Jesse Russell

Jesse Eugene Russell (born April 26, 1948) is an African American inventor. Trained as an electrical engineer at Tennessee State University and Stanford University, and working in the field of wireless communication for over 20 years, Russell has helped to shape the wireless communications industry direction through his leadership and perspectives for standards, technologies as well as new wireless service concepts.

He holds patents and continues to invent and innovate in the emerging area of next generation broadband wireless networks, technologies and services, which is frequently referred to as 4G. Russell was inducted into the United States’ National Academy of Engineering during the Clinton Administration for his innovative contribution to the field of Wireless Communication. He pioneered the field of digital cellular communication in the 1980s through the use of high power linear amplification and low bit rate voice encoding technologies and received a patent in 1992 (US patent #5,084,869) for his work in the area of digital cellular base station design. Although no one person invented the cell phone, Jesse Russell was one of the key people to the invention of the modern cell phone.

Russell is currently Chairman and CEO of incNETWORKS, Inc. a New Jersey-based Broadband Wireless Communications Company focused on 4th Generation (4G) Broadband Wireless Communications Technologies, Networks and Services.

Early life and education

Jesse Eugene Russell was born April 26, 1948, in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States of America into a large African-American family with eight brothers and two sisters. He is the son of Charles Albert Russell and Mary Louise Russell. His early childhood was spent in economically and socially deprived neighborhoods within the inner-city of Nashville. During his early years, he focused on athletics and not academics. A key turning point in Russell’s life was the opportunity to attend a summer educational program at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.p Russell participated in this educational opportunity and began his academic and intellectual pursuits. Russell continued his education at Tennessee State University Tennessee State University where he focused on electrical engineering. A Bachelor of Science Degree (BSEE) in Electrical Engineering was conferred in 1972 from Tennessee State University. As a top honor student in the School of Engineering, Russell became the first African American to be hired directly from a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by AT&T Bell Laboratories and subsequently became the first African-American in the United States to be selected as the Eta Kappa Nu Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer of the Year in 1980. Russell continued his academic pursuits and obtained his Master of Electrical Engineering (MSEE) degree from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, in 1973.

Innovations and patents

Russell’s innovations in wireless communication systems, architectures and technology related to radio access networks, end user devices and in-building wireless communication systems have fundamentally changed the wireless communication industry. Known for his patented invention of the digital cellular base station, that enabled new digital services for cellular mobile users, Russell continues to innovate in the emerging next generation broadband wireless communication technologies, products, networks, and services as well as “Mobile Cloud Computing” which are shaping the forefront of the 4G Communication Industry.

Over 100 patents granted or in process, thirty years of experience in Research and Development at prominent institutions, and pioneering technologies such as the invention of the first digital cellular base station and fiber optic microcell utilizing high power linear amplifier technology and digital modulation techniques, which allowed the beginning of the digital cellular evolution, digital cellular standards, personal communications networks as well as the emergence of “Mobile Cloud Computing” within 4G broadband wireless networks. These are only some of the inventions that have forged new directions for the wireless communication industry. Listed below are significant patents.

Professional accomplishments

Jesse is currently building the first Broadband Wireless Communications Network focused on 4th Generation Hybrid Fiber-Wireless Communications Networks and Technologies that is fully compliant with International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standards. Russell continues to innovate and invent new wireless communications technology solutions as the Chief Executive Officer of incNETWORKS which designs, sells, and manages privately owned broadband wireless communications’ equipment and networks for emerging broadband cellular applications based on Software Defined Radio and Cognitive Radio techniques. Offering broadband wireless communications solutions to small and mid-size business customers, incNETWORKS is one of the emerging technology leaders in the development of MicroLTE product platforms for 4G.

Russell joined Bell Labs as a Member of the Technical Staff. He was one of the first designers to embrace the use of microprocessor in the design of equipment for use in the telecommunication network for monitoring and tracking calling patterns within the Bell System Network. The system was referred to as the traffic data collection systems, which using a microprocessor-based portable data terminals for interfacing to electro-mechanical switching systems.

Russell's career, and knowledge in wireless technology and standards advanced, while he served in the following positions; Director of the AT&T Cellular Telecommunication Laboratory (Bell Labs), Vice President of Advanced Wireless Technology Laboratory (Bell Labs), Chief Technical Officer for the Network Wireless Systems Business Unit (Bell Labs), Chief Wireless Architect of AT&T, and Vice President of Advanced Communications Technologies for AT&T Laboratories (formerly a part of Bell Labs).

As the Director of the AT&T Cellular Telecommunication Laboratory (Bell Labs), this Bell Labs Group formally managed by Russell is credited with the invention of cellular radio technology and received the United States' Medal of Technology for the invention.

Russell continued to develop his expertise as he established and led an Innovation Center focused on Applied Research in Advanced Communication Technologies that enabling AT&T to extend its existing portfolio of services and expand into new businesses and markets. As a key decision maker in the selection and development of emerging communications technologies, Russell’s efforts lead to the rapid realization of new access network platforms that enable AT&T to expand its broadband communication network options (i.e., Specialization: Cable Access Networks, DSL Access Networks, Power-line Carrier Access Networks, Fixed Wireless Access Networks, Satellite Access Networks and Broadband Wireless Communications Networks). The applications of these access technologies were one of the keys in expanding AT&T's interest in re-building it local access services business.

