Joan Bas

Joan Bas (Barcelona, 1971) received the MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) in 1998 and 2004 respectively. During the pursuit of his PhD, he was recipient of a 1998-2000 fellowship of the UPC’s Communication Signal Processing Group, and a 2000-2004 PhD scholarship granted by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology.

From June 1998 to July 2004, he has been with UPC’s Communications Signal Processing Group, where he has worked first as associated professor and next as a Research Assistant . In March 2005 he joined to the Telecommunications Technological Center of Catalonia (CTTC), where he currently holds a position as a Senior Research Associate in the Array & Multi-Sensor (A&MS) department.

Currently, his main research interests are the following:

1) Improving the spectral and energy efficiency of satellite communications and time-constrained Machine-to-Machine (M2M) radio links with new coding schemes or already existing ones, cross-layer designs of M2M networks, and cooperative protocol stack implementation.

2) Wireless Optical Communications for inter-satellite links, ground station to satellite, and indoor communications (e.g. Visibile Light Communications) to obtain a fully integrated terrestrial-satellite network for 5G+,6G communications.

3) Physical layer security but taking into account spectral efficiency constraints to obtain truly cybersecurity systems. Current security solutions are based on cryptographic algorithms (e.g. AES) which provide certain level of security but penalize the data rate. On the contrary, physical layer solutions are oriented to optimize the spectral efficiency instead of the security. The combination of both worlds : security and spectral efficiency as weel as the network and physical layer constraints is a must to design efficient 5G+,6G communication systems.

ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3906-7603

1. Project Participation: Dr. Joan Bas has participated in the following projects:

• European projects:
• SATNEX: SAT NEtwork of EXperts
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: European Space Agency (ESA)
  • Abstract: The aim of SATNEX is  to study medium/long term directions of satellite telecommunication systems for any of the commercial or institutional applications that can be considered appealing by key players but still not mature enough for attracting industry or initiating dedicated ESA R&D activities. The key objectives of the SatNex IV Network of Experts can be summarized as: i) Early identification, exploration and scientific assessment of promising new R&D avenues for satellite telecom networks for possible injection in ESA’s R&D programs,ii) Detection and preliminary assessment of promising terrestrial telecommunication technology spinning into space telecom applications and iii) Enhanced cooperation between the European/Canadian industry and research institutions on telecom satellite applied research subjects of common interest.
• ATTRACT: https://attract-eu.com/
• • Role: Final coordinator of this project at CTTC.
  • Funded: European Comission
  • Abstract: ATTRACT is a pioneering initiative bringing together Europe’s fundamental research and industrial communities to lead the next generation of detection and imaging technologies. Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, the project aims to help revamp Europe’s economy and improve people’s lives by creating products, services, companies and jobs. The ATTRACT Project will fund 170 breakthrough technology concepts in the domain of detection and imaging technologies across Europe (€100,000/project in seed funding to carry out their idea). The CTTC’s project that has been funded is named “VLADIMIR”, and is related to the use of Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology for the passive monitoring of the status of an indoor environment.
• SANSA: Shared Access Terrestrial-Satellite Backhaul Network enabled by Smart Antennas
• • Role: Researcher.
  • Funded: European Comission H2020
  • Abstract: The aim of SANSA project was to boost the performance of mobile wireless backhaul networks in terms of coverage, capacity and resilience while assuring an efficient use of the spectrum and a reduction of the power consumption. To this end, SANSA proposed a spectrum efficient self-organizing hybrid terrestrial-satellite backhaul network based on three key principles: (i) a seamless integration of the satellite segment into terrestrial backhaul networks; (ii) a terrestrial wireless network capable of reconfiguring its topology according to traffic demands; (iii) a shared spectrum between satellite and terrestrial segments.
• GREEN-T: Green Wireless Terminals
• • Role: Leader of Work Package on Flexible Physical Layer.
  • Funded: Celtic+
  • Abstract: GREEN-T aims to overcome the energy trap of 4Gmobile systems by investigating and demonstrating energy saving technologies for multi-standard wireless mobile devices, exploiting the combination of cognitive radio and cooperative strategies while still enabling the required performance in terms of data rate and QoS to support active applications. This notion is further extended by investigating lightweight security approaches, which is a pivotal requirements of 4G systems that will constitute a multitude of players from network operators to services provides cooperating under a converged service platform.
• DAVINCI: Design and versatile implementation of non-binary wireless communication based on innovative LDPC codes
• • Role: Task Leader on Link Layer Adaptation.
  • Funded: European Comission FP7
  • Abstract:The DaVinci project aims at developing new transmission technologies targeting future 4G wireless broadband systems. The project focusses on efficient coding schemes, coupled with adaptive resource allocation strategies by designing breakthrough channel coding schemes with tailored link-level technologies, based on non-binary LDPC coding. These new transmission schemes will be validated not only by simulations, but also by hardware implemenation using a wireless testbed.

