Integrated Sensing and Communications Framework for 6G Networks

In this paper, we propose a novel integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) framework for the sixth generation (6G) mobile networks, in which we decompose the real physical world into static environment, dynamic targets, and various object materials. The ubiquitous static environment occupies the vast majority of the physical world, for which we designstatic environment reconstruction (SER)scheme to obtain the layout and point cloud information of static buildings. The dynamic targets floating in static environments create the spatiotemporal transition of the physical world, for which we design comprehensivedynamic target sensing (DTS)scheme to detect, estimate, track, image and recognize the dynamic targets in real-time. The object materials enrich the electromagnetic laws of the physical world, for which we developelectromagnetic property sensing (EMPS)scheme to estimate the electromagnetic coefficient of objects. Besides, to integrate these sensing functions into existing communications systems, we discuss the interference issues and corresponding solutions for ISAC cellular networks. Furthermore, we develop an ISAC hardware prototype platform that can reconstruct the environmental maps and sense the dynamic targets. With all these designs, the proposed ISAC framework can support multifarious emerging applications, such as digital twins, low-altitude economy, internet of vehicles, marine management, deformation monitoring, etc.