The Wireless Innovation Forum Announces Annual Award Finalists

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Wireless Innovation Forum (www.WirelessInnovation.org) today announced finalists of its annual Achievement Awards. Finalists in the Technology of the Year include Elektrobit (EB) Specialized Device Platform, Harris RF-310M-HH Type 1 Suite B Handheld Multiband Radio and xG Technology xMax. Finalists for International Achievement are JPEO JTRS TD/CTO and William Webb, CTO, Neul. Winners will be announced at 2011 Wireless Innovation Forum Conference on Communications Technologies and Software Defined Radio (SDR'11 - WInnComm). The premier event for the reconfigurable radio community, SDR’11-WInnComm will be held 29 November to 2 December in Washington, D.C. Each day of this conference will feature keynotes by industry leaders as well as workshops, tutorials and technical presentations. The event also touts an exposition and a technology showcase.

The Technology of the Year award is presented to an individual or organization for a breakthrough product or technology in the field of Software Defined or Cognitive Radio as selected by the members. Nomination summaries for the finalists are:

•		Elektrobit (EB) Specialized Device Platform
		EB Specialized Device Platform (SDP) is a versatile platform targeted to vertical markets such as defense, public safety and security. With the platform, EB can roll out customized mobile devices that meet specific industry functional or performance requirements—faster and with lower development risks and costs. The platform is comprised of components specifically focused to extend product life cycle, deliver excellent performance and simplify the platform evolution. It is anchored by the Texas Instruments OMAP™ family of application processors and includes both OMAP3™ series single-core and OMAP4™ series dual-core options. EB chose TI’s OMAP processors for their balance between competitive mass market performance and unique features, such as integrated and fully programmable C64x Digital Signal Processor, that appeals to the target vertical markets. Other key features include Google Android operating system, integrated cellular connectivity options including LTE with Band 14 support for the U.S. Public Safety market, a high-resolution touch-screen enabled display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and advanced battery and power management features. A cellular 2G/3G version of the platform uses the Infineon’s SDR based XMM6081 chipset. The EB Specialized Device Platform is generally available today for devices to be commercialized with the OMAP3 Series applications processor and 2G/3G cellular connectivity options. Devices requiring the OMAP4 Series applications processors or the 4G/LTE cellular connectivity options can be commercialized in the first half of 2011.
•		Harris RF-310M-HH Type 1 Suite B Handheld Multiband Radio
		The RF-310M-HH Multiband Radio is the first and only Suite B-compatible tactical military handheld radio supporting secure communications for homeland security applications that bridge the gap between U.S. DoD agencies, emergency first responders, state, and local agency personnel. The RF-310M-HH also supports NATO applications for both coalition interoperability and national needs through locally generated, independent sovereign security keys. The RF-310M-HH Multiband Radio utilizes a JTRS certified Software Communications Architecture (SCA) operating environment, secured with Suite B-compatible cryptography and key management techniques incorporating the Harris Sierra IIB programmable encryption. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and keying standards are used to handle voice and data traffic at the U.S. Secret level and below. The RF-310M-HH frequency range covers 30-512 MHz, with a high band option extending frequency range coverage to 30-520 MHz and 762-870 MHz.
•		xG Technology xMax
		xG Technology (xG) is the developer of the world’s first carrier-class cognitive radio network, xMax, a solution that can fundamentally alter telecom economics, driving down costs and opening the doors to new applications and competitors while bringing reliable and affordable phone service to more people. xMax cognitive radio technology was designed to be frequency agnostic. That is, its cognitive identify and utilize spectrum sensing technology can be used to power radios in any frequency band. This is beneficial since the FCC and wireless regulatory bodies around the world are in the process of opening up new spectrum, as well as reclassifying existing spectrum, to be made available for opportunistic use (use by cognitive radios). xMax can be applied to a carrier’s existing licensed spectrum to opportunistically put unused capacity to work, without impacting its primary wireless infrastructure or users. This additional capacity enables the delivery of new revenue-generating services, or could also be used as overflow to help relieve pressure on these overtaxed networks. xMax cognitive radio network technology empowers competitive communications providers to leverage unlicensed spectrum for carrier-class service, significantly reducing the investment and operating costs of deploying voice and data networks. It unlocks access to vast swaths of previously untapped or underutilized spectrum, lowering the hurdles for organizations of all types ranging from telecom to enterprise to military/defense, first responders and utilities to deploy robust and cost-effective wireless services. xMax offers users a carrier class experience via unlicensed spectrum. The end-to-end IP system makes it possible to deliver guaranteed QoS and high-quality VoIP services.

