Optimality of the Bussgang Linear MMSE Channel Estimator for MIMO Systems with 1-Bit ADCs

In this paper, we study the optimality of the Bussgang linear minimum mean squared error (BLMMSE) channel estimator for multiple-input multiple-output systems with 1-bit analog-to-digital converters. We compare the BLMMSE with the optimal minimum mean squared error (MMSE) channel estimator, which is generally non-linear, and we develop a novel framework based on the orthant probability of a multivariate normal distribution to compute the MMSE channel estimate. Then, we analyze the equivalence of the MMSE and BLMMSE channel estimators under specific assumptions on the channel correlation or pilot symbols. Interestingly, the BLMMSE channel estimator turns out to be optimal in several specific cases. Our study culminates with the presentation of a necessary and sufficient condition for the BLMMSE channel estimator to be optimal.

MIMO-OFDM ISAC Waveform Design for Range-Doppler Sidelobe Suppression

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) is a key enabling technique for future wireless networks owing to its efficient hardware and spectrum utilization. In this paper, we focus on dual-functional waveform design for a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) ISAC system, which is considered to be a promising solution for practical deployment. Since the dual-functional waveform carries communication information, its random nature leads to high range-Doppler sidelobes in the ambiguity function, which in turn degrades radar sensing performance. To suppress range-Doppler sidelobes, we propose a novel symbol-level precoding (SLP) based waveform design for MIMO-OFDM ISAC systems by fully exploiting the temporal degrees of freedom (DoFs). Our goal is to minimize the range-Doppler integrated sidelobe level (ISL) while satisfying the constraints of target illumination power, multi-user communication quality of service (QoS), and constant-modulus transmission. To solve the resulting non-convex waveform design problem, we develop an efficient algorithm using the majorization-minimization (MM) and alternative direction method of multipliers (ADMM) methods. Simulation results show that the proposed waveform has significantly reduced range-Doppler sidelobes compared with signals designed only for communications and other baselines. In addition, the proposed waveform design achieves target detection and estimation performance close to that achievable by waveforms designed only for radar, which demonstrates the superiority of the proposed SLP-based ISAC approach.

Enhanced Automotive Radar Collaborative Sensing By Exploiting Constructive Interference

Automotive radar emerges as a crucial sensor for autonomous vehicle perception. As more cars are equipped radars, radar interference is an unavoidable challenge. Unlike conventional approaches such as interference mitigation and interference-avoiding technologies, this paper introduces an innovative collaborative sensing scheme with multiple automotive radars that exploits constructive interference. Through collaborative sensing, our method optimally aligns cross-path interference signals from other radars with another radar's self-echo signals, thereby significantly augmenting its target detection capabilities. This approach alleviates the need for extensive raw data sharing between collaborating radars. Instead, only an optimized weighting matrix needs to be exchanged between the radars. This approach considerably decreases the data bandwidth requirements for the wireless channel, making it a more feasible and practical solution for automotive radar collaboration. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the constructive interference approach for enhanced object detection capability.

Intelligent Reflecting Surface-Enabled Anti-Detection for Secure Sensing and Communications

The ever-increasing reliance on wireless communication and sensing has led to growing concerns over the vulnerability of sensitive information to unauthorized detection and interception. Traditional anti-detection methods are often inadequate, suffering from limited adaptability and diminished effectiveness against advanced detection technologies. To overcome these challenges, this article presents the intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) as a groundbreaking technology for enabling flexible electromagnetic manipulation, which has the potential to revolutionize anti-detection in both electromagnetic stealth/spoofing (evading radar detection) and covert communications (facilitating secure information exchange). We explore the fundamental principles of IRS and its advantages over traditional anti-detection techniques and discuss various design challenges associated with implementing IRS-based anti-detection systems. Through the examination of case studies and future research directions, we provide a comprehensive overview of the potential of IRS technology to serve as a formidable shield in the modern wireless landscape.

Integrated Sensing and Communication Under DISCO Physical-Layer Jamming Attacks

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems traditionally presuppose that sensing and communication (S&C) channels remain approximately constant during their coherence time. However, a "DISCO" reconfigurable intelligent surface (DRIS), i.e., an illegitimate RIS with random, time-varying reflection properties that acts like a "disco ball," introduces a paradigm shift that enables active channel aging more rapidly during the channel coherence time. In this letter, we investigate the impact of DISCO jamming attacks launched by a DRISbased fully-passive jammer (FPJ) on an ISAC system. Specifically, an ISAC problem formulation and a corresponding waveform optimization are presented in which the ISAC waveform design considers the trade-off between the S&C performance and is formulated as a Pareto optimization problem. Moreover, a theoretical analysis is conducted to quantify the impact of DISCO jamming attacks. Numerical results are presented to evaluate the S&C performance under DISCO jamming attacks and to validate the derived theoretical analysis.

