Refracting Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Assisted URLLC for Millimeter Wave High-Speed Train Communication Coverage Enhancement

High-speed train (HST) has garnered significant attention from both academia and industry due to the rapid development of railways worldwide. Millimeter wave (mmWave) communication, known for its large bandwidth is an effective way to address performance bottlenecks in cellular network based HST wireless communication systems. However, mmWave signals suffer from significant path loss when traversing carriage, posing substantial challenges to cellular networks. To address this issue, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) have gained considerable interest for its ability to enhance cell coverage by reflecting signals toward receiver. Ensuring communication reliability, a core performance indicators of ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) in fifth-generation systems, is crucial for providing steady and reliable data transmissions along railways, particularly for delivering safety and control messages and monitoring HST signaling information. In this paper, we investigate a refracting RIS-assisted multi-user multiple-input single-output URLLC system in mmWave HST communications. We propose a sum rate maximization problem, subject to base station beamforming constraint, as well as refracting RIS discrete phase shifts and reliability constraints. To solve this optimization problem, we design a joint optimization algorithm based on alternating optimization method. This involves decoupling the original optimization problem into active beamforming design and packet error probability optimization subproblem, and discrete phase shift design subproblems. These subproblems are addressed exploiting Lagrangian dual method and the local search method, respectively. Simulation results demonstrate the fast convergence of the proposed algorithm and highlight the benefits of refracting RIS adoption for sum rate improvement in mmWave HST networks.

Optimal Joint Fronthaul Compression and Beamforming Design for Networked ISAC Systems

This study investigates a networked integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) system, where multiple base stations (BSs), connected to a central processor (CP) via capacity-limited fronthaul links, cooperatively serve communication users while simultaneously sensing a target. The primary objective is to minimize the total transmit power while meeting the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) requirements for communication and sensing under fronthaul capacity constraints, resulting in a joint fronthaul compression and beamforming design (J-FCBD) problem. We demonstrate that the optimal fronthaul compression variables can be determined in closed form alongside the beamformers, a novel finding in this field. Leveraging this insight, we show that the remaining beamforming design problem can be solved globally using the semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technique, albeit with considerable complexity. Furthermore, the tightness of its SDR reveals zero duality gap between the considered problem and its Lagrangian dual. Building on this duality result, we exploit the novel UL-DL duality within the ISAC framework to develop an efficient primal-dual (PD)-based algorithm. The algorithm alternates between solving beamforming with a fixed dual variable via fixed-point iteration and updating dual variable via bisection, ensuring global optimality and achieving high efficiency due to the computationally inexpensive iterations. Numerical results confirm the global optimality, effectiveness, and efficiency of the proposed PD-based algorithm.

Site-Specific Radio Channel Representation -- Current State and Future Applications

A site-specific radio channel representation considers the surroundings of the communication system through the environment geometry, such as buildings, vegetation, and mobile objects including their material and surface properties. In this article, we focus on communication technologies for 5G and beyond that are increasingly able to exploit the specific environment geometry for both communication and sensing. We present methods for a site-specific radio channel representation that is spatially consistent, such that mobile transmitter and receveiver cause a correlated time-varying channel impulse response. When modelled as random, this channel impulse response has non-stationary statistical properties, i.e., a time-variant Doppler spectrum, power delay profile, K-factor and spatial correlation. A site-specific radio channel representation will enable research into emerging 5G and beyond technologies such as distributed multiple-input multiple-output systems, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, multi-band communication, and joint communication and sensing. These 5G and beyond technologies will be deployed for a wide range of environments, from dense urban areas to railways, road transportation, industrial automation, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Joint Precoding for RIS-Assisted Wideband THz Cell-Free Massive MIMO Systems

Terahertz (THz) cell-free massive multiple-input-multiple-output (mMIMO) networks have been envisioned as a prospective technology for achieving higher system capacity, improved performance, and ultra-high reliability in 6G networks. However, due to severe attenuation and limited scattering in THz transmission, as well as high power consumption for increased number of access points (APs), further improvement of network capacity becomes challenging. Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) has been introduced as a low-cost solution to reduce AP deployment and assist in data transmission. However, due to the ultra-wide bandwidth and frequency-dependent characteristics of RISs, beam split effect has become an unavoidable obstacle. To compensate the severe performance degradation caused by beam split effect, we introduce additional time delay (TD) layers at both access points (APs) and RISs. Accordingly, we propose a joint precoding framework at APs and RISs to fully unleash the potential of the considered network. Specifically, we first formulate the joint precoding as a non-convex optimization problem. Then, given the location of unchanged RISs, we adjust the time delays (TDs) of APs to align the generated beams towards RISs. After that, with knowledge of the optimal TDs of APs, we decouple the optimization problem into three subproblems of optimizing the baseband beamformers, RISs and TDs of RISs, respectively. Exploiting multidimensional complex quadratic transform, we transform the subproblems into convex forms and solve them under alternate optimizing framework. Numerical results verify that the proposed method can effectively mitigate beam split effect and significantly improve the achievable rate compared with conventional cell-free mMIMO networks.

