Expertise
Prof. Zhili Sun – short CV
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/zhili-sun
Zhili Sun is Chair Professor of Communication Networking and PGR Director (PhD Programme) with, 5G&6G Innovation Centre (5GIC & 6GIC), the Institute for Communication Systems (ICS), School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey. He is member of UK High Education Academy Fellow, and member of Royal Society’s International Exchange Committee, IEEE Senior Member, EPSRC Peer Review College Member. He is also a distinguished professor with MUST. He received BSc in Mathematics, Nanjing University in 1982, and PhD in Computer Science from Lancaster University in 1991. He was a Assistant Professor in Southeast University from 1982 to 1985. He worked as a Research Fellow in Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) from 1989 to 1993. He has joined University of Surrey since 1993, and become Chair Professor since 2006.
He was principal investigator and technical co-ordinator in many European projects including the ESPRIT BISANTE project on evaluation of broadband traffic over satellite using simulation approach, VIP-TEN project on Quality of Service (QoS) of IP telephony over satellite, EU 5th and 6th Framework Programme GEOCAST project on IP Multicast over satellites, ICEBERGS project on IP based Multimedia Conference over Satellite, SatLife project on IP over DVB-S/RCS, SATSIX project on IPv6 over satellite, Euro-NGI project on next generation Internet, RINGRID project on remote instrumentation over GRID computing, EC-GIN project on EU-China Grid Internetworking, HCast project for hybrid secure multicast funded by UK Electronics and Physical Sciences Research Council, and LKH over satellite funded by European Space Agency (ESA) and industries. He was a principal investigator in the EU FP7 ICT MONET and Space MISSION projects; and also the UK-China Science Bridge project funded by UKRC, and co-investigator in the multi-layer security, and DTN projects funded by Airbus Space & Defence – formerly EADS Astrium UK.
He also facilitated the successful collaboration projects and major grants between the University and China Academy of Electronic Sciences, China Academy of Space Technology and China Academy of Telecommunication Technology. He has also served as an external examiner in the QMUL-BUPT Joint Programme on EECS and Bangor College China (BCC) on EE. He was the expert reviewer of the first JP IoT programme approved by MoE in 2016.
He has successfully supervised more than 45 PhDs and 20 postdoctoral research fellows. He has published over 240 papers in international journals and author or co-author 4 books as author or co-author. Satellite Networking – Principles and Protocols (1st & 2nd Edition) and Satellite Communications Systems (5th & 6th Edition) published by Wiley have been widely used as text book for PG/UG satellite courses. The later has also be on the List of Hot Topics for 2024. He has also been a contributor to ITU-T and ETSI in QoS and IP multicast over satellite. He has also served as TPC committee members in many international conferences including the IEEE ICC and Globecom, and been ERSRC College Member, Reviewer and panel member, and EU Technical Expert Reviewer. Served as Editorial Board Member for the journals: International Journal of Satellite Communications and networking; International Journal of Information Security and applications; Nature-Scientific Report; and China Communications.
He is the current course leader for the Satellite Communications Fundamentals and also for Advanced Satellite Communication Systems and Techniques. He is also a course leader for Industrial Short Course on Satellite Communications providing training course to industrial from all over the world. In the recent years, I have been work with industries as course leader to provide spoke courses to Inmarsat/viaSat, CGI, Saudi Government agents, etc.
He contributed to joint activities in ITU-T and ETSI on standardisation in satellite communications related to QoS and Security. Recently He also contribute to the IEEE Future Network Roadmap on Satellite.
List of main publications can be found in the full CV or from the University weblink:
Link
Organizational Affiliations
Past Affiliations
Highlights - Output
Journal article
Published 04/01/2025
IEEE network, 1 - 1
In order to improve the bearing capacity of current transportation system and the efficiency of production and living, it is imperative to construct a new type of transportation system combined with the near-ground space (NGS), among which the air-ground integrated mobility (AIM) is a typical representative in 6G era. However, in catering to the extensive AIM services with customized requirements, there is an urgent need for the support of novel network architectures endowed with the capabilities of network collaboration and endogenous intelligence. In light of this, we propose a knowledge-driven space-air-ground integrated network architecture for AIM (AIM-SAGIN), which divides into six network layers and integrates multi-tier AI controllers for achieving efficient collaboration. Moreover, this article presents the knowledge-driven logical network structure for AIM-SAGIN. Specifically, we add the knowledge plane to conventional planes, aiming at enhancing the awareness and optimization of intergrated sensing, communication, computing, and control (ISCCC) strategies for AIM control. Besides, a digital management and control platform for AIM services is constructed, which can realize the real-time mapping of digital domain and on-demand strategies for AIM-SAGIN. In addition, simulations are conducted to verify system end to end delay and service satisfaction rate of AIM-SAGIN, which demonstrates the performance gains brought by network collaboration with knowledge and AI controllers, as well as reveals the balance between transmission efficiency and computational complexity. Finally, we discuss some useful enabling technologies and open challenges for AIM-SAGIN.