• National projects:
• ELISA: Enbaling technologis for Licensed and unlicensed Shared Access communications
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract:The main aim of ELISA is then to develop novel and energy efficient interference management techniques targeting licensed and unlicensed open spectrum systems and 5G networks. The research focus will be on the development of new waveforms and advanced multi-user techniques for increasing the spectral efficiency of wireless systems, the design of decentralized/distributed MIMO and Massive MIMO systems for taking advantage of the spatial degrees of freedom and the implementation of radio resource management algorithms for coordinating interferences.

• TERESA: Hybrid TERrEstrial/Satellite Air Interface for 5G and Beyond
  • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract: The main aim of TERESA is to develop satellite and terrestrial air interface to provide ubiquitous low-cost access and high-rate services in the context of 5G and beyond (B5G) networks. To this end, TERESA will develop techniques that will enhance the performance of both satellite and terrestrial communication systems, and at the same time will efficiently coordinate the interoperability between the two systems.  TERESA will focus on four main scenarios: underserved areas, ultra-dense networks (UDN), areas of difficult access (ADA) and content delivery networks (CDN).
• ARCO5G: Advanced Radio COmmunications for 5th Generation
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract: ARCO5G is a networking project which main goals  are:  i) the cooperation of multiple groups dedicated to mobile networks, ii) increase the opportunities for young researchers, iii) maximize the opportunities of funding in H2020,  iv) exchange information between R&D groups, v) promote the collaboration of industry in international projects
• JUNTOS: Joint soUrce and chaNnel cooperaTive netwOrkS
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract: JUNTOS, considers end-to-end signal quality in wireless multi-user networks, and propose innovative joint source-channel networking schemes based on cooperation among nodes. “Cooperation” in this project had a wider meaning than the classical multi-hopping: it was considered cooperation for source compression, to combat fading and to minimize interference.
• PERSEO:Cooperative and cross layer techniques for wireless sensor networks
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract: The PERSEO aims to contribute to technical innovation by exploiting the potential of cooperative transmission and cross-layer techniques for wireless sensor networks.
• R@ailnet: Mobile Internet access system for railway users
• • Role: Principal Investigator
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract: The project R@ilnet consists of the definition and development of the technology and equipment that is necessary for the bidirectional internet access in trains, with  minimum terrestrial infrastructure. The terrestrial digital television (TDT) technology based on the standard DVB-T turns out to be the best-suited option to overcome the drawbacks of the techniques based on WiFi standards and to optimize the ROI with respect to satellite techniques, among other considered options in the development of the project.
• RX-POS: High-accuracy positioning system.
• • Role: Principal Investigator
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract:The RX-POS project is devoted to the study and development of an antenna array receiver for positioning with high accuracy (less than 1 cm) in the 433 MHz band. The main goal is to help the company evolve the current product to reinforce their competitive advantage in the international market.
• Síntesis de técnicas de lógica fuzzy y de procesado de señal para cancelación adaptativa de interferencias en receptores multiusuario de espectro ensanchado via radio
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology
  • Abstract: This project was the umbrella of Fr. Joan Bas Phd. thesis to develop novel algorithms based on fuzzy logic to equalize narrrowband interferences that degrade wider band signals.