On the Optimal MMSE Channel Estimation for One-Bit Quantized MIMO Systems

This paper focuses on the minimum mean squared error (MMSE) channel estimator for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems with one-bit quantization at the receiver side. Despite its optimality and significance in estimation theory, the MMSE channel estimator has not been fully investigated in this context due to its general non-linearity and computational complexity. Instead, the typically suboptimal Bussgang linear MMSE (BLMMSE) estimator has been widely adopted. In this work, we develop a new framework to compute the MMSE channel estimator that hinges on computation of the orthant probability of the multivariate normal distribution. Based on this framework, we determine a necessary and sufficient condition for the BLMMSE channel estimator to be optimal and equivalent to the MMSE estimator. Under the assumption of specific channel correlation or pilot symbols, we further utilize the framework to derive analytical expressions for the MMSE channel estimator that are particularly convenient for computation when certain system dimensions become large, thereby enabling a comparison between the BLMMSE and MMSE channel estimators in these cases.

Next Generation Advanced Transceiver Technologies for 6G

To accommodate new applications such as extended reality, fully autonomous vehicular networks and the metaverse, next generation wireless networks are going to be subject to much more stringent performance requirements than the fifth-generation (5G) in terms of data rates, reliability, latency, and connectivity. It is thus necessary to develop next generation advanced transceiver (NGAT) technologies for efficient signal transmission and reception. In this tutorial, we explore the evolution of NGAT from three different perspectives. Specifically, we first provide an overview of new-field NGAT technology, which shifts from conventional far-field channel models to new near-field channel models. Then, three new-form NGAT technologies and their design challenges are presented, including reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, flexible antennas, and holographic multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems. Subsequently, we discuss recent advances in semantic-aware NGAT technologies, which can utilize new metrics for advanced transceiver designs. Finally, we point out other promising transceiver technologies for future research.

Secure Outage Analysis for RIS-Aided MISO Systems with Randomly Located Eavesdroppers

In this paper, we consider the physical layer security of an RIS-assisted multiple-antenna communication system with randomly located eavesdroppers. The exact distributions of the received signal-to-noise-ratios (SNRs) at the legitimate user and the eavesdroppers located according to a Poisson point process (PPP) are derived, and a closed-form expression for the secrecy outage probability (SOP) is obtained. It is revealed that the secrecy performance is mainly affected by the number of RIS reflecting elements, and the impact of the transmit antennas and transmit power at the base station is marginal. In addition, when the locations of the randomly located eavesdroppers are unknown, deploying the RIS closer to the legitimate user rather than to the base station is shown to be more efficient. We also perform an analytical study demonstrating that the secrecy diversity order depends on the path loss exponent of the RIS-to-ground links. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted to verify the accuracy of these theoretical observations.

A New Intelligent Reflecting Surface-Aided Electromagnetic Stealth Strategy

Electromagnetic wave absorbing material (EWAM) plays an essential role in manufacturing stealth aircraft, which can achieve the electromagnetic stealth (ES) by reducing the strength of the signal reflected back to the radar system. However, the stealth performance is limited by the coating thickness, incident wave angles, and working frequencies. To tackle these limitations, we propose a new intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-aided ES system where an IRS is deployed at the target to synergize with EWAM for effectively mitigating the echo signal and thus reducing the radar detection probability. Considering the monotonic relationship between the detection probability and the received signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) at the radar, we formulate an optimization problem that minimizes the SNR under the reflection constraint of each IRS element, and a semi-closed-form solution is derived by using Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions. Simulation results validate the superiority of the proposed IRS-aided ES system compared to various benchmarks.

WMMSE-Based Rate Maximization for RIS-Assisted MU-MIMO Systems

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technology, given its ability to favorably modify wireless communication environments, will play a pivotal role in the evolution of future communication systems. This paper proposes rate maximization techniques for both single-user and multiuser MIMO systems, based on the well-known weighted minimum mean square error (WMMSE) criterion. Using a suitable weight matrix, the WMMSE algorithm tackles an equivalent weighted mean square error (WMSE) minimization problem to achieve the sum-rate maximization. By considering a more practical RIS system model that employs a tensor-based representation enforced by the electromagnetic behavior exhibited by the RIS panel, we detail both the sum-rate maximizing and WMSE minimizing strategies for RIS phase shift optimization by deriving the closed-form gradient of the WMSE and the sum-rate with respect to the RIS phase shift vector. Our simulations reveal that the proposed rate maximization technique, rooted in the WMMSE algorithm, exhibits superior performance when compared to other benchmarks.