Multi-functional millimeter-wave radios for joint communication and sensing: signal processing algorithms and practical design

这项拟议的研究探索了无线通信、雷达传感和信号处理领域的前沿，作为一种手段，能够实现人们期待已久的灵活和多功能无线电基础设施的部署。目前部署的无线技术主要用于数据传输(即，纯通信)，并且它们的开发基本上限于无线电系统针对该特定功能进行优化的情况。展望未来，拟议的研究将探索设计一个通用无线电平台的机会，该平台通过使用相同的多天线前端来协同结合通信和传感功能。预计将成为城市基础设施和交通系统不可或缺的一部分，设想的多功能无线电技术将同时充当i)具有全数字、高精度波束形成的“智能表面”，以增强数据通信；ii)“智能皮肤”，在其中可以对散射环境中的物体进行感知和分类。 到目前为止，传感和通信系统工程主要是基于两个不同群体的研究努力而独立发展起来的，很少有交叉。我的研究愿景倡导一种颠覆性和整体性的方法，研究通信理论、天线理论和雷达理论之间的相互作用，以便为联合通信和感知(JCS)范式开发物理上一致的模型和方法。拟议研究的主要目标是统一信号处理方法，并建立管理JCS无线电系统行为的物理上更严格的模型。这些模型稍后将作为优化两种功能之间的性能权衡的主干。 最先进的大规模多天线系统的另一个主要实用限制是它们无法支持多频段传输。传统的设计方法主张为每个功能或子频段配备专用的天线系统。由于相关的硬件、成本、空间等方面的巨大投资，这种做法是建立可持续的JCS基础设施的障碍。为了克服这一问题，拟议的研究将致力于通过依赖多频段天线模型(即相互耦合的天线)来进行整体系统设计，从而开发出统一和可行的联合通信技术。 我的长期目标是制作并展示设想中的JCS平台。探索通信和感知之间的接口将在几个领域创造新的知识，从天线理论到信号处理，一直到网络优化。这促进了科学影响和产业相关性，并提供了独特的增值HQP培训机会。此外，拟议的研究结果将带来具有巨大潜力的技术，以改变无线和汽车行业。

The proposed research explores the frontiers across wireless communication, radar sensing, and signal processing, as a means to enable the long-desired deployment of an agile and multi-functional radio infrastructure. Currently deployed wireless technologies are mainly used for data transmission (i.e., pure communication) and their development is fundamentally limited to the case where the radio system is optimized for this particular functionality. Thinking forward, the proposed research will explore the opportunities for designing a universal radio platform that synergistically combines both the communication and sensing functionalities through the use of the same multi-antenna frontend. Foreseen to become an integral part of both urban infrastructures and transportation systems, the envisioned multi-functional radio technology will concurrently serve as i) a “smart surface” with fully-digital, high-precision beamforming to enhance the data communication and ii) a “smart skin” in which objects in the scattering environment can be sensed and classified. So far, sensing and communication systems engineering has mainly evolved independently based on the research efforts of two different communities with little cross-fertilization. My research vision advocates a disruptive and holistic approach which investigates the interplay between communication theory, antenna theory, and radar theory, in order to develop physically consistent models and methods for the joint communication and sensing (JCS) paradigm. The main goals of the proposed research is to unify the signal processing methodologies and to establish physically more rigorous models that govern the behavior of JCS radio systems. These models will later serve as a backbone for optimizing the performance trade-off between both functionalities. Another major practical limitation of state-of-the-art large-scale multi-antenna systems is their inability to support multi-band transmissions. The conventional design methodology advocates a dedicated antenna system for each functionality or sub-band. Due to the associated enormous investment in hardware, cost, space, etc., this practice is a barrier to a sustainable JCS infrastructure. To overcome this problem, the proposed research will tackle the development of a unifying and feasible JCS technology by relying on multi-band antenna models (i.e., mutually coupled antennas) for the overall system design. My long-term objective is to prototype and showcase the envisioned JCS platform. Exploring the interface between communication and sensing will create new knowledge across several areas starting from antenna theory to signal processing all the way up to the network optimization. This promotes scientific impact and industrial relevance and provides unique added-value HQP training opportunities. Moreover, the outcomes of the proposed research will lead to technologies that have a great potential to transform the wireless and vehicular industry.