METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR JOINT COMMUNICATION AND SENSING IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Method and apparatus are provided for joint communication and sensing with same radio resource in a mobile communication system. An apparatus can receive a common signal from a network node. The apparatus can use the common signal as a pilot signal to perform a channel estimation. The apparatus can use the common signal as a sensing signal to perform a sensing. The common signal comprises the pilot signal and the sensing signal.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed embodiments relate generally to wireless communication, and, more particularly, to method and apparatus for joint communication and sensing with same radio resource in a mobile communication system.

BACKGROUND

In conventional wireless communication systems such as 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) 5G new radio (NR), the time-frequency resources of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system are used to carry communication signals between the user equipment (UE) and the network node. Currently, no sensing signals are carried in the time-frequency resources of OFDM system.

With the development of a new communication system (e.g., 6G), more applications will be introduced to enhance the utilities of the communication network. For example, more sensing technologies will be applied within the communication system. The UE and the network node may be designed to support a variety of sensing applications such as weather condition sensing, air quality sensing, velocity sensing, position sensing, etc. Therefore, more and more sensing signals need to be communicated between the devices within a communication system.

However, the current OFDM system are not designed for carrying sensing signals or support sensing technologies. The spectrum/radio resources allocation for both communication and sensing will become an important issue in a newly developed communication system. Thus, there is a need to provide proper schemes to accommodate both communication signals and sensing signal with high spectrum efficiency in a communication system.

SUMMARY

Method and apparatus are provided for joint communication and sensing with same radio resource in a mobile communication system. In one aspect, an apparatus can receive a common signal from a network node. The apparatus can use the common signal as a pilot signal to perform a channel estimation. The apparatus can use the common signal as a sensing signal to perform a sensing. The common signal comprises the pilot signal and the sensing signal.

In another aspect, a network node can transmit a common signal to an apparatus. The network node can receive a communication signal from the apparatus in response to the common signal. The network node can receive a sensing feedback from the apparatus in response to the common signal. The common signal comprises a pilot signal for the communication signal and a sensing signal for the sensing feedback.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1illustrates an exemplary wireless communication network100(e.g., 6G network) supporting joint communication and sensing with same radio resource in accordance with embodiments of the current invention. The 6G network100includes a user equipment (UE)110communicatively connected to a base station (BS)121operating in a licensed band (e.g., 30 GHz~300 GHz) of an access network120which provides radio access using a Radio Access Technology (RAT). The access network120is connected to a core network130by means of the NG interface, more specifically to a User Plane Function (UPF) by means of the NG user-plane part (NG-u), and to a Mobility Management Function (AMF) by means of the NG control-plane part (NG-c). One base station can be connected to multiple UPFs/AMFs for the purpose of load sharing and redundancy. The UE110may be a smart phone, a wearable device, a vehicle, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, and a tablet, etc. Alternatively, UE110may be a Notebook (NB) or Personal Computer (PC) inserted or installed with a data card which includes a modem and RF transceiver(s) to provide the functionality of wireless communication.

The BS121may provide communication coverage for a geographic coverage area in which communications with the UE110is supported via a communication link101. The communication link101shown in the 6G network100may include UL transmissions from the UE110to the BS121(e.g., on the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH)) or downlink (DL) transmissions from the BS121to the UE110(e.g., on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) or Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)).

FIG.2is a simplified block diagram of the BS121and the UE110in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. For the BS121, an antenna197transmits and receives radio signal. A radio frequency (RF) transceiver module196, coupled with the antenna, receives RF signals from the antenna, converts them to baseband signals and sends them to processor193. RF transceiver196also converts received baseband signals from the processor193, converts them to RF signals, and sends out to antenna197. Processor193processes the received baseband signals and invokes different functional modules and circuits to perform features in the BS121. Memory192stores program instructions and data190to control the operations of the BS121.

Similarly, for the UE110, antenna177transmits and receives RF signals. RF transceiver module176, coupled with the antenna, receives RF signals from the antenna, converts them to baseband signals and sends them to processor173. The RF transceiver176also converts received baseband signals from the processor173, converts them to RF signals, and sends out to antenna177. Processor173processes the received baseband signals and invokes different functional modules and circuits to perform features in the UE110. Memory172stores program instructions and data170to control the operations of the UE110.

