A Low-Cost Multi-Band Waveform Security Framework in Resource-Constrained Communications

Traditional physical layer secure beamforming is achieved via precoding before signal transmission using channel state information (CSI). However, imperfect CSI will compromise the performance with imperfect beamforming and potential information leakage. In addition, multiple RF chains and antennas are needed to support the narrow beam generation, which complicates hardware implementation and is not suitable for resource-constrained Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. Moreover, with the advancement of hardware and artificial intelligence (AI), low-cost and intelligent eavesdropping to wireless communications is becoming increasingly detrimental. In this paper, we propose a multi-carrier based multi-band waveform-defined security (WDS) framework, independent from CSI and RF chains, to defend against AI eavesdropping. Ideally, the continuous variations of sub-band structures lead to an infinite number of spectral features, which can potentially prevent brute-force eavesdropping. Sub-band spectral pattern information is efficiently constructed at legitimate users via a proposed chaotic sequence generator. A novel security metric, termed signal classification accuracy (SCA), is used to evaluate the security robustness under AI eavesdropping. Communication error probability and complexity are also investigated to show the reliability and practical capability of the proposed framework. Finally, compared to traditional secure beamforming techniques, the proposed multi-band WDS framework reduces power consumption by up to six times.

Data Augmentation for Time-Series Classification: An Extensive Empirical Study and Comprehensive Survey

Data Augmentation (DA) has emerged as an indispensable strategy in Time Series Classification (TSC), primarily due to its capacity to amplify training samples, thereby bolstering model robustness, diversifying datasets, and curtailing overfitting. However, the current landscape of DA in TSC is plagued with fragmented literature reviews, nebulous methodological taxonomies, inadequate evaluative measures, and a dearth of accessible, user-oriented tools. In light of these challenges, this study embarks on an exhaustive dissection of DA methodologies within the TSC realm. Our initial approach involved an extensive literature review spanning a decade, revealing that contemporary surveys scarcely capture the breadth of advancements in DA for TSC, prompting us to meticulously analyze over 100 scholarly articles to distill more than 60 unique DA techniques. This rigorous analysis precipitated the formulation of a novel taxonomy, purpose-built for the intricacies of DA in TSC, categorizing techniques into five principal echelons: Transformation-Based, Pattern-Based, Generative, Decomposition-Based, and Automated Data Augmentation. Our taxonomy promises to serve as a robust navigational aid for scholars, offering clarity and direction in method selection. Addressing the conspicuous absence of holistic evaluations for prevalent DA techniques, we executed an all-encompassing empirical assessment, wherein upwards of 15 DA strategies were subjected to scrutiny across 8 UCR time-series datasets, employing ResNet and a multi-faceted evaluation paradigm encompassing Accuracy, Method Ranking, and Residual Analysis, yielding a benchmark accuracy of 88.94 +- 11.83%. Our investigation underscored the inconsistent efficacies of DA techniques, with...