This book proposes that usage-based charging schemes are essential to generate the incentives necessary for efficient operation of multiservice networks. The rapid development of network technology is enabling sophisticated new services and applications which demand new charging models. The same technology provides the means to operate the right charging schemes.Some of the work done in the European collaborative project CA$hMAN (Charging and Accounting Schemes in Multiservice ATM Networks). This project combined performance and economic models of network resource usage and cutomer utility to construct simple but effective charging schemes which were implemented and trialled in an advanced management platform.

A comprehensive introduction to architecture design, protocol optimization, and application development.

Wireless Communication Networks Supported by Autonomous UAVs and Mobile Ground Robots covers wireless sensor networks and cellular networks. For wireless sensor networks, the book presents approaches using mobile robots or UAVs to collect sensory data from sensor nodes. For cellular networks, it discusses the approaches to using UAVs to work as aerial base stations to serve cellular users. In addition, the book covers the challenges involved in these two networks, existing approaches (e.g., how to use the public transportation vehicles to play the role of mobile sinks to collect sensory data from sensor nodes), and potential methods to address open questions. - Gives a comprehensive understanding of the development of mobile robot-supported wireless communication approaches - Provides the latest approaches of mobile robot-supported wireless communication, including scheduling approaches with multiple robots and the online and reactive navigation algorithm - Covers interesting research scenarios that include the system model, problem statement, solution and results so that readers will be able to design their own system - Presents unresolved research issues and future research directions

In an increasingly interconnected world, "Communication Networks Economy" provides the rational understanding necessary to provide universal access to communication means in an efficient way. This book presents the principal elements of the economics of a network as it stands today, taking into account experiences of technicians in the field. The author gives a simplified picture of the current situation in terms of structures and architecture of a network, bearing in mind the necessary quality of service and the profitability of investments, accompanied by references to recent economic works. An overview is given on the general themes of regulation and tariff principles, and the relations between supply and demand, from the perspectives of professional and residential users and network operators. Different aspects of the present situations of networks and the incidence of the Internet on the economy are also presented. In conclusion, the reader will obtain an overview of the most significant issues likely to influence the economics of communications networks as they are today.

This book is the first systematic exposition on the emerging domain of wireless power transfer in ad hoc communication networks. It selectively spans a coherent, large spectrum of fundamental aspects of wireless power transfer, such as mobility management in the network, combined wireless power and information transfer, energy flow among network devices, joint activities with wireless power transfer (routing, data gathering and solar energy harvesting), and safety provisioning through electromagnetic radiation control, as well as fundamental and novel circuits and technologies enabling the wide application of wireless powering. Comprising a total of 27 chapters, contributed by leading experts, the content is organized into six thematic sections: technologies, communication, mobility, energy flow, joint operations, and electromagnetic radiation awareness. It will be valuable for researchers, engineers, educators, and students, and it may also be used as a supplement to academic courses on algorithmic applications, wireless protocols, distributed computing, and networking.

With the increasing worldwide trend in population migration into urban centers, we are beginning to see the emergence of the kinds of mega-cities which were once the stuff of science fiction. It is clear to most urban planners and developers that accommodating the needs of the tens of millions of inhabitants of those megalopolises in an orderly and uninterrupted manner will require the seamless integration of and real-time monitoring and response services for public utilities and transportation systems. Part speculative look into the future of the world’s urban centers, part technical blueprint, this visionary book helps lay the groundwork for the communication networks and services on which tomorrow’s “smart cities” will run. Written by a uniquely well-qualified author team, this book provides detailed insights into the technical requirements for the wireless sensor and actuator networks required to make smart cities a reality.

Traditionally engineers devised communication services without reference to how they should be priced. In today's environment pricing is a very complex subject and in practice depends on many parameters of the actual market - including amount of traffic, architecture of the network, technology, and cost. The challenge is to provide a generic service model which accurately captures aspects such as quality and performance, and can be used to derive optimal pricing strategies. Recent technology advances, combined with the deregulation of the telecommunication market and the proliferation of the internet, have created a highly competitive environment for communication service prividers. Pricing is no longer as simple as picking an appropriate model for a particular contract. There is a real need for a book that explains the provision of new services, the relation between pricing and resource allocation in networks; and the emergence of the internet and how to price it. Pricing Communication Networks provides a framework of mathematical models for pricing these multidimensional contracts, and includes background in network services and contracts, network techonology, basic economics, and pricing strategy. It can be used by economists to fill in the gaps in their knowledge of network services and technology, and for engineers and operational researchers to gain the background in economics required to price communication services effectively. * Provides a broad overview of network services and contracts * Includes a primer on modern network technology and the economic concepts relevant to pricing and competition * Includes discussion of mathematical models of traffic flow to help describe network capability and derive pricing strategies * Includes coverage of specialist topics, such as regulation, multicasting, and auctions * Illustrated throughout by detailed real examples * Suitable for anyone with an understanding of basic calculus and probability Primarily aimed at graduate students, researchers and practitioners from electrical engineering, computer science, economics and operations research Pricing Communication Networks will also appeal to telecomms engineers working in industry.