The Forum International Achievement Award is presented to an individual, group of individuals, or organization that made especially significant contributions to international furtherance or acceptance of Software Defined or Cognitive Radio. The 2011 finalists in this category are:

•		JPEO JTRS TD/CTO (Richard North, John Armantrout, CDR Andy Kessler, Alan Sweeney, Eric Carlson, Cara Zylla, Don Stephens, Kevin Richardson, Phil Chen, Chalena Jiminez)
		JPEO JTRS TD/CTO has tirelessly supported Software Defined Radios and their introduction into the Department of Defense for the past five years, growing a market that has helped advance the SDR community across the entire spectrum of Defense and Commercial development. The Team has identified multiple new technologies from the Forum’s membership (and others) for support through SBIRs and T&E events with other JTRS products. JTRS has also worked with the entire Wireless Innovation Forum membership to improve and consolidate SDR standards across the industry, while at the same time looking forward to SCA Next to advance and evolve those standards to the next level. The Team has worked with the WInnF membership on improving openness and availability of all possible JTRS products, including significant work with the WInnF’s International membership. Finally, the JPEO has partnered with the WInnF for many years to co-host a Wireless Innovation Forum Technical Meeting with the JTRS Science and Technology Forum (JSTeF) in San Diego, Calif.
•		William Webb, CTO, Neul
		Since 2003, William Webb has been a key figure in shaping spectrum policy across Europe through his work at Ofcom, the UK Communications regulator. As Director of Technology Resources, William managed Ofcom research and development and led a number of key policy initiatives including the Spectrum Framework Review, the development of Spectrum Usage Rights and most recently cognitive or white space policy. In January 2011, he became CTO of Neul, a Cambridge-based company focusing on machine-to-machine communications using TV white-space spectrum and producer of the first radios to fully meet the FCC white space radio specification. William has published 11 books, 80 papers and four patents. He is a Visiting Professor at Surrey University and DeMontfort University and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the IEEE and the IET, where he is a Vice President.

Attracting more than 400 registered delegates, including investors, commercial network operators, radio manufacturers, system integrators, government procurement officials, regulators, engineering service providers and consultants from over 22 different countries, SDR’11-WInnComm is the only event devoted to the advancement of reconfigurable radio technologies from research through deployment. Additional information on the SDR’11-WInnComm program, workshops and tutorials can be found at http://conference.WirelessInnvation.org.

Winners in each of these categories will be announced at the Welcome Reception, sponsored by General Dynamics C4 Systems, held Tuesday, 29 November.

To register, visit our registration page. This year, there are new pricing options for academic, nonprofit and government registrants. Those who register by October 28, 2011, receive an additional discount.

Program updates can be followed on our program page, as well as our Twitter and Facebook feeds.

NEW MEMBER BENEFIT FOR 2011: SDR’11-WInnComm is offering Forum member organizations that register two or more attendees a booth in the Exposition at no charge. To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Forum’s Sponsorship and Exhibition application page.

Platinum Sponsors include General Dynamics C4 Systems, Harris Corporation and Indra Sistemas. Pentek and General Dynamics C4 Systems are the event’s Gold Sponsors.

About the Wireless Innovation Forum

Established in 1996, The Wireless Innovation Forum (SDR Forum Version 2.0) is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation dedicated to driving technology innovation in commercial, civil and defense communications worldwide. Members bring a broad base of experience in Software Defined Radio (SDR), Cognitive Radio (CR) and Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) technologies in diverse markets and at all levels of the wireless value chain to address emerging wireless communications requirements. To learn more about The Wireless Innovation Forum, its meetings and membership benefits, visit www.WirelessInnovation.org.