The BS121and the UE110also include several functional modules and circuits that can be implemented and configured to perform embodiments of the present invention. In the example ofFIG.2, the BS121includes a set of control functional modules and circuit180. Communication and sensing circuit182handles joint communication and sensing. Configuration and control circuit181provides different parameters to configure and control the UE110. The UE110includes a set of control functional modules and circuit160. Communication and sensing circuit162handles joint communication and sensing. Configuration and control circuit161handles configuration and control parameters from the BS121.

Note that the different functional modules and circuits can be implemented and configured by software, firmware, hardware, and any combination thereof. The function modules and circuits, when executed by the processors193and173(e.g., via executing program codes190and170), allow the BS121and the UE110to perform embodiments of the present invention.

FIG.3illustrates exemplary time-frequency resources of an OFDM system in accordance with one novel aspect. The horizontal axes represent the time domain. The vertical axes represent the frequency domain. Over the time domain, the resource is partitioned into multiple OFDM symbols. Over the frequency domain, the resource is partitioned into multiple subcarriers. Each rectangle composed of one OFDM symbol and one subcarrier is called a resource element of the OFDM system. The resource elements301marked with diagonal lines are used for the transmission of a signal which serves the purpose of pilot signal for communication as well as sensing signal fore sensing. Other resource elements (e.g., without diagonal lines) can be used for transmission and reception of symbols for communication (e.g., downlink data or uplink data) .

In the wireless communication system in accordance with one novel aspect, the functionalities of communication and sensing can utilize the same time-frequency resources (e.g., the same resource elements) to perform their works individually and simultaneously. In other words, the same resource elements can be used to carry a common signal for both communication and sensing. In particular, a common signal such as a chirp signal given as s(t) ∝ ejπµ1t2can be used as the pilot signal for communication as well as the sensing signal for sensing. The chirp signal may comprise an equation (e.g., a polynomial of cosine) which is a function of square of time. In one embodiment, the resource elements301are used/allocated to carry the chirp signal. The same chirp signal may comprise two functionalities. The same chirp signal can be used as the pilot signal and the sensing signal for an apparatus in the wireless communication system.

Specifically, at the receiver side, an apparatus (e.g., a UE or a device) may be configured to receive the common signal from a network node. The apparatus may use the common signal as a pilot signal to perform a channel estimation. The pilot signal may comprise a reference signal or a broadcasted signal for channel estimation. The apparatus may use the common signal as a sensing signal to perform a sensing. The sensing signal may comprise any signals for sensing purpose. The common signal may comprise or have the functionalities of the pilot signal and the sensing signal. The pilot signal and the sensing signal may be the same signal.

For the functionality of communication, the common signal can be used by the receiver for estimating the channel state information (CSI), tracking the time and/or frequency of the received signal, estimating the channel for signal demodulation, etc. For the functionality of sensing, the common signal can be used by the receiver for estimating the location and/or velocities of an object (e.g., a surrounding object), monitoring the weather condition, monitoring the air quality, monitoring the temperature etc. The common signal may also be used for optical detection or sonic detection.

On the other hand, at the transmitter side, a network node may be configured to transmit the common signal to an apparatus (e.g., a UE or a device). The network node may use the common signal as a pilot signal for channel estimation. The pilot signal may comprise a reference signal or a broadcasted signal for channel estimation. The network node may further receive a communication signal from the apparatus in response to the common signal. The network node may use the common signal as a sensing signal for sensing. The sensing signal may comprise any signals for sensing purpose. The network node may further receive a sensing feedback from the apparatus in response to the common signal.

The common signal may comprise or have the functionalities of the pilot signal and the sensing signal. The pilot signal and the sensing signal may be the same signal. Using the common signal as the pilot signal and the sensing signal simultaneously is a new design in accordance with one novel aspect of the present disclosure. The pilot signal can be used for at least one of CSI estimation, time or frequency tracking and channel estimation for signal demodulation. The sensing signal can be used for at least one of location or velocity estimation of an object, weather condition monitoring and air quality monitoring. The network node may transmit the common signal on a time-frequency resource of an OFDM system. The common signal may comprise a chirp signal which is a function of square of time. Since the same time-frequency resource can be used for multiple functionalities (e.g., communication and sensing), the spectrum efficiency will be increased/improved. More applications may be developed with limited radio resources.

