Rate-Splitting Sparse Code Multiple Access

This paper presents a novel rate-splitting sparse code multiple access (RS-SCMA) framework, where common messages are transmitted using quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) modulation, while private messages are sent using SCMA encoding. A key feature of RS-SCMA is its ability to achieve a tunable overloading factor by adjusting the splitting factor. This flexibility enables an optimal trade-off, ensuring the system maintains superior performance across varying levels of overloading factor. We present a detailed transceiver design and analyze the influence of rate-splitting on the overloading factor. Extensive simulation results, both with and without low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, highlight RS-SCMA's potential as a strong candidate for next-generation multiple access technologies.

Generalized Spatial Modulation Aided Affine Frequency Division Multiplexing

Generalized spatial modulation-aided affine frequency division multiplexing (GSM-AFDM) is conceived for reliable multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications over doubly selective channels. We commence by proposing several low-complexity detectors for large-scale GSM-AFDM systems. Specifically, we introduce the linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) equalizer-based maximum likelihood detector (LMMSE-MLD). By exploiting the GSM properties, we then derive the LMMSE-based transmit-antenna activation pattern (TAP) check-based log-likelihood ratio detector (LMMSE-TC-LLRD). In addition, we propose a pair of new detectors, namely the greedy residual check detector (GRCD) and the reduced space check detector (RSCD). We also derive a bit error rate (BER) upper-bound by considering the MLD. Our simulation results demonstrate that 1) the BER upper bound derived is tight for moderate to high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), 2) the proposed GSM-AFDM achieves lower BER than its conventional counterparts, and 3) the conceived detectors strike a compelling trade-off between the BER and complexity.

The KnowWhereGraph Ontology

KnowWhereGraph is one of the largest fully publicly available geospatial knowledge graphs. It includes data from 30 layers on natural hazards (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires), climate variables (e.g., air temperature, precipitation), soil properties, crop and land-cover types, demographics, and human health, various place and region identifiers, among other themes. These have been leveraged through the graph by a variety of applications to address challenges in food security and agricultural supply chains; sustainability related to soil conservation practices and farm labor; and delivery of emergency humanitarian aid following a disaster. In this paper, we introduce the ontology that acts as the schema for KnowWhereGraph. This broad overview provides insight into the requirements and design specifications for the graph and its schema, including the development methodology (modular ontology modeling) and the resources utilized to implement, materialize, and deploy KnowWhereGraph with its end-user interfaces and public query SPARQL endpoint.

Grid Evolution for Doubly Fractional Channel Estimation in OTFS Systems

In orthogonal time-frequency space communications, the performances of existing on-grid and off-grid channel estimation (CE) schemes are determined by the delay-Doppler (DD) grid density. In practice, multiple real-life DD channel responses might be co-located within a same DD grid interval, leading to performance degradation. A finer grid interval is needed to distinguish these responses, but this could result in a significantly higher CE complexity when traditional methods are used.To address this issue, a grid evolution method for doubly fractional CE is proposed by evolving the initially uniform coarse DD grid into a non-uniform dense grid. Simulation results show that our proposed method leads to improved computational efficiency, and achieves a good trade-off between CE performance and complexity.

Oversampled Low Ambiguity Zone Sequences for Channel Estimation over Doubly Selective Channels

Pilot sequence design over doubly selective channels (DSC) is challenging due to the variations in both the time- and frequency-domains. Against this background, the contribution of this paper is twofold: Firstly, we investigate the optimal sequence design criteria for efficient channel estimation in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems under DSC. Secondly, to design pilot sequences that can satisfy the derived criteria, we propose a new metric called oversampled ambiguity function (O-AF), which considers both fractional and integer Doppler frequency shifts. Optimizing the sidelobes of O-AF through a modified iterative twisted approximation (ITROX) algorithm, we develop a new class of pilot sequences called ``oversampled low ambiguity zone (O-LAZ) sequences". Through numerical experiments, we evaluate the efficiency of the proposed O-LAZ sequences over the traditional low ambiguity zone (LAZ) sequences, Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequences and m-sequences, by comparing their channel estimation performances over DSC.