• Technology transfer projects:
• I-CUBE: Inmarsat CUBEsat
  • Role: Principal Investigator
  • Funded : Inmarsat
  • Abstract: I-CUBE project analyzes and evaluate the viability of using Ultra-Narrow-Band (UNB) systems in the return link of LEO constellations. This study has also included the characterization of the satellite channel, the description of the physical layer and the access scheme of a UNB communication system and the computation of system-level simulations in a representative environment. The project outcome has been a system-level simulator that computes the number of users that can be detected for different traffic conditions and demodulation probabilities.
• Micronsat:
  • Role: Principal Investigator
  • Funded : Satellit operator
  • Abstract: In Micronsat project we have computed the last mile channel loses from a LEO satellite to a handset as well as its C/(N+I) relationship for the uplink and downlink in terms of the elevation angle. The carrier frequencies that we have considered are the 700 and 875 MHz and the channel scenarios are Urban, Village, Rural Wooded and Residential. The bandwidth of the LTE signal is assumed to be less than 5 MHz (narrow band case).
• SERP: Prototype Receiver for Spectrally Efficient Transmission Schemes
• • Role: Technical leader at CTTC.
  • Funded : ESA
  • Abstract:The increasing need for anytime and anywhere content implies that communication systems have to increase the capacity to keep the pace with the users’ demands. Since satellite communication systems are not an exception, SERP project studies how to increase the spectral efficiency in the forward link of a multi-beam satellite system. To this end, this project conducts a capacity analysis and evaluates the impact of modifying the following parameters: the frequency reuse pattern, the symbol rate and the subcarrier spacing
• I-NBIoTSAT : Inmarsat NB-IoT over Satellite study
• • Role: Principal Investigator
  • Funded: Inmarsat
  • Abstract: In I-NBIoTSAT is studied the viability of using the NB-IoT communication system for connecting IoT devices directly to a LEO and GEO satellites. Design of the link budget that closes the forward and return links, as well as Doppler and Timing analysis have been conducted. Block schemes of the NB-IoT receiver architecture over LEO and GEO satellite were proposed. Finally, economical and business studies of the NB-IoT solution were provided as well as prospective studies of this technology in the next decade.
• MAS: Multiple Antenna for Satellite
• • Role: Technical Leader of Multiple Antena diversity task
  • Funded: Hispasat
  • Abstract: The aim of this project consists on implementing a multiple antenna system via satellite. By doing so, it is increased the robustness against slow vanishing and obstacles of a mobile channel. The band of frequencies that its used are Ku (12-18 GHz) and Ka (26.5-40 GHz). It has been developed the theoretical analysis for the vehicular, aeronautical and railway mobile channels as well as the practical implementation of a prototype. The final system runs real communications of the forward link of a satellite.
• Work item SATNEX IV: NOMA techniques for the coexistence of M2M and broadband services

• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: ESA
  • Abstract: This project investigates the non-orthogonal coexistence of broadband and M2M services in the reverse link of a satellite communication system. In order to make the most efficient use of spectral resources, both services operate on a shared frequency band without any coordination. The broadband satellite communication system is based on DVB-RCS. The M2M service that is addressed in this project provides an access channel that provisions uncoordinated access by resorting to enhanced spread spectrum Aloha (E-SSA).
• Inmarsat-I6– Inmarsat 6 Messaging Service Air Interface Technologies and Design
• • Role: Leader of the coding part
  • Funded: Inmarsat
  • Abstract: This project is concerned with the part of the design that will address the need for the system to deliver potentially millions of small messages to and from just as many small, low power devices in order to support growing demand for typical M2M/IoT applications via satellite. Efficient GMSK modulation for low power consumption and LDPC, Turbo Code and Convolutional codes for the uplink and downlink of these transmissions were proposed.
• ATTACH: integrated sATellite Terrestrial ArCHitectures for mobile broadband and IoT
• • Role: Researcher on IoT over LEO satellites
  • Funded: Huawei
  • Abstract:The seamless integration of satellite networks into the 5G ecosystem is expected to provide  a great advantage to terrestrial technologies . Inaddition, it is expected that IoT devices benefit from the terrestrial and satellite convergence to extend the coverage and speeding up the deployment of IoT networks. The project mainly focuses on the solutions of the convergence of satellite communications and 5G and on the investigation of access schemes for satellite systems dedicated to M2M services.
• Signal Processing and Fuzzy Logic Techniques applied to digital communication ASIC’s

  • Role: Researcher on Fuzzy Logic Techniques for digital equalization
  • Funded: ESA
  • Abstract: The project devised novel interference cancellation techniques based on fuzzy logic and techniques for reducing the required memory space of look-up tables when they have to be implemented in ASICs.
• Salvio Busquets: “Autosintonitzat intel.ligent de controladors PID mitjançant lògica fuzzy”
• • Role: Researcher on Fuzzy Logic Techniques for devising new PID controllers based on fuzzy logic
  • Funded: Salvio Busquets
  • Abstract: Develop new PID controllers based on Fuzzy Logic with a better response time to reach stationary response.
• Estudio y diseño de un pre-corrector digital adaptativo de las no linealidades introducidas por un amplificador de alta potencia para la transmisión de TV digital,
• • Role: Researcher on Fuzzy Logic Techniques for devising new pre-correctors for non-linear amplifiers of DVB-T signals
  • Funded: MIER communications
  • Abstract: The project develop an digital pre-distorter of the AM/AM and AM/PM distortions that introduce non-linear amplifiers on Terrestrial DVB. The pre-distorter was developed on fuzzy logic and the DVB-T analyzed waveforms were with the 2K and 8K subcarriers. The amplifier considered two situations: normal running and over-saturated mode due to a malfunction (long term running).

