Cognitive Radio Workshop Headlines Upcoming Software Defined Radio Meeting In Singapore.

DENVER -- International leaders in the development of Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology will come together in Singapore to discuss key issues related to the technology and its deployment during the SDR Forum's general meeting in late April. Kicking off the Forum's meeting will be an in-depth workshop on Cognitive Radio--a technology commonly referred to as 'the next step up' for Software Defined Radios emerging today.

The SDR Forum general meeting--which will be hosted by, and located at, the office of the Institute for Infocomm Research, Agency for Science Technology & Research (Singapore)--is scheduled for April 18-20. The meeting is open to anyone interested in SDR technologies. For more information on registration and meeting details, visit http://www.sdrforum.org.

In addition to Cognitive Radio, a workshop on the Software Communications Architecture (SCA) is also planned. Other key topics to be discussed during the meeting include: research and development, commercial technology, development flow and tools, system interface, smart antennas, public safety applications, and regulatory updates. The Forum's general meetings, which are conducted five times a year around the world, also typically involve focused plenary sessions to address the business aspects of the Forum, management of work, and approval of documents.

"Interest in Cognitive Radio is steadily growing within the wireless industry, as evidenced by the FCC's recent Report and Order last month that formally recognized the importance of Cognitive Radio and the use of SDR as a platform for building cognitive radios," said Allan Margulies, chief operating officer, SDR Forum. "Through its recently established Cognitive Radio working groups, and workshops such as the one planned for Singapore, the Forum is positioned to take a leadership role in the continued development of this new technology."

The Cognitive Radio workshop in Singapore will be led by Paul J. Kolodzy, Ph.D., and will address the definition of Cognitive Radio, enabling technologies, and applications. Dr. Kolodzy is a communications technology consultant who has more than 20 years experience spanning wireless network security, spectrum policy (FCC), advanced military communications (DARPA), and signal processing (Sanders and MIT/Lincoln Laboratory).

The workshop on the SCA will be led by Steve Bernier of Communications Research Centre, Canada, and will address how SDR platforms are implemented using the different types of SCA software components. Bernier's work focuses on the development of Software Defined Radios. He is a regular speaker at the meetings of the SDR Forum.

The SDR Forum's Cognitive Radio Working Group recently began drafting plans that provide technical guidance and standardization direction on the design, development and implementation of Cognitive Radio concepts based on SDR technology. Additionally, the Forum's Cognitive Applications Special Interest Group is examining business applications, market drivers, and regulatory implications of SDR technology within a Cognitive Radio framework

About the Software Defined Radio Forum

The Software Defined Radio Forum is an international industry association dedicated to supporting the development and deployment of software defined radio systems that enable flexible and adaptable architectures in advanced wireless systems. The membership of the SDR Forum spans commercial, defense, and civil government organizations, and includes wireless service providers, network operators, component and equipment manufacturers, hardware and software developers, regulatory agencies, and academia. Presently numbering more than 100 organizations, the SDR Forum's membership includes major commercial wireless players from Asia, Europe, and North America. The SDR Forum's administrative office is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Additional information is available on the SDR Forum website at http://www.sdrforum.org.