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Joint Communication and Sensing for 6G -- A Cross-Layer Perspective

Henk Wymeersch, Sharief Saleh, Ahmad Nimr, Rreze Halili, Rafael Berkvens, Mohammad H. Moghaddam, José Miguel Mateos-Ramos, Athanasios Stavridis, Stefan Wänstedt, Sokratis Barmpounakis, Basuki Priyanto, Martin Beale, Jaap van de Beek, Zi Ye, Marvin Manalastas, Apostolos Kousaridas, Gerhard P. Fettweis

TL;DR

This paper surveys Hexa-X-II’s cross-layer approach to Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) for 6G, highlighting how sensing can be embedded into cellular networks and how cross-layer design matters. It derives four radio scenarios from 6G use cases and introduces new sustainability and trustworthiness KPIs, linking radio enablers, compute/storage, and AI orchestration. The authors discuss radio deployments, resource allocation, enabling technologies (RIS, D-MIMO, NTNs), and the necessary compute, data fusion, exposure, and new network functions to support JCAS. The work identifies gaps in interfaces and standardization and argues that AI-driven cross-layer optimization is essential for achieving practical, trustworthy, and sustainable JCAS in 6G.

Abstract

As 6G emerges, cellular systems are envisioned to integrate sensing with communication capabilities, leading to multi-faceted communication and sensing (JCAS). This paper presents a comprehensive cross-layer overview of the Hexa-X-II project's endeavors in JCAS, aligning 6G use cases with service requirements and pinpointing distinct scenarios that bridge communication and sensing. This work relates to these scenarios through the lens of the cross-layer physical and networking domains, covering models, deployments, resource allocation, storage challenges, computational constraints, interfaces, and innovative functions.

Joint Communication and Sensing for 6G -- A Cross-Layer Perspective

TL;DR

This paper surveys Hexa-X-II’s cross-layer approach to Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) for 6G, highlighting how sensing can be embedded into cellular networks and how cross-layer design matters. It derives four radio scenarios from 6G use cases and introduces new sustainability and trustworthiness KPIs, linking radio enablers, compute/storage, and AI orchestration. The authors discuss radio deployments, resource allocation, enabling technologies (RIS, D-MIMO, NTNs), and the necessary compute, data fusion, exposure, and new network functions to support JCAS. The work identifies gaps in interfaces and standardization and argues that AI-driven cross-layer optimization is essential for achieving practical, trustworthy, and sustainable JCAS in 6G.

Abstract

As 6G emerges, cellular systems are envisioned to integrate sensing with communication capabilities, leading to multi-faceted communication and sensing (JCAS). This paper presents a comprehensive cross-layer overview of the Hexa-X-II project's endeavors in JCAS, aligning 6G use cases with service requirements and pinpointing distinct scenarios that bridge communication and sensing. This work relates to these scenarios through the lens of the cross-layer physical and networking domains, covering models, deployments, resource allocation, storage challenges, computational constraints, interfaces, and innovative functions.
Paper Structure (17 sections, 5 figures)

This paper contains 17 sections, 5 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. From JCAS Use Cases and KPI to a Cross-Layer Perspective
  3. Exemplifying Use Case
  4. From Use Cases to Radio Scenarios
  5. New KPI in Support of the Radio Scenarios
  6. Sustainable JCAS
  7. Trustworthy JCAS
  8. The Need for a Cross-Layer Perspective
  9. 6G Radio for JCAS
  10. Deployment Alternatives and Radio Resource Allocation
  11. Enabling Technologies
  12. 6G compute and protocols for JCAS
  13. Compute and Storage
  14. Centralized and Distributed Processing
  15. Exposure and Fusion
  16. ...and 2 more sections

Figures (5)

  • Figure 1: JCAS levels of integration: from very loose to very tight integration, ranging from integration of sites, integration of spectrum, integration of infrastructure, and integration of waveforms, to integration of radio resources.
  • Figure 2: JCAS within the 6G use cases and radio scenarios, as well as KPI. Zoom in for details. The figure illustrates a framework for analyzing the radio requirements of use cases. A use case is characterized by a set of service requirement attributes, which are associated with a set of radio requirement attributes. Based on the analysis of six representative use cases, four radio scenarios emerged, each emphasizing extreme values in a particular radio requirement attribute.
  • Figure 3: A cross-layer view of JCAS, relating the radio enablers (NTN, RIS, D-MIMO) and resource allocation with compute and storage, new functions, and AI, to provide external exposure in support of the 6G radio scenarios.
  • Figure 4: JCAS deployments considered in Hexa-X-II. Each of the deployments can operate in uplink, downlink, and sidelink. Positioning can be seen as a service using bistatic sensing.
  • Figure 5: Logical nodes needed for sensing and how they connect to the architecture. The SeMF initiates the configuration of RAN for measurements on the control plane. Measurement data is forwarded from the RAN to the SPF over the data plane. Modified from wanstedt2023.