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

拟议的研究探索了无线通信，雷达传感和信号处理的前沿，作为实现敏捷和多功能无线电基础设施长期部署的一种手段。当前部署的无线技术主要用于数据传输（即，纯通信），并且它们的发展基本上限于无线电系统针对该特定功能而被优化的情况。展望未来，拟议的研究将探索设计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的一个组成部分，设想的多功能无线电技术将同时用作i）具有全数字，高精度波束形成的“智能表面”，以增强数据通信和ii）“智能皮肤”，其中散射环境中的物体可以被感知和分类。 到目前为止，传感和通信系统工程主要是基于两个不同社区的研究努力独立发展的，很少有交叉施肥。我的研究愿景倡导一种破坏性和整体性的方法，研究通信理论，天线理论和雷达理论之间的相互作用，以开发物理上一致的模型和方法，用于联合通信和传感（JCS）范式。拟议的研究的主要目标是统一的信号处理方法，并建立物理上更严格的模型，管理JCS无线电系统的行为。这些模型稍后将作为优化两种功能之间性能权衡的基础。 现有技术的大规模多天线系统的另一个主要的实际限制是它们不能支持多频带传输。传统的设计方法主张为每个功能或子带提供专用天线系统。由于在硬件、成本、空间等方面的相关巨大投资，这种做法是可持续的JCS基础设施的障碍。为了克服这个问题，所提出的研究将通过依赖于多频带天线模型（即，相互耦合的天线）用于整个系统设计。 我的长期目标是原型化和展示预想的JCS平台。探索通信和传感之间的接口将在多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。这促进了科学影响力和行业相关性，并提供了独特的增值HQP培训机会。 此外，拟议研究的成果将导致具有巨大潜力的技术改变无线和车载行业。

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.