Iterative Equalization of CPM With Unitary Approximate Message Passing

Continuous phase modulation (CPM) has extensive applications in wireless communications due to its high spectral and power efficiency. However, its nonlinear characteristics pose significant challenges for detection in frequency selective fading channels. This paper proposes an iterative receiver tailored for the detection of CPM signals over frequency selective fading channels. This design leverages the factor graph framework to integrate equalization, demodulation, and decoding functions. The equalizer employs the unitary approximate message passing (UAMP) algorithm, while the unitary transformation is implemented using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) with the aid of a cyclic prefix (CP), thereby achieving low computational complexity while with high performance. For CPM demodulation and channel decoding, with belief propagation (BP), we design a message passing-based maximum a posteriori (MAP) algorithm, and the message exchange between the demodulator, decoder and equalizer is elaborated. With proper message passing schedules, the receiver can achieve fast convergence. Simulation results show that compared with existing turbo receivers, the proposed receiver delivers significant performance enhancement with low computational complexity.

New Lower Bounds on Aperiodic Ambiguity Function of Unimodular Sequences

This paper presents new aperiodic ambiguity function (AF) lower bounds of unimodular sequences under certain low ambiguity zone. Our key idea, motivated by the Levenshtein correlation bound, is to introduce two weight vectors associated to the delay and Doppler shifts, respectively, and then exploit the upper and lower bounds on the Frobenius norm of the weighted auto- and cross-AF matrices to derive these bounds. Furthermore, the inherent structure properties of aperiodic AF are also utilized in our derivation. The derived bounds are useful design guidelines for optimal AF shaping in modern communication and radar systems.

AFDM-SCMA: A Promising Waveform for Massive Connectivity over High Mobility Channels

This paper studies the affine frequency division multiplexing (AFDM)-empowered sparse code multiple access (SCMA) system, referred to as AFDM-SCMA, for supporting massive connectivity in high-mobility environments. First, by placing the sparse codewords on the AFDM chirp subcarriers, the input-output (I/O) relation of AFDM-SCMA systems is presented. Next, we delve into the generalized receiver design, chirp rate selection, and error rate performance of the proposed AFDM-SCMA. The proposed AFDM-SCMA is shown to provide a general framework and subsume the existing OFDM-SCMA as a special case. Third, for efficient transceiver design, we further propose a class of sparse codebooks for simplifying the I/O relation, referred to as I/O relation-inspired codebook design in this paper. Building upon these codebooks, we propose a novel iterative detection and decoding scheme with linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) estimator for both downlink and uplink channels based on orthogonal approximate message passing principles. Our numerical results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed AFDM-SCMA systems over OFDM-SCMA systems in terms of the error rate performance. We show that the proposed receiver can significantly enhance the error rate performance while reducing the detection complexity.

BER Analysis of SCMA-OFDM Systems in the Presence of Carrier Frequency Offset

Sparse code multiple access (SCMA) building upon orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a promising wireless technology for supporting massive connectivity in future machine-type communication networks. However, the sensitivity of OFDM to carrier frequency offset (CFO) poses a major challenge because it leads to orthogonality loss and incurs intercarrier interference (ICI). In this paper, we investigate the bit error rate (BER) performance of SCMA-OFDM systems in the presence of CFO over both Gaussian and multipath Rayleigh fading channels. We first model the ICI in SCMA-OFDM as Gaussian variables conditioned on a single channel realization for fading channels. The BER is then evaluated by averaging over all codeword pairs considering the fading statistics. Through simulations, we validate the accuracy of our BER analysis and reveal that there is a significant BER degradation for SCMA-OFDM systems when the normalized CFO exceeds 0.02.

Here Is Not There: Measuring Entailment-Based Trajectory Similarity for Location-Privacy Protection and Beyond

While the paths humans take play out in social as well as physical space, measures to describe and compare their trajectories are carried out in abstract, typically Euclidean, space. When these measures are applied to trajectories of actual individuals in an application area, alterations that are inconsequential in abstract space may suddenly become problematic once overlaid with geographic reality. In this work, we present a different view on trajectory similarity by introducing a measure that utilizes logical entailment. This is an inferential perspective that considers facts as triple statements deduced from the social and environmental context in which the travel takes place, and their practical implications. We suggest a formalization of entailment-based trajectory similarity, measured as the overlapping proportion of facts, which are spatial relation statements in our case study. With the proposed measure, we evaluate LSTM-TrajGAN, a privacy-preserving trajectory-generation model. The entailment-based model evaluation reveals potential consequences of disregarding the rich structure of geographic space (e.g., miscalculated insurance risk due to regional shifts in our toy example). Our work highlights the advantage of applying logical entailment to trajectory-similarity reasoning for location-privacy protection and beyond.