Industry Canada

Communications Research Centre

An Agency of Industry Canada

Communications Research Centre
3701 Carling Avenue
P.O. Box 11490, Station H
Ottawa, Ontario
K2H 8S2
Tel.: 613-991-3313
Web site:  www.crc.ca/en/html/crc/home/home

Satellite Communications Research

Fields of Research

Advanced satellite communications concepts, analysis, and design, including OBP, satcom terminal development at Ka-Band for multimedia communications terminals; military satcom; modulation and coding; microwave photonics; and software define radio.

Contact

Claude Bélisle
Vice President
Satellite Communications and Radio Propagation Research
Tel.: 613-998-2605
Fax: 613-990-0316
E-mail: claude.belisle@crc.ca

Integrated Electronics Research

Fields of Research

The laboratories are concerned with the future electronics-enabling technologies required to support the departmental initiatives in communications and information technology. This includes satellite communications, military communications, and spectrum-effective communications. Included are responsibilities for carrying out research and development activities on devices, circuits, components and advanced 3-D packaging for application to high-frequency microwave/millimetre wave communications systems and high-speed data processing.

Contact

Valek Szwarc
Research Program Manager
Integrated Electronics
Tel.: 613-998-2089
Fax: 613-990-8369
E-mail: valek.szwarc@crc.ca

Optoelectronic Materials and Components Research

Fields of Research

This research activity is aimed at the development of novel, low-cost optical and optoelectronic components and devices that increase the capacity, versatility, and performance of fibre optic broadband networks. There are two main research areas:

1. Optoelectronic Circuits involves the design and fabrication of high-speed, photodetector-based optoelectronic circuits that can be used for high-speed switching and network access/monitoring, as well as for highly specialized satcom applications. Part of this activity includes the growth and characterization of novel semiconductor materials and structures that can be used to fabricate optoelectronic devices with improved performance and reliability and lower cost.
2. Photonic Component Technologies involves the design, fabrication, and testing of novel photonic devices based on dielectric and polymer materials.

Research in this group targets the development of passive photonic devices for wavelength demultiplexing, filtering, and routing, as well as more complex "value-added" components exploiting materials with novel optical properties such as photosensitivity or optical nonlinearities.

Contact

Claire Callender
Manager
Optoelectronic Materials and Components Research
Tel.: 613-998-2726
Fax: 613-990-8382
E-mail: claire.callender@crc.ca

Optical Communications and Electrophotonics Research

Fields of Research

The photonics research program is focused on photosensitivity in optical waveguides and its use in fabrication of a wide variety of passive devices. A capability to fabricate planar and channel waveguides using PECVD is also being developed. The principal application is passive components in optical communications, especially for WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing). The two principal thrusts in WDM are optical Add/Drop filters and chromatic dispersion compensation. The Add/Drop filter based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer and photo-induced Bragg gratings, which were invented at CRC, is a versatile filter used to add/drop individual channels from a WDM transmission stream.

Chromatic dispersion compensation, which also originated at CRC, uses long-fibre Bragg gratings with variable periods to compensate for chromatic dispersion in fibre at high data rates. So far, individual WDM channels are compensated separately, but now longer gratings are needed to compensate an entire WDM window at a time.

Contact

Stephen Mihailov
Research Program Manager
Optical Communications and Electrophotonics
Tel.: 613-998-2721
Fax: 613-993-7139
E-mail: stephen.mihailov@crc.ca

Radio Science Research

Fields of Research

CRC is the Canadian national centre for propagation research across the entire radio spectrum. The research program concentrates on propagation problems peculiar to Canadian latitudes, with a view to applying the results to current and future domestic communications systems. The main interest is in the limitations of the transmission medium, particularly the lower atmosphere, and the effect of such limitations on the allocation and sharing of the radio frequency spectrum. Research on the application of propagation knowledge to predictions of communications system performance includes modelling the radio propagation environments: ionosphere, troposphere, and terrain.

Contact

Dave Rogers
Research Program Manager
Radio Propagation Research
Tel.: 613-998-5174
Fax: 613-998-4077
E-mail: dave.rogers@crc.ca

Radio Communications Technologies Research

Fields of Research

Advanced terrestrial radio communications systems and technologies for fixed, mobile, and personal communications. Includes modelling of transmission channel; channel probing; techniques to mitigate adverse propagation and interference effects; signal design; adaptive equalization and antenna techniques; modulation and coding; digital signal processing; spectrum monitoring/surveillance techniques; speech compression and enhancement techniques; application of encryption techniques for communications security and privacy.

