OFDM-based photonic-assisted joint wireless communication and sensing system

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Wireless Communication
• Sensing Technology

Background:

• Radio-over-fiber (RoF) technology enables long-distance signal distribution.
• Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a robust modulation technique.
• Integrating communication and sensing offers enhanced system capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a photonic-assisted system for joint wireless communication and sensing.
• To leverage a full-duplex radio-over-fiber (RoF) fronthaul link.
• To utilize a co-shared OFDM waveform for both tasks.

Main Methods:

• Optical modulation of OFDM signals in a single sideband (SSB) pattern.
• Reuse of the optical carrier for uplink radio frequency (RF) signals.
• Employing the downlink OFDM signal for ranging via echo signal reception.

Main Results:

• Achieved a communication bit rate of 2 Gbit/s with low Error Vector Magnitude (EVM).
• Realized a ranging function with a distance resolution of 15 cm.
• Demonstrated efficient signal distribution with reduced chromatic dispersion impact.

Conclusions:

• The proposed system offers a simple, integrated, and cost-effective solution.
• It successfully performs both communication and sensing tasks simultaneously.
• Expected to find applications in future integrated communication and sensing systems.