Journal article
Published 01/05/2024
IEEE journal on selected areas in communications, 42, 5, 1420 - 1435
With the proliferation of massive explorations on Lunar Far-side Surface (LFS), deployments of scientific infrastructures have drawn substantial attention with the aids of relay satellites for the moon, i.e., China's "Queqiao", which allows real-time reporting for current status information from the landing equipment and space vehicles. Without suitable constellation with well-designed scheduling scheme, it would be very difficult to get timely information if depending only on single Halo relay satellite due to large coverage gap and limited energy budget for the communication links. In this paper, we design a hybrid circular-Halo orbital multi-relay constellation system for the LFS communication by minimizing the average per-device Age of Information (AoI) of users on the earth. In particular, we develop an age-optimal scheduling strategy with constellation design for accessing different relay satellite of constellation by solving a Constrained Markov Decision Process (CMDP) optimization problem to significantly reduce the average coverage gap in LFS area. Simulation results show that the average per-device AoI of the proposed scheduling algorithm with the well-designed constellation could achieve 16.20% less in time than that of single Halo satellite relay system compared with typical algorithms.
Journal article
Pima Indians diabetes mellitus classification based on machine learning (ML) algorithms
Published 01/08/2023
Neural computing & applications, 35, 22, 16157 - 16173
This paper proposes an e-diagnosis system based on machine learning (ML) algorithms to be implemented on the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) environment, particularly for diagnosing diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes). However, the ML applications tend to be mistrusted because of their inability to show the internal decision-making process, resulting in slow uptake by end-users within certain healthcare sectors. This research delineates the use of three interpretable supervised ML models: Naive Bayes classifier, random forest classifier, and J48 decision tree models to be trained and tested using the Pima Indians diabetes dataset in R programming language. The performance of each algorithm is analyzed to determine the one with the best accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity. An assessment of the decision process is also made to improve the model. It can be concluded that a Naive Bayes model works well with a more fine-tuned selection of features for binary classification, while random forest works better with more features.
Journal article
A Channel Perceiving-based Handover Management in Space-ground Integrated Information Network
Published 20/07/2023
IEEE eTransactions on network and service management, 1 - 1
Since the requirements of cross-domain/layer communications, the Space-ground Integrated Information Network (SIIN) becomes a strategic research area. To improve the service sustainability and reduce the latency of data transmission, literature works focus on evaluating the status of channels between ground stations and satellites, but underestimate the power of dynamic data allocation for handover management. This paper explores the relationship of data allocation and seamless handover in SIIN to provide high-reliability and service sustainability. We propose a Channel Perceiving-based Handover Management (CPHM) strategy to optimize the utilization of channels and dynamically adjust the data allocation strategy. Specifically, CPHM perceives the motion status of satellites to accurately evaluate their service time and reconstruct connectivities, e.g., altitude, velocity, motion direction, and location. Furthermore, CPHM evaluates the service capability of satellites to generate the strategy of data allocation and dynamically adjust this strategy. Then, to improve utilization of channels, CPHM manages transmission queues according the strategy of data allocation and length of queues. Extensive simulation results show that CPHM outperforms other baseline algorithms in terms of delivery ratio, average delivery latency, and interruption ratio.
