I-SCOUT: Integrated Sensing and Communications to Uncover Moving Targets in NextG Networks

Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) represents a transformative approach within 5G and beyond, aiming to merge wireless communication and sensing functionalities into a unified network infrastructure. This integration offers enhanced spectrum efficiency, real-time situational awareness, cost and energy reductions, and improved operational performance. ISAC provides simultaneous communication and sensing capabilities, enhancing the ability to detect, track, and respond to spectrum dynamics and potential threats in complex environments. In this paper, we introduce I-SCOUT, an innovative ISAC solution designed to uncover moving targets in NextG networks. We specifically repurpose the Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) of the 5G waveform, exploiting its distinctive autocorrelation characteristics for environment sensing. The reflected signals from moving targets are processed to estimate both the range and velocity of these targets using the cross ambiguity function (CAF). We conduct an in-depth analysis of the tradeoff between sensing and communication functionalities, focusing on the allocation of PRSs for ISAC purposes. Our study reveals that the number of PRSs dedicated to ISAC has a significant impact on the system's performance, necessitating a careful balance to optimize both sensing accuracy and communication efficiency. Our results demonstrate that I-SCOUT effectively leverages ISAC to accurately determine the range and velocity of moving targets. Moreover, I-SCOUT is capable of distinguishing between multiple targets within a group, showcasing its potential for complex scenarios. These findings underscore the viability of ISAC in enhancing the capabilities of NextG networks, for both commercial and tactical applications where precision and reliability are critical.

Multiverse at the Edge: Interacting Real World and Digital Twins for Wireless Beamforming

Creating a digital world that closely mimics the real world with its many complex interactions and outcomes is possible today through advanced emulation software and ubiquitous computing power. Such a software-based emulation of an entity that exists in the real world is called a 'digital twin'. In this paper, we consider a twin of a wireless millimeter-wave band radio that is mounted on a vehicle and show how it speeds up directional beam selection in mobile environments. To achieve this, we go beyond instantiating a single twin and propose the 'Multiverse' paradigm, with several possible digital twins attempting to capture the real world at different levels of fidelity. Towards this goal, this paper describes (i) a decision strategy at the vehicle that determines which twin must be used given the computational and latency limitations, and (ii) a self-learning scheme that uses the Multiverse-guided beam outcomes to enhance DL-based decision-making in the real world over time. Our work is distinguished from prior works as follows: First, we use a publicly available RF dataset collected from an autonomous car for creating different twins. Second, we present a framework with continuous interaction between the real world and Multiverse of twins at the edge, as opposed to a one-time emulation that is completed prior to actual deployment. Results reveal that Multiverse offers up to 79.43% and 85.22% top-10 beam selection accuracy for LOS and NLOS scenarios, respectively. Moreover, we observe 52.72-85.07% improvement in beam selection time compared to 802.11ad standard.

Implementing and Evaluating Security in O-RAN: Interfaces, Intelligence, and Platforms

The Open Radio Access Network (RAN) is a networking paradigm that builds on top of cloud-based, multi-vendor, open and intelligent architectures to shape the next generation of cellular networks for 5G and beyond. While this new paradigm comes with many advantages in terms of observatibility and reconfigurability of the network, it inevitably expands the threat surface of cellular systems and can potentially expose its components to several cyber attacks, thus making securing O-RAN networks a necessity. In this paper, we explore the security aspects of O-RAN systems by focusing on the specifications and architectures proposed by the O-RAN Alliance. We address the problem of securing O-RAN systems with an holistic perspective, including considerations on the open interfaces used to interconnect the different O-RAN components, on the overall platform, and on the intelligence used to monitor and control the network. For each focus area we identify threats, discuss relevant solutions to address these issues, and demonstrate experimentally how such solutions can effectively defend O-RAN systems against selected cyber attacks. This article is the first work in approaching the security aspect of O-RAN holistically and with experimental evidence obtained on a state-of-the-art programmable O-RAN platform, thus providing unique guideline for researchers in the field.