Low Complexity Channel Estimation for RIS-Assisted THz Systems with Beam Split

To support extremely high data rates, reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted terahertz (THz) communication is considered to be a promising technology for future sixth-generation networks. However, due to the typical employment of hybrid beamforming architecture in THz systems, as well as the passive nature of RIS which lacks the capability to process pilot signals, obtaining channel state information (CSI) is facing significant challenges. To accurately estimate the cascaded channel, we propose a novel low-complexity channel estimation scheme, which includes three steps. Specifically, we first estimate full CSI within a small subset of subcarriers (SCs). Then, we acquire angular information at base station and RIS based on the full CSI. Finally, we derive spatial directions and recover full-CSI for the remaining SCs. Theoretical analysis and simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can achieve superior performance in terms of normalized mean-square-error and exhibit a lower computational complexity compared with the existing algorithms.

A Cluster-Based Statistical Channel Model for Integrated Sensing and Communication Channels

The emerging 6G network envisions integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) as a promising solution to meet growing demand for native perception ability. To optimize and evaluate ISAC systems and techniques, it is crucial to have an accurate and realistic wireless channel model. However, some important features of ISAC channels have not been well characterized, for example, most existing ISAC channel models consider communication channels and sensing channels independently, whereas ignoring correlation under the consistent environment. Moreover, sensing channels have not been well modeled in the existing standard-level channel models. Therefore, in order to better model ISAC channel, a cluster-based statistical channel model is proposed in this paper, which is based on measurements conducted at 28 GHz. In the proposed model, a new framework based on 3GPP standard is proposed, which includes communication clusters and sensing clusters. Clustering and tracking algorithms are used to extract and analyze ISAC channel characteristics. Furthermore, some special sensing cluster structures such as shared sensing cluster, newborn sensing cluster, etc., are defined to model correlation and difference between communication and sensing channels. Finally, accuracy of the proposed model is validated based on measurements and simulations.

Non-stationarity Characteristics in Dynamic Vehicular ISAC Channels at 28 GHz

Integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) is a potential technology of 6G, aiming to enable end-to-end information processing ability and native perception capability for future communication systems. As an important part of the ISAC application scenarios, ISAC aided vehicle-to-everything (V2X) can improve the traffic efficiency and safety through intercommunication and synchronous perception. It is necessary to carry out measurement, characterization, and modeling for vehicular ISAC channels as the basic theoretical support for system design. In this paper, dynamic vehicular ISAC channel measurements at 28 GHz are carried out and provide data for the characterization of non-stationarity characteristics. Based on the actual measurements, this paper analyzes the time-varying PDPs, RMSDS and non-stationarity characteristics of front, lower front, left and right perception directions in a complicated V2X scenarios. The research in this paper can enrich the investigation of vehicular ISAC channels and enable the analysis and design of vehicular ISAC systems.

Channel Measurements and Modeling for Dynamic Vehicular ISAC Scenarios at 28 GHz

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is a promising technology for 6G, with the goal of providing end-to-end information processing and inherent perception capabilities for future communication systems. Within ISAC emerging application scenarios, vehicular ISAC technologies have the potential to enhance traffic efficiency and safety through integration of communication and synchronized perception abilities. To establish a foundational theoretical support for vehicular ISAC system design and standardization, it is necessary to conduct channel measurements, and modeling to obtain a deep understanding of the radio propagation. In this paper, a dynamic statistical channel model is proposed for vehicular ISAC scenarios, incorporating Sensing Multipath Components (S-MPCs) and Clutter Multipath Components (C-MPCs), which are identified by the proposed tracking algorithm. Based on actual vehicular ISAC channel measurements at 28 GHz, time-varying sensing characteristics in front, left, and right directions are investigated. To model the dynamic evolution process of channel, number of new S-MPCs, lifetimes, initial power and delay positions, dynamic variations within their lifetimes, clustering, power decay, and fading of C-MPCs are statistically characterized. Finally, the paper provides implementation of dynamic vehicular ISAC model and validates it by comparing key simulation statistics between measurements and simulations.

Characterization of Wireless Channel Semantics: A New Paradigm

Recently, deep learning enabled semantic communications have been developed to understand transmission content from semantic level, which realize effective and accurate information transfer. Aiming to the vision of sixth generation (6G) networks, wireless devices are expected to have native perception and intelligent capabilities, which associate wireless channel with surrounding environments from physical propagation dimension to semantic information dimension. Inspired by these, we aim to provide a new paradigm on wireless channel from semantic level. A channel semantic model and its characterization framework are proposed in this paper. Specifically, a channel semantic model composes of status semantics, behavior semantics and event semantics. Based on actual channel measurement at 28 GHz, as well as multi-mode data, example results of channel semantic characterization are provided and analyzed, which exhibits reasonable and interpretable semantic information.

Throughput Maximization for Intelligent Refracting Surface Assisted mmWave High-Speed Train Communications

With the increasing demands from passengers for data-intensive services, millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication is considered as an effective technique to release the transmission pressure on high speed train (HST) networks. However, mmWave signals ncounter severe losses when passing through the carriage, which decreases the quality of services on board. In this paper, we investigate an intelligent refracting surface (IRS)-assisted HST communication system. Herein, an IRS is deployed on the train window to dynamically reconfigure the propagation environment, and a hybrid time division multiple access-nonorthogonal multiple access scheme is leveraged for interference mitigation. We aim to maximize the overall throughput while taking into account the constraints imposed by base station beamforming, IRS discrete phase shifts and transmit power. To obtain a practical solution, we employ an alternating optimization method and propose a two-stage algorithm. In the first stage, the successive convex approximation method and branch and bound algorithm are leveraged for IRS phase shift design. In the second stage, the Lagrangian multiplier method is utilized for power allocation. Simulation results demonstrate the benefits of IRS adoption and power allocation for throughput improvement in mmWave HST networks.