Sidelink-Aided RF Sensing for Wireless Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication systems do not effectively leverage sidelink communication links for RF sensing, which limits accuracy, coverage, and resource efficiency in detecting and tracking nearby objects or targets.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of sidelink-aided RF sensing methods, where user equipment (UEs) coordinate and collect measurement results via sidelink communication links, allowing for improved accuracy, enhanced coverage, and reduced interference by offloading data collection and analysis to UEs, thereby reducing the processing load on base stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional wireless communication systems perform RF sensing using only base station resources, then the system structure remains simple, but the sensing accuracy and coverage area are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the RF sensing function into multiple distributed sensing nodes (base stations and user equipment) that independently perform measurements and share results via sidelink communication. This segmentation enables enhanced sensing accuracy through spatial diversity while distributing system complexity across multiple nodes rather than concentrating it at the base station.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sensing capabilities of base stations and user equipment into a unified sensing network. By combining resources from both types of nodes and enabling information sharing through sidelink interfaces, the system achieves improved sensing performance without proportionally increasing overall complexity, as user equipment contributes sensing capacity that would otherwise be unused.
2Area of stationary object
If base stations perform all sensing measurements and processing, then the system architecture remains centralized and simple, but the processing load on base stations increases and coverage is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the sensing coverage by adding a new spatial dimension through sidelink communication between user equipment. Instead of relying solely on base station locations, the system utilizes user equipment positioned throughout the network coverage area as additional sensing points, effectively expanding the sensing footprint without proportionally increasing base station processing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sidelink communication as an intermediary mechanism that enables user equipment to share sensing measurements directly with base stations and other user equipment. This intermediary channel distributes the processing load across the network, allowing user equipment to contribute sensing data without requiring base stations to handle all raw measurement processing centrally.
3Productivity
If sidelink communication is not used for sensing, then the communication protocol remains simple, but the sensing resource efficiency and accuracy are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the sidelink communication interface serve multiple functions: it supports both traditional device-to-device communication and the new sensing measurement sharing function. By designing the sidelink protocol to handle sensing information alongside regular communication data, the system improves resource efficiency without requiring a completely separate complex sensing-specific communication infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables user equipment to autonomously perform sensing measurements and share results with other nodes using existing sidelink capabilities. This self-service approach allows user equipment to contribute sensing functionality without requiring extensive base station coordination or control, improving overall resource efficiency while keeping the protocol complexity manageable through autonomous node behavior.
Data Source
AI summary
Example aspects include a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for sidelink-aided radio frequency (RF) sensing at user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication network, comprising receiving a sensing establishment message associated with a sensing session. The aspects further include receiving one or more sensing measurement information obtained by the one or more sidelink UEs corresponding to the sensing session, or a first sensing outcome information corresponding to the sensing session obtained by one of the one or more sidelink UEs based on the one or more sensing measurement information. Additionally, the aspects include transmitting the one or more sensing measurement information obtained by the one or more sidelink UEs corresponding to the sensing session, or a second sensing outcome information corresponding to the sensing session.