-time on the vehicle and is in charge of acquiring data from the individual driver to perform a so-called fine tuning of the ML model. Because of individualization, the speed forecasting will not be generic, but tuned to each driver or vehicle, depending if the vehicle counts with driver recognition or not.Parallel to the predictor, an optimizer uses the information of the predicted speed and the slope of the driving cycle to maintain the battery and the EM always below the derating temperature. If the temperature of a component is lower than its derating temperature, maximum power delivery and safe operation can be ensured, thus delivering the so-called Power Boost function. Moreover, the optimizer ensures that the minimum cooling level is selected in order to bring an efficiency benefit simultaneously. The methods have been tested on a the cooling system of the electric motor, by operating the coolant pump, as well as on the tempering system of the battery, by actuating both the chiller and the PTC heater. The results of the optimization performed have shown a reduced cooling/heating energy and, consequently, an increased kilometric range.
  

Last update: 23/09/2023 05:01:38.

Research groups

• BAMPLA-Design and Evaluation of Broadband Networks and Services
• GRXCA-Research Group on Cellular and Ad-hoc Networks
• ISG-Information Security Group
• MAPS-Management, Pricing and Services in Next Generation Networks
• SISCOM-Smart Services for Information Systems and Communication Networks
• WNG-Wireless Networks Group

Teachers

• Aguilar Igartua, Mónica
• Agusti Torra, Anna
• Alins Delgado, Juanjo
• Barcelo Arroyo, Francisco
• Calveras Auge, Anna
• Casademont Serra, Jordi
• Casals Ibañez, Lluis
• Cervello Pastor, Cristina
• Cruz Llopis, Luis Javier de la
• Domingo Aladren, Maria del Carmen
• Esparza Martin, Oscar
• Fernandez Muñoz, Marcel
• Forne Muñoz, Jordi
• Garcia Villegas, Eduard
• Gomez Montenegro, Carles
• Gorricho Moreno, Juan Luis
• Guasch Murillo, Daniel
• Hernandez Serrano, Juan Bautista
• Hesselbach Serra, Xavier
• Lopez Aguilera, Maria Elena
• Martin Escalona, Israel
• Mata Diaz, Jorge
• Melus Moreno, Jose Luis
• Muñoz Tapia, Jose Luis
• Pallares Segarra, Esteve
• Paradells Aspas, Jose
• Parra Arnau, Javier
• Pegueroles Valles, Josep
• Postigo Boix, Marcos
• Remondo Bueno, David
• Rico Novella, Francisco Jose
• Rincon Rivera, David
• Sallent Ribes, Sebastian
• Serrat Fernandez, Juan
• Soriano Ibañez, Miquel
• Vidal Ferre, Rafael
• Zola, Enrica Valeria