• 2.- Awarded Grants : Dr. Joan Bas has been awarded with the following grants

• • Signal Theory  and Communications Department Grant:
  • Predoctoral Felloship from the Spanish Ministry of Education: https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2000/06/21/pdfs/A21899-21907.pdf
  • Torres Quevedo Fellowship: https://www.ciencia.gob.es/stfls/MICINN/Ayudas/PN_2008_2011/LIA_RRHH/FICHERO/Fichero%20MICINN-PTQ/Listado%20de%20concesiones%20Torres%20Quevedo/Convocatoria%205/Resolucion%203a%20anual%2023-09-08.pdf
  3.- Talks: Dr Joan Bas has conducted the following talks:
• • Fundación Circulo de technologías para la defensa y seguridad: 18th Jornada para la Defensa y Seguridad: Desafío digital. The talk was about IoT for Defense and can be downloaded from : https://fundacioncirculo.es/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/19_09_12-LIBRO-XVIII-JORNADAS-DEFINITO2.pdf  (See page 211)
  • IEEE Future Networks Satellite Group:  talk on CTTC Satcom activities and Physical Layer security for satellite communications.
  • Escols Freta de Mataró: “Fisica and Satellites”. Talk for high school students of first and second bachellors, i.e. 16-17 years old about the relationship between Physic Laws and Satellites.
  • CTTC people on the outcomes of the I-CUBE project. You can see it there: http://www.cttc.es/weekly-seminar-series-i-cube-project/
  • CTTC people on: DOA: A radiolocalization strategy
  4.- Students: Dr. Joan Bas has tutored the following students:
• • Master Students: Jose Antonio Ortega, Srinu Sado, Martí Busquets, Haijing Fu, Albert Enrich, Gabriel Rodríguez, Marc Rietti
  • Bachellor Students: Pedro Antonio Vicente Núñez
  • Undergraduate students: Treball de Recerca of Second bachellor student Joan Carles Montero from Laia Archera School of Mataró.
    
  5.- Reviewer of Journals and Conferences: Dr. Joan Bas is reviewer of the current journals and conferences:
• • Journals:IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, IEEE Transactions on Communications, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing, KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems, IEEE Signal Processing Letters, Transactions on Emerging Telecommunications Technologies, EURASIP Signal Processing and The Scientific World Journal, Sensors (MDPI), Signal Processing of Elsevier, MDPI Applied Sciencs.
  • Conferences:European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO), IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP), IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), IEEE International Workshop on Signal Processing Advances for Wireless Communications (SPAWC), IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), IEEE Global Communications (Globecom), Advanced Satellite Multimedia Systems Conference/ Signal Processing for Space Communications Workshop (ASMS/SPSC), International Symposium on Wireless Communication Systems (ISWCS), IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC), European Wireless Conference (EW) and IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC)

  6.- Reviewer of National projects: Dr. Joan Bas is reviewer of proposals to National Calls since it is reviewer from European Quality Assurance (EQA). EQA is a certifying entity accredited by ENAC (National Accreditation Entity), with more than twenty years of experience in the national market to certiy R+D+i projects.

• 7.- Organizations that it collaborates : Dr. Joan Bas is member of the following entities:
• • IEEE : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is Senior Member and he belongs to the Communications, Signal Processing, Future Networks Societies.
  • Catalan College of Telecommunication Engineers.
  • Spanish College of Telecommunication Enginners.
  8.- Conferences/workshops that he has organized : Dr. Joan Bas has participating in the organization of the following conferences/workshops
• • Eusipco 2011 : Local Committee
  • IEEE ICC 2014 Workshop on Energy Efficiency in Wireless Networks & Wireless Networks for Energy. Technical Program Commitee.
  • IEEE ICC 2015. Workshop on Green Communications and Networks with Energy Harvesting, Smart Grids, and Renewable Energies. Technical Program Commitee
  • IEEE ICC 2017. Workshop on Application of Green Techniques to Emergin Communications and Computing paradigms. Organization Committee of the Workshop.
  • First Workshop of CTTC on 2018: Local Committee.
  • IEEE International Confence on Communication, Networks and Satellite (Comnetsat) 2019. Technical Program Commitee
  • ICASSP 2020: Local Committee.
  • Mosharaka Telecom 2020 Conference: Satellite Track Chair.
  • IEEE ICC 2021 Workshop on Satellite: Organization Committee of this workshop
  • IEEE Asia Pacific Conference on Wireless & Mobile (APIMOB) 2021: Technical Program Commitee
• 9.- White Papers/Roadmaps that Dr. Joan Bas participated:
  