Conference proceeding
Published 01/01/2022
2022 IEEE FUTURE NETWORKS WORLD FORUM, FNWF, 1 - 182
IEEE Future Networks World Forum (FNWF), 10/10/2022–14/10/2022, Montreal, QC, Canada
The fifth generation (5G) Wireless Communication systems development has brought out a paradigm shift using advanced technologies e.g., softwarization, virtualization, Massive MIMO, ultra-densification and introduction of new frequency bands. However, as the societal needs grow, and to satisfy UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 6G and beyond systems are envisioned. Non-Terrestrial Networks including satellite systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and High-Altitude Platforms (HAPs) provide the best solutions to connect the unconnected, unserved and underserved in remote and rural areas in particular.. Over the past few decades, Geo Synchronous Orbits (GSO) satellite systems have been deployed to support broadband services, backhauling, Disaster Recovery and Continuity of Operations (DR-COOP) and emergency services. Recently, there is a considerable renewed interest in planning and developing non-GSO satellite systems. Within the next few years several thousands of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and mega LEO constellations will be ready to provide global Internet services.. This report is the 2022 Edition of the INGR Satellite Working Group Report, subsequent to the previous two editions [1] [2]. The topics considered in this INGR Satellite WG 2022 Edition of the roadmap are the following taking 6G systems into account: applications and services, reference architectures (both backhaul and direct access), satellite IoT, mmWave use for satellite networks, machine learning and artificial intelligence, edge computing, QoS/QoE, security, network management and standardization. The work on the roadmap will continue towards the next edition of the roadmap addressing new challenges and potential solutions for future networks.
Journal article
Guest editorial: Smart communications and networking for future deep-space exploration
Published 07/2020
China communications, 17, 7, iii - vi
Since the first space probe flew to the Moon in 1959, over 200 deep-space exploration missions have already been carried out on the eight planets, various asteroids and comets in the solar system. Amount of deep-space scientific experiments promoted people to understand about the origin and evolution of the universe. With the rapid developments of equipment and spacecraft with high-accuracy detector and long-term energy, more and more ambitious deep-space exploration plans have also been scheduled or under discussion about space resources utilization and space migration, e.g., manned landing on the Mars, guard infrastructures on the Moon and human-flight to the edge of the solar system (>100 AU), etc.
Book
Satellite communications systems, 6th edition
Published 14/04/2020
About this book
The revised and updated sixth edition of Satellite Communications Systems contains information on the most recent advances related to satellite communications systems, technologies, network architectures and new requirements of services and applications. The authors – noted experts on the topic – cover the state-of-the-art satellite communication systems and technologies and examine the relevant topics concerning communication and network technologies, concepts, techniques and algorithms. New to this edition is information on internetworking with the broadband satellite systems, more intensive coverage of Ka band technologies, GEO high throughput satellite (HTS), LEO constellations and the potential to support the current new broadband Internet services as well as future developments for global information infrastructure.
The authors offer details on digital communication systems and broadband networks in order to provide high-level researchers and professional engineers an authoritative reference. In addition, the book is designed in a user-friendly format.
Book
Satellite Networking: Principles and Protocols, 2nd Edition
Published 06/03/2014
Description This book provides up to date coverage of the basics of ATM and internet protocols, and characteristics of satellite networks and internetworking between satellite and terrestrial networks Satellite Networking: Principles and Protocols, Second Edition provides up to date information of the original topics in satellite networking and protocols focusing on Internet Protocols (IP) over satellites, broadband over satellites, next generation IP (IPv6) over satellites, new generation of DVB-S/S2 and DVB-RCS next generations and new services and applications. It also includes some analytical techniques for evaluation of end to end IP performance and QoS over satellite, reflecting the recent convergence of telecommunication, Internet, broadcasting and mobile networks. Topics new to this edition: Internetworking with MANET, DVB-S/S2 and DVB-RCS/RCS2 (including TCP/IP over DVB-S/RCS), recent developments in broadband satellite systems, convergence of services and network technologies (including Internet, telecom, mobile, TV, etc.), radio resource management, PEP, I-PEP, SCPS, traffic modelling and engineering with analysis and examples, and future developments of satellite networking. • Provides up to date coverage of the basics of ATM and internet protocols, and characteristics of satellite networks and internetworking between satellite and terrestrial networks (e.g. mobile ad hoc networks), including coverage of new services and applications (e.g. Internet, telecom, mobile and TV) •Discusses the real-time protocols including RTP, RTCP and SIP for real-time applications such as VoIP and MMC, and explains TCP/IP over satellite and evolution of IPv6 over satellite and beyond