Spatial Domain Multiplexing for Sensing and Communication Signals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face inefficiencies due to the separate treatment of sensing and communication functionalities, leading to resource wastage and interference between sensing and communication signals.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves spatial domain multiplexing of communication and sensing signals, where resource blocks are associated with specific signal configurations, enabling efficient reuse of communication signals for sensing and vice versa, and defining three-dimensional resource hopping patterns across time, frequency, and spatial domains to reduce interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensing and communication functionalities are treated separately, then each function can be optimized independently, but resource wastage and interference occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges sensing and communication functionalities into a unified system where the same physical resources (antennas, time-frequency slots) are shared between both functions. This is achieved through multiplexing techniques that allow simultaneous operation of sensing and communication signals without requiring separate dedicated resources, thereby eliminating resource wastage while maintaining functional optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements multi-functionality by enabling the communication system to perform both communication and sensing tasks using the same infrastructure. The base station and user equipment are configured to handle both communication signals and sensing signals, allowing a single system to serve multiple purposes and avoid the need for separate dedicated systems.
2Reliability
If separate systems are used for sensing and communication, then each system can be specialized, but hardware cost and time resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate sensing and communication systems into a single integrated system that shares common hardware components including antennas, signal processing units, and time-frequency resources. This integration reduces the total number of hardware components required, lowers system cost, and decreases the time resources needed for system deployment and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed with universal capability to perform both communication and sensing functions using the same hardware infrastructure. The base station and user equipment are equipped with unified signal processing capabilities that can handle different types of signals, eliminating the need for separate specialized hardware for each function.
3Productivity
If communication signals are reused for sensing, then resource efficiency improves, but interference between signal types increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the time-frequency resource space into distinct multiplexed slots for communication and sensing signals. By dividing the available resources into separate time-frequency blocks and using orthogonal codes, the system allows both signal types to share physical resources while preventing mutual interference, thus achieving high resource efficiency without compromising signal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces orthogonal codes and multiplexing mechanisms as intermediaries between communication and sensing signals. These intermediaries allow both signal types to coexist in the same physical medium while maintaining signal separation and minimizing interference through mathematical orthogonality and controlled multiplexing.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If spatial domain multiplexing is implemented, then interference reduction is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spatial domain multiplexing by utilizing the spatial dimension (beam directions, antenna arrays) as an additional degree of freedom for signal separation. By forming multiple spatial beams simultaneously and assigning different beams to different users or signal types, the system achieves interference reduction without requiring complex time-frequency multiplexing configurations, as spatial processing can be handled through relatively simple beamforming operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide for multiplexing sensing signals and communication signals in a spatial domain, a frequency domain and a time domain. In some instances, a sensing signal may be used for communication. Signals of three types are considered: communication-only; sensing-only; and joint sensing and communication. The types of signals may be distinguished by their waveform and/or numerology configurations. Spatial domain multiplexing may be enabled by establishing an association between a three-dimensional resource block and a signal configuration. The three-dimensional resource block may be defined using a spatial domain element, a frequency domain element and a time domain element.