• • New Space Catalonia : development of the strategic plan for the development of New Space in Catalonia. Contribution to the IoT and 5G topics.
  • First Internet Next Generation Roadmap: contribution to the waveform section.
  • Second Internet Next Generation Roadmap: Leader of the Group on New MIMO physical layer
  10.- Proposal Preparation: Dr. Joan Bas has participated in the preparation of the following proposals:
• H2020-INTEGRAL:  INTelligEnt manaGement of electrical poweR plant Against cyber-attacks and information Loses.
• • Role: Coordinator of the Proposal
  • Funded: European Commission H2020 program (H2020-SEC program)
  • Abstract: In the next years EU will have for face breakthrough developments to decarbonize the energy, transport, and other sectors by 2050 to reach climate neutrality goal. In this regard, it is expected a large-scale deployment of electric vehicles to achieve zero-emission road transport. So, it means that it is increased the criticality level of the electric power plants infrastructures and consequently, they must be protected against attacks. Otherwise, it could be attacked and interrupt the provision of vital societal services. This takes relevance in the electric power plants since the grids use the SCADA/ICS (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System/Industrial Control Systems) protocols, which do not introduce cyber security measures. For that reason, the guarantee of the secure communications will be a key point of the project.
• H2020-QITOSA: Quantum-safe Internet of Things for Secure Applications
• • Role: Technical Coordinator of the Proposal
  • Funded: European Commission H2020 program (H2020-SPACE program)
  • Abstract: Despite the recent advances of IoT technologies by satellite stakeholders, its development and deployment is still on its infancy. In particular, the use of terminals with low data rate requirements and very low duty cycles devoted to control critical infrastructure has either been tackled by expensive satellite broadband hardware or by even more expensive govermental equipment. In light of the current satellite market, it is clear that future mission will have as main or secondary objective the service to these IoT satellite terminals whose specfications are strongly different to commercial broadband or mobile narrowband services. Furthermore, controlling civil critical infrastructure will require different security standards where the upcoming quantum cryptography play a crucial role. All in all, attending to the next generation secure satellite services new missions will have to revisit all value chain entities of the satellite communications aspect.
• H2020-MITOS: Military Internet of Things:
• • Role: Coordinator of the Proposal
  • Funded: European Commission H2020 program (PADR program)
  • Abstract: Develop an innovative air-interface for sensors in the defence sector able to work in the terrestrial and space segments.
• BBVA-Proposal on Big Data and machine learning for Satellite communications (BigSat)
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded: BBVA
  • Abstract: Develop new artificial intelligence techniques for Big Data on the area of Satellite Communications
• SATCOMFOR5G: Satellite Communications for 5G.
• • Role: Researcher
  • Funded:European Commission H2020 program (H2020-SPACE program)
  • Abstract: This proposal claims for the integration of satellite communications into 5G activities of H2020-ICT program. In particular, satellite and terrestrial communications can interact each other in: extending the coverage of 5G networks, delivering multimedia closer to the edge to improve latency and QoE, Off-loading the terrestrial network, providing relisience to the terrestrial network, integrating virtualisation via software defined networking, and allowing improved spectrum reuse. By doing so, it will possible to speed-up the integration of both networks in a win-win solution.
• CYBERCAR : CPS for day-2 Connected vehicles with sAfety, privacy and security support through virtualized multicoRes
• • Role: Leader of WP6. Dissemination.
  • Funded:European Commission H2020 program (H2020-LEIT-ICT program)
  • Abstract: CyberCAR project, which stands for Cyber physical system for day-2 Connected vehicles with sAfety, privacy and security support through virtualized multicoRes, supports innovative and research activities for speeding up the introduction of Day 2 applications in the automotive domain. Day 2 applications mean applications within the vehicle that will use the data collected from the sensors (radar, video,), the data received from other vehicles in the vicinity or by the road infrastructure itself in order to automatically actuate on the vehicle as for instance to automatically brake or to reduce speed in case dangerous situations are detected. Such applications will significantly increase the safety on the road by avoiding accidents but also can significantly reduce traffic congestions and fuel consumption. Designing such applications is a big challenge as it will require fusing and compute data collected from various sources in real time and