Acknowledgements

• Elected as IEC Fellow for contributions in the development of Broadband Communications Access Technologies into the International Engineering Consortium (IEC), 1999.
• Inductee into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) for the development of and contributions to digital cellular communications, 1995.
• Elected to IEEE Fellow grade for technical leadership in the development of digital wireless communication concepts, technology, systems and standards, 1994.
• US Black Engineer of the Year for best Technical Contributions in Digital Cellular and Microcellular Technology, 1992, US Black Engineer Magazine.
• America's New Leadership Class Award 1985, Esquire Magazine.
• Outstanding Service Award 1983, Eta Kappa Nu.
• Outstanding Scientist Award 1982, National Society of Black Engineers.
• Eta Kappa Nu Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer of the Year, 1980.
• Scientist of the Year Award 1980, National Technical Associations Inc.

Professional memberships and affiliations

1. Board of Directors Advisor, Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
2. Board of Governors, IEEE Vehicular Technology Society
3. Chairman of the Board, Electromagnetic Energy Association (EEA, Third term)
4. Chairman, Mobile & Personal Communications Division of TIA
5. Chairman, Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) -Wireless Communication Standards Organization
6. Fellow member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc (IEEE)
7. Fellow member of the International Engineering Consortium (IEC)
8. Inducted Member of the National Academy of Engineering
9. Member of the Technological Advisory Council (TAC), U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
10. Member of Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society
11. Member of International Regulatory and Standards Committee on Third Generation Wireless Communications Systems
12. Member of the Congressional Subcommittee on Technology Member, National Academy of Engineering (NAE), Electronic Engineering Section and Computer Science & Engineering Section
13. Member of the Information & Technology Council of the American Management Association
14. Member of the National Academy of Engineering
15. Member Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
16. Member Tau Beta Pi Honor Society
17. Past Chairman, Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) Cellular Radio and Common Carrier Section (1987–1992)
18. Technical Program Chairman, 38th IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Philadelphia
19. Technical Program Chairman, 43rd IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Secaucus
20. Testified before Judge Green on Bell System Divesture

Publications

• "Universal Personal Communications: Emergence of a Paradigm Shift in the Communications Industry", International Journal of Wireless information Networks, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1994.
• "The US Evolution towards Personal Communications in the '90s" (with A. T. Kripalani), Proc. Pan European Digital Cellular Radio Conference, Rome, Italy, 1990.
• "AT&T Next Generation Digital Cellular Base Station Technology" (with R. W. Henn and R. S. Kerby), Proc. International Switching Symposium, Stockholm, Sweden, 1990.
• "Design of Mobile Satellite System Architecture as an Integral Part of the Cellular Access Digital Network" (with E. S. K. Chien and J. A. Marinho), Proc. the Mobile Satellite Conference, Pasadena, 1988.
• "Emerging Cellular Access Digital Network" (with E. S. K. Chien and D. J. Goodman), Proc. World Telecommunication Forum, Americas Telecom, '88, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1988.
• "Evolution Toward Digital Cellular Network in the U.S." (with E. S. K. Chien), Proc. 1988 Pan European Cellular Radio Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1988.
• "A Systems Approach to Indoor Wireless Communication" (with E. S. K. Chien and D. J. Goodman), Proc. GLOBECOM '87, Tokyo, Japan, 1987.
• "Cellular Access Digital Network (CADN) Wireless Access to Networks of the Future" (with E. S. K. Chien and D. J. Goodman), IEEE Communications Magazine, June 1987.
• "Network Foundation for Providing Personal Communications", Proc. Digital Mobile Workshop on Personal Communications, Melbourne, Australia, 1987.
• "Cellular ISDN: New Interface for Wireless Access" (with E. S. K. Chien), Proc. International Conference on Communication Technology, Nanjing, China, 1987.
• "Cellular Access Digital Network" (with E. S. K. Chien), Proc. International Telecommunications Symposium, Taipei, Taiwan, 1987.
• "Extension of ISDN Capability to Cellular Wireless Access" (with E. S. K. Chien and D. J. Goodman), Proc. Second Nordic Seminar on Digital Land Mobile Radio Communications, Stockholm, Sweden, 1986.

Major addresses

• Keynote Speaker, Excellence Through Education and Achievement 2008, Missouri Legislative Black Conference Foundation, St. Louis, Missouri
• "Migration to Broadband IP Based Wireless and Wired Networks-May 2006" Wireless and Optical Communications Conference (WOCC) Mr. Jesse E. Russell, VP, Advanced Communications Technologies, AT&T Labs
• SuperComm99-Chairman., SuperComm99 Plenary Session, Atlanta, GA – 1999. Where is the Network Headed? Panelist on the Convergence of Global Voice and Data Networks, Wired & Wireless Networks, and Global Wireless IP Networking.
• Keynote Address, Rural Telecommunications Association, Arizona/Mexico Telecommunications Conference – 1995. This address introduced the vision of wireless communications as a key to the revitalization of local access within the US and its use to provide connectivity from rural communities to the national information Infrastructure.
• Keynote Address, National Communications Forum – 1995. Expanded on the evolutionary trends in wireless communications and presented a visionary projection of them in reshaping the local access aspects of future telecommunications in the US.
• Keynote Address, European Commission, Spain – 1995. Discussing the emergence of breakthrough communications technologies such as digital radio processing, power-line communications, satellite communications and free space optics and projecting their impact in revitalizing the global telecommunications industry through the expansion of markets and services.