Introducing cognitive systems in the B3G world: The E3 approach to the "invisible" network of the future

One of the most recent trends in the area of B3G communications are reconfigurable, cognitive systems. Cognitive systems encompass self-management and self-optimization capabilities: awareness of user, device and context information, policies derivation, decision making, reconfiguration and learning. Mechanisms for perception and learning of user and context information are one of the most important features of cognitive systems. Based on the knowledge and experience obtained through learning, cognitive systems can determine and configure their operation not only in a reactive manner, i.e. responding to the detection of problematic situations, but also proactively, so as to prevent issues undermining the optimal system function. This paper presents the approach of the European Union funded project End-to-End Efficiency (E
³
), aiming at integrating cognitive wireless systems in the Beyond the Third Generation (B3G) world.