Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) brings the future to life in 6G

Your task

ISAC sensors must accurately sense the environment while also supporting communications in the same waveform. Along with classical applications such as communications or automotive safety, ISAC technology opens the door to new applications such as smart factories, health monitoring, smart traffic monitoring, intruder detection, privacy protection or target localization through accurate object location finding alongside the establishment of communications links.
A new waveform must be designed for ISAC. Starting with coordinated signals where a radarcentric or a communication-centric development approach is possible, the true goal is a fully unified waveform that integrates both radar sensing and communications for the best possible solution.

Communications and the automotive radar may seem quite different at first, but upon a closer look these two technologies share common elements and form a solid foundation the implementing and adopting ISAC:

• Both technologies use beamforming
• Both technologies have phased antenna arrays
• Channel estimation in communications and object parameter estimation in radar
• Symbol detection in communications and object detection in radar

Rohde & Schwarz solution

Rohde & Schwarz has reliable and repeatable test solutions that let the 6G community to grow and develop in the right direction. The R&S®AREG800A automotive radar echo generator can be combined with the R&S®FE44S external frontend for frequency conversion in the FR2 band. The measurement solution is suitable for generating artificial objects in the frequency band from 24 GHz to 44 GHz. Both R&S®FE44S are connected to the base instrument at a lower IF frequency.

Frequency response and amplitude flatness in the frontends are automatically compensated in R&S®AREG800A for optimum measurement results. If your ISAC prototype is not yet finalized, the R&S®SMW200A vector signal generator and the R&S®FSW85 signal and spectrum analyzer are a powerful combination when developing applicationspecific waveforms and signal processing algorithms. Once an ISAC FR2 DUT is ready, Rohde & Schwarz instruments can be used to perform conducted or over-the-air (OTA) tests.

Application

A fully equipped R&S®AREG800A can generate up to 32 artificial objects that are independent in range, Doppler effect and radar cross section (RCS). From the user perspective, the generated objects allow simulation of densely populated and realistic scenarios in line with the relevant requirements.

Summary

The key conclusions are as follows:

• ISAC is a pillar of 6G
• Innovative applications are shaping ISAC technology
• The award-winning all-in-one test solution from Rohde & Schwarz creates a reliable and repeatable test environment
• The setup uses external frontends to enable upconversion and downconversion directly at the DUT for better test setup performance at a lower cost