Sharing of the frequency bands between radar and communication systems has attracted substantial attention, as it can avoid under-utilization of otherwise permanently allocated spectral resources, thus improving efficiency. Further, there is increasing demand for radar and communication systems that share the hardware platform as well as the frequency band, as this not only decongests the spectrum, but also benefits both sensing and signaling operations via the full cooperation between both functionalities. Nevertheless, the success of spectrum and hardware sharing between radar and communication systems critically depends on high-quality joint radar and communication designs. In the first part of this paper, we overview the research progress in the areas of radar-communication coexistence and dual-functional radar-communication (DFRC) systems, with particular emphasis on application scenarios and technical approaches. In the second part, we propose a novel transceiver architecture and frame structure for a DFRC base station (BS) operating in the millimeter wave (mmWave) band, using the hybrid analog-digital (HAD) beamforming technique. We assume that the BS is serving a multi-antenna user equipment (UE) over a mmWave channel, and at the same time it actively detects targets. The targets also play the role of scatterers for the communication signal. In that framework, we propose a novel scheme for joint target search and communication channel estimation, which relies on omni-directional pilot signals generated by the HAD structure. Given a fully-digital communication precoder and a desired radar transmit beampattern, we propose to design the analog and digital precoders under non-convex constant-modulus (CM) and power constraints, such that the BS can formulate narrow beams towards all the targets, while pre-equalizing the impact of the communication channel. Furthermore, we design a HAD receiver that can simultaneously process signals from the UE and echo waves from the targets. By tracking the angular variation of the targets, we show that it is possible to recover the target echoes and mitigate the resulting interference to the UE signals, even when the radar and communication signals share the same signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed approaches in realizing DFRC are verified via numerical simulations. Finally, the paper concludes with an overview of the open problems in the research field of communication and radar spectrum sharing (CRSS).

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Joint Radar and Communication Design: Applications, State-of-the-Art, and the Road Ahead

Wireless mediums, such as RF, optical, or acoustical, provide finite resources for the purposes of remote sensing (such as radar) and data communications. Often, these two functions are at odds with one another and compete for these resources. Applications for wireless technology are growing rapidly, and RF convergence is already presenting itself as a requirement for both users as consumer and military system requirements evolve. The broad solution space to this complex problem encompasses cooperation or codesigning of systems with both sensing and communications functions. By jointly considering the systems during the design phase, rather than perpetuating a notion of mutual interference, both system’s performance can be improved. We provide a point of departure for future researchers that will be required to solve this problem by presenting the applications, topologies, levels of system integration, the current state of the art, and outlines of future information-centric systems.

Survey of RF Communications and Sensing Convergence Research

In this paper, we introduce a radar information metric, the estimation rate, that allows the radar user to be considered in a multiple-access channel enabling performance bounds for joint radar-communications coexistence to be derived. Traditionally, the two systems were isolated in one or multiple dimensions. We categorize new attempts at spectrum-space-time convergence as either coexistence, cooperation, or co-design. The meaning and interpretation of the estimation rate and what it means to alter it are discussed. Additionally, we introduce and elaborate on the concept of “not all bits are equal,” which states that communications rate bits and estimation rate bits do not have equal value. Finally, results for joint radar-communications information bounds and their accompanying weighted spectral efficiency measures are presented.

Radar-Communications Convergence: Coexistence, Cooperation, and Co-Design

We investigate methods of co-existence between radar and communications systems. Each system typically considers the other system a source of interference. Consequently, the traditional solution is to isolate the two systems spectrally or spatially. By considering a cooperative radar and communications signaling scheme, we derive achievable bounds on performance for a receiver that observes communications and radar return in the same frequency allocation. We assume the radar and communications operations to be a single joint system. Bounds on performance of the joint system are measured in terms of data information rate for communications and a novel radar estimation information rate for the radar.

Inner Bounds on Performance of Radar and Communications Co-Existence

We have designed, simulated, fabricated, and tested an ultra-wideband (UWB) multifunctional communication and radar system utilizing a single shared transmitting antenna aperture. Two surface acoustic wave bandpass chirp filters were used to modulate the radar and communications pulses, generating linear frequency modulation waveforms with opposite slope factors. The system operates at a center frequency of 750 MHz with 500 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. The measured range resolution is 63 cm (25 in) using targets with a radar cross section of 2.7 m2. The probability of detection was measured to be 99%, and the probability of false alarm was 7% with the communication and radar systems operating simultaneously. The bit error rate for simultaneous communication at 1 Mb/s, and radar at 150 kHz pulse repetition frequency and 1.5-ns pulsewidth is 2e - 3. Our UWB multifunctional system demonstrates the ability to simultaneously interrogate the environment and communicate through a shared transmitting antenna aperture, while realizing a simple system architecture with low output power and not employing time-division multiplexing.

Ultra-Wideband Multifunctional Communications/Radar System

Linear frequency modulated (LFM) signals and the associated pulse compression techniques are attractive in applications where highly secure and robust communication is needed. This paper investigates the novel integration of radar and communications utilizing LFM waveforms. The simulations suggest that the performance of the communications-receiver deviates at most 2 dB from the theoretical probability of bit error for /spl pi//4-differential phase shift keying. The simulated radar receiver-operating characteristics for false-alarm probabilities between 10/sup -2/ and 10/sup -4/ also compares very well with the theoretical limits for a coherent system.

M. Roberton

Papers

Integrated radar and communications based on chirped spread-spectrum techniques