Customising Indoor Radio Environments for Dual-functional radar-communication systems

传感被认为是构建智能建筑环境不可或缺的组成部分。与发达的无线通信相比，无线电/雷达传感在室内网络中仍处于起步阶段。随着5G及以上无线网络将在室内无处不在，在室内无线网络上实现额外的传感功能尤其具有吸引力。双功能雷达通信（DFRC）系统的最新发展为室内集成无线通信和雷达传感提供了绝佳的机会。对于室内DFRC系统，其通信和传感性能在很大程度上取决于DFRC收发器和无线电环境。尽管在设计DFRC收发器方面已经做出了重大努力，但无线电环境作为实现DFRC集成C&S潜力的另一个关键因素仍未得到探索。为了实现DFRC系统在综合C&S方面的潜力，CIRED项目将：1)定义一套指标来衡量室内无线电环境的C&S性能；2)建立数学模型，表征室内无线电环境对DFRC系统的影响；3)开发先进的算法，以优化定制C&S的室内无线电环境。这些目标的实现将显著提高室内DFRC系统的C&S性能。由于集成传感和通信（ISAC）对6G网络至关重要，因此该项目非常及时。

Sensing is envisioned as an indispensable part to construct an intelligent in-building environment. Compared to well-developed wireless communications, radio/radar sensing is still in its infancy for indoor networks. As 5G and beyond wireless networks will be ubiquitous indoors, it is particularly attractive to realise extra sensing capability that is piggybacked on indoor wireless networks.Recent developments in dual-functional radar-communication (DFRC) systems represent an excellent opportunity to integrate wireless communications and radar sensing indoors. For an indoor DFRC system, its communication and sensing (C&S) performance largely depends on the DFRC transceiver and the radio environment. Even though major efforts have been made on designing DFRC transceivers, radio environments as another key element to realise the potential of DFRC for integrated C&S remain unexplored. To realise the potential of DFRC systems for integrated C&S, the CIRED project will: 1) Define a set of metrics to measure the C&S performance of indoor radio environments; 2) Establish mathematical models to characterise the impact of indoor radio environments on DFRC systems; and 3) Develop advanced algorithms to optimally customise indoor radio environments for C&S. The achievement of these objectives will significantly enhance the C&S performance of indoor DFRC systems. The project is timely as integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is critical for 6G networks.