Collaborative Research: SWIFT: Nonlinear and Inseparable Radar And Data (NIRAD) Transmission Framework for Pareto Efficient Spectrum Access in Future Wireless Networks

通信和雷达是电磁波的两个主要应用，它们分别向目的地传送信息和从环境中收集信息。从历史上看，这两种技术是独立开发和运行的，因此使用不同的频段和不同的硬件。由于无线应用的爆炸性增长，面对无线频谱资源的稀缺，通信和雷达的融合使得频谱和硬件能够共享，从而大大降低了成本和资源需求。同时，由于电磁辐射量较低，对其他无线服务的干扰也将大幅减少。当通信和雷达侦听的集成节省了带宽时，可以为每个收发器提供更多的带宽，从而实现更高的数据传输速率和更精细的侦听精度，或者允许更多的无线设备能够访问频谱。这些优势对于物联网(IoT)和网络物理系统(CPSS)等应用具有相当大的价值，例如无人机(UAV)和空中接入网络(AANS)。该项目还将发挥教育作用，包括K-12外展和本科生/研究生水平的课程设计。这项研究的结果将向学术界和工业界传播。本研究设计了一种非线性不可分割的雷达和数据(NIRAD)传输方案，其中通信和雷达传感功能集成在同一波形中，使用相同的硬件。与线性叠加的通信和雷达侦听不同，Nirad方案以不可分割的方式集成了这两种功能，从而允许彼此充分利用对方的资源。当发射一个波形时，电磁波将信息带到通信接收器；反射后，波带回信息供雷达侦听，从而在同一轮传输中实现这两种功能。当通信和雷达传感的不同功能集成在同一波形和硬件中时，由于它们的目的不同，它们之间存在利益冲突。该项目揭示了通信和雷达传感之间的权衡，并在经济学框架下对其进行了描述。Nirad技术通过提高带宽、功率和硬件的效率，适用于各种实用系统，如自动驾驶中的高清晰度地图、天地通信和可重构的智能表面。建议的算法和协议将在5G试验台上使用软件模拟和现场实验进行测试。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Communications and radar are two major applications of electromagnetic waves, which convey information to a destination and glean information from the environment, respectively. Historically, the two technologies were developed and operated independently, thus using different frequency spectrum bands and different hardware. Facing a scarcity of wireless spectrum resources due to the explosive growth in wireless applications, the integration of communications and radar enables sharing of spectrum and hardware, thus substantially reducing the cost and resource demands. Meanwhile, due to the lower amount of electromagnetic emissions, interference to other wireless services will also be substantially reduced. When bandwidth is saved due to the integration of communications and radar sensing, more bandwidth can be committed to each transceiver, thus achieving higher data transmission rates and finer sensing precision, or allowing more wireless devices to be able to access the spectrum. These advantages are of considerable value for applications such as Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber physical systems (CPSs), such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and aerial access networks (AANs). The project also will fulfill an education role, including K-12 outreach, and undergraduate/graduate level course design. The findings of the proposed research will disseminated to academic and industrial communities.This study devises a nonlinear and inseparable radar and data (NIRAD) transmission scheme, in which the functions of communications and radar sensing are integrated in the same waveform and use the same hardware. In contrast to linearly superimposed communications and radar sensing, the NIRAD scheme integrates both functions in an inseparable manner, thus allow each to fully exploit the resources of the other. When a waveform is transmitted, the electromagnetic wave brings information to the communication receiver; upon reflections, the wave brings back information for radar sensing, thus achieving both functions in the same round of transmission. When the different functions of communications and radar sensing are integrated in the same waveform and hardware, they have conflicting interests, due to their different purposes. This project discloses the trade-off between communications and radar sensing and characterizes it in an economics framework. The NIRAD technique is applicable to various practical systems, such as high-definition maps in autonomous driving, space-terrestrial communications, and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, by improving the efficiencies of bandwidth, power and hardware. The proposed algorithms and protocols will be tested using software simulations and field experiments based on a 5G testbed.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.