FIG.4illustrates exemplary scenarios under schemes in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. In scenario401, the receiver of communication signal is device B. The receiver of sensing signal is device A. Specifically, device A (e.g., a base station or a network node) may be configured to transmit the chirp signal for both communication and sensing. The chirp signal is received by device B (e.g., a UE) for communication. Device B may use the chirp signal to perform channel estimation or measurement. Device B may further transmit a CSI report or a measurement report to device A. On the other hand, the chirp signal is received by a vehicle for sensing. When the chirp signal reaches the vehicle, there will be a sensing feedback signal reflected by the vehicle. Then, device A may receive the sensing feedback signal for sensing. For example, device A may detect/calculate the velocity or position of the vehicle according to the sensing feedback signal. Accordingly, device A may use the same chirp signal to communication with device B and sensing the vehicle simultaneous by using the same resource elements.

In scenario402, the receivers of communication signal and sensing signal are both device B. Specifically, device A (e.g., a base station or a network node) may be configured to transmit the chirp signal for both communication and sensing. The chirp signal is received by device B (e.g., a UE) for communication and sensing. Device B may use the chirp signal to perform channel estimation or measurement. Device B may further transmit a CSI report or a measurement report to device A. On the other hand, the chirp signal is also received by device B for sensing. Device B may use the chirp signal to detect the weather condition, the air quality, the temperature, etc. Device B may further transmit a sensing result to device A or use the sensing result by itself. Similarly, when the chirp signal reaches device B, there will be a sensing feedback signal reflected by device B. Then, device A may receive the sensing feedback signal for sensing. For example, device A may detect/calculate the velocity or position of device B according to the sensing feedback signal.

In scenario403, the receiver of communication signal is device B. The receiver of sensing signal is device C. Specifically, device A (e.g., a base station or a network node) may be configured to transmit the chirp signal for both communication and sensing. The chirp signal is received by device B (e.g., a UE) for communication. Device B may use the chirp signal to perform channel estimation or measurement. Device B may further transmit a CSI report or a measurement report to device A. On the other hand, the chirp signal is received by device C (e.g., a UE) for sensing. Device C may use the chirp signal to detect the weather condition, the air quality, the temperature, etc. Device C may further transmit a sensing result to device A or use the sensing result by itself. Similarly, when the chirp signal reaches device C, there will be a sensing feedback signal reflected by device C. Then, device A may receive the sensing feedback signal for sensing. For example, device A may detect/calculate the velocity or position of device C according to the sensing feedback signal.

FIG.5is a flow chart of a method of joint communication and sensing with same radio resource in accordance with one novel aspect. In step501, an apparatus (e.g., a receiver) receives a common signal from a network node. The common signal comprises a pilot signal and a sensing signal. In step502, the apparatus uses the common signal as the pilot signal to perform a channel estimation. In step503, the apparatus uses the common signal as the sensing signal to perform a sensing.

In one implementation, the channel estimation comprises at least one of CSI estimation, time or frequency tracking and channel estimation for signal demodulation.

In one implementation, the sensing comprises at least one of location or velocity estimation of an object, weather condition monitoring and air quality monitoring.

In one implementation, the common signal is carried on a time-frequency resource of an OFDM system. In one implementation, the common signal comprises a chirp signal which is a function of square of time.

FIG.6is a flow chart of a method of joint communication and sensing with same radio resource in accordance with one novel aspect. In step601, a network node (e.g., a transmitter) transmits a common signal to an apparatus. In step602, the network node receives a communication signal from the apparatus in response to the common signal. In step603, the network node receives sensing feedback from the apparatus in response to the common signal. The common signal comprises a pilot signal for the communication signal and a sensing signal for the sensing feedback.

In one implementation, the pilot signal can be used for at least one of CSI estimation, time or frequency tracking and channel estimation for signal demodulation.

In one implementation, the sensing signal can be used for at least one of location or velocity estimation of an object, weather condition monitoring and air quality monitoring.

In one implementation, the network node transmits the common signal on a time-frequency resource of an OFDM system. In one implementation, the common signal comprises a chirp signal which is a function of square of time.