Sensor aided millimeter wave communication for connected vehicles

汽车和空中车辆正在配备更多的传感器，以增强自动驾驶/飞行以及执行一般的传感任务。尽管摄像机、激光雷达和雷达的数据速率不断提高，以及更高水平的车载计算，但此类车辆无法共享如此高速率的传感器数据来增强其态势感知或改善合作。毫米波通信是高速车载通信的一种解决方案。然而，要实现毫米波的最高速率，需要在移动环境中频繁地重新配置链路。这项研究的目的是利用工作在通信频段以外的传感器获得的信息来帮助配置通信链路。重点是在移动环境中使用传感器信息来允许链路重新配置的框架的理论开发和实验验证。更广泛的影响包括教学、指导、代表不足的群体的参与、通过演示和视频进行社区推广，以及通过与行业合作伙伴的合作进行技术转让。这项研究项目探讨了使用从各种传感技术获得的辅助信息进行通信的基本原理。该项目利用阵列信号处理和机器学习的数学工具，将重点放在与波束配置有关的应用上。在理论方面，该项目开发了用于了解波束重新对准频率的数学工具、将雷达和通信路径联系起来的框架以及毫米波通信中传感器辅助波束对准的基本限制。在实践方面，本项目在一系列试验台上测试了关于传感器测量与通信链路性能之间统计相关性的关键假设。试验台支持从WiFi信号派生的低成本雷达和成本较高的汽车雷达，以及定制开发的毫米波通信链路能力。这项研究的成果包括：(I)了解通过使用来自可能非常不同的通信频段的信息可以减少多少开销，以及(Ii)可快速重新配置和健壮的毫米波通信链路。

Automotive and aerial vehicles are being equipped with more sensors to enhance automated driving/flying as well as to perform general sensing tasks. Despite increasing data rates from cameras, LIDAR, and RADAR, along with higher levels of onboard computation, such vehicles do not have the means to share such high rate sensor data to enhance their situational awareness or improve cooperation. Millimeter-wave communication is one solution for high data rate vehicular communications. Achieving the highest rates with millimeter-wave, though, requires frequent link reconfiguration in mobile environments. This research is aimed at using the information derived from sensors that operate in some band other than the communication band, to help configure the communication link. The emphasis is placed on theoretical development and experimental validation of frameworks of using sensor information to permit link reconfiguration in mobile environments. Broader impacts include teaching, mentoring, participation of underrepresented groups, community outreach through demos and videos, and technology transfer through collaborations with industry partners. This research project addresses the fundamentals of communication using side information derived from various sensing techniques. The project leverages mathematical tools from array signal processing and machine learning and will focus on the applications related to beam configuration. On the theoretical side, this project develops mathematical tools for understanding the frequency of beam realignment, a framework for relating radar and communication paths, and fundamental limits for sensor-aided beam alignment in millimeter-wave communication. On the practical side, this project tests critical hypothesis about statistical correlations between sensor measurements and communication link performance in a series of testbeds. The testbeds support low-cost radar derived from WiFi signals and higher cost automotive radars, coupled with custom developed millimeter-wave communication link capability. Outcomes of this research include (i) an understanding of how much overhead can be reduced by using information derived from potentially very different communication bands, and (ii) rapidly reconfigurable and robust millimeter-wave communication links.