Contact

J.J. Schlesak
Manager
Radio Communications Technologies Research
Tel.: 613-998-2249
Fax: 613-990-7987
E-mail: joe.schlesak@crc.ca

Networked Media Laboratory

Fields of Research

The Networked Media Laboratory at CRC conducts research on the human and social impacts of new services for global networks, such as the Internet. Most of the research projects undertaken in the Networked Media Laboratory use human-centered design to develop new technologies that will benefit Canadian industry.

Examples of current research areas include the development of natural-language accessible information systems, Web-based distance education, and collaboration in virtual environments.

As well, the Networked Media Laboratory provides expert advice to government and industry about other topics in human-computer interface design and evaluation, as needed. To accomplish this, the Networked Media Laboratory is staffed by scientists trained in experimental psychology and computer science with a specialization in human interface design.

Contact

Sylvie Noel
Research scientist
Communications Research Centre Canada
Tel.: 613-990-4675
Fax: 613-998-9648
E-mail: sylvie.noel@crc.ca

Network Research

Fields of Research

Research on communications/computer network technologies, at both the network design and network services levels. This research is directed at large-scale civilian and military networks, including international ATM networks and the Internet. Specific topics include the design of new services, the design of user interfaces, and the evaluation of network configurations and operations.

Contact

John Robinson
Manager
Radio Science Research
Tel.: 613-990-9456
Fax: 613-998-9648
E-mail: john.robinson@crc.ca

Radio Broadcast Systems and Transmission Laboratory

Fields of Research

The laboratory conducts research and feasibility studies in new and advanced broadcast systems and services for terrestrial and satellite sound and data broadcasting to fixed, portable, and vehicular receivers.

The group carries out R&D in the following areas: new digital system concepts for better audio quality and service availability; new coverage concepts for spectrum and power efficiency; coverage prediction software for systems planning and optimization; and new sound and data broadcast services.

To carry out these research activities, the group has access to the following facilities: specialized workstations and sophisticated coverage prediction software, a digital radio broadcasting laboratory testbed, and an experimental radio broadcasting station. The testbed permits testing the performance of new equipment and interfaces under realistic conditions, including impairments such as interference and multipath.

The group also operates a minivan that is equipped for field tests of broadcast-receiving equipment and measurements of channel characteristics. Software tools have been developed for the analysis of the measured data and the generation of realistic channel models that can be used in simulation tests.

The group has been closely involved with the standardization activities and the implementation of digital radio broadcasting in Canada.

Contact

René Voyer
Tel.: 613-998-4407
Fax: 613-993-9950
E-mail: rene.voyer@crc.ca

Advanced Audio Systems Laboratory

Fields of Research

The laboratory conducts research and development especially related to the future introduction of digital radio broadcasting (DRB), sound systems accompanying advanced television (ATV), and sound coding schemes for eventual use on the information highway. The group carries out research in three main areas: digital audio source coding techniques for mono, stereo, and multi-channel sound systems; psychoacoustics and subjective assessment of sound systems; and channel coding and modulation techniques suitable for broadcasting digital audio signals to fixed, mobile, and portable receivers. To carry out these research activities, the group has unique facilities: a calibrated reference listening room that meets international standards; stereo and multichannel sound playback systems allowing totally seamless switching between audio excerpts for critical comparison; and general-purpose workstations and sophisticated computer simulation software for digital signal processing. The facilities and expertise for conducting audio research and listening tests are unique in North America.

Contact

Louis Thibault
Tel.: 613-990-4349
Fax: 613-993-9950
E-mail: louis.thibault@crc.ca

Advanced Video Systems

Fields of Research

The group conducts leading-edge research in video processing, source coding and human visual perception related to advanced television (ATV) systems, and new video and multimedia services. Research is carried out in the following main areas: digital video processing (format conversion), video compression, subjective assessment of picture quality, stereoscopic (3D) video (psychophysics and coding aspects) and High Definition Television (HDTV).

To support this research, the group has excellent facilities, including 3D capture and display, HDTV, a world-class subjective evaluation facility, extensive computer simulations facility and MPEG-2 encoding and streaming equipment.

Contact

André Vincent
Tel.: 613-998-2299
Fax: 613-990-6488
E-mail: andre.vincent@crc.ca

Television Systems and Transmission Laboratory

Fields of Research

The laboratory conducts research in coding and modulation alternatives for the transmission of wide-band analog and digital signals over off-air, cable, and satellite channels. The emphasis is on the transmission of digital advanced television signals. The laboratory is supported by excellent computer and hardware simulation facilities. Research is also carried out in the characterization of wide-band transmission channels.

Contact

Gilles Gagnon
Tel.: 613-998-5002
Fax: 613-990-6488
E-mail: gilles.gagnon@crc.ca