arXiv subjects

Gerd Sommerkorn

Publications and source records attributed to Gerd Sommerkorn.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Multi-Sensor Integrated Sensing and Communication for Critical Infrastructure Protection

Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) will become a service in future mobile communication networks. It enables the detection and recognition of passive objects and environments using radar-like sensing. One promising first application is the protection of critical infrastructure (CI), for example by monitoring the lower airspace above sensitive sites or facilities to prevent unauthorized drone overflights. Our proposal is based on the concept of a distributed multi-sensor (MS)-ISAC. We assume deploying three or more additional passive sniffing sensors near the protected site (PS) of a CI. The sniffers are connected via Downlink (DL) / Uplink (UL) to the distant illumination base station (BS). Multistatic range-Doppler estimation, including synchronization, is performed according to the Cooperative Passive Coherent Location (CPCL) principle. The multistatic architecture has several advantages over the often considered quasi-monostatic architecture where one sniffer is located close to the base station. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and compare their performance for the considered use case in terms of coverage and geometric dilution of precision (GDoP)

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arXiv2026

BIRA: A Spherical Bistatic Radar Reflectivity Measurement System

The upcoming 6G mobile communication standard will offer a revolutionary new feature: Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) reuses mobile communication signals to realize multi-static radar for various applications including localization. Consequently, applied ISAC propagation research necessitates to evolve from classical monostatic radar cross section (RCS) measurement of static targets on to bistatic radar reflectivity characterization of dynamic objects. Here, we introduce our Bistatic Radar (BIRA) measurement facility for independent spherical positioning of two probes with sub-millimeter accuracy on a diameter of up to 7 m and with almost continuous frequency coverage from 0.7 up to 260 GHz. Currently, BIRA is the only bistatic measurement facility capable of unrestricted ISAC research: In addition to vector network analysis, it employs advanced wideband transceiver technology with an instantaneous bandwidth of up to 4 GHz. These transceivers grant BIRA the unique capability to characterize dynamic targets in both Doppler and range, while also significantly accelerating measurements on static objects. Additionally, the installation is capable of spherical near-field antenna measurements over these wide frequency ranges.

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arXiv2025

Distributed Multisensor ISAC

Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) will become a service in future mobile communication networks. It enables the detection and recognition of passive objects and environments using radar-like sensing. The ultimate advantage is the reuse of the mobile network and radio access resources for scene illumination, sensing, data transportation, computation, and fusion. It enables building a distributed, ubiquitous sensing network that can be adapted for a variety of radio sensing tasks and services. In this article, we develop the principles of multi-sensor ISAC (MS-ISAC). MS-ISAC corresponds to multi-user MIMO communication, which in radar terminology is known as distributed MIMO radar. \ First, we develop basic architectural principles for MS-ISAC and link them to example use cases. We then propose a generic MS-ISAC architecture. After a brief reference to multipath propagation and multistatic target reflectivity issues, we outline multilink access, coordination, precoding and link adaptation schemes for MS-ISAC. Moreover, we review model-based estimation and tracking of delay~/~Doppler from sparse OFDMA~/~TDMA frames. We emphasize Cooperative Passive Coherent Location (CPCL) for bistatic correlation and synchronization. Finally, issues of multisensor node synchronization and distributed data fusion are addressed.

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arXiv2023

Characterization of Multi-Link Propagation and Bistatic Target Reflectivity for Distributed Multi-Sensor ISAC

Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) qualifies mobile radio systems for detecting and localizing of passive objects by means of radar sensing. Advanced ISAC networks rely on meshed mobile radio access nodes (infrastructure and/or user equipment, resp.) establishing a distributed, multistatic MIMO radar system in which each target reveals itself by its bistatic backscattering. Therefore, characterization of the bistatic reflectivity of targets along their trajectories of movement is of highest importance for ISAC performance prediction. We summarize several challenges in bistatic modeling and measurement of extended, potentially time-variant radar targets. We emphasize the specific challenges arising for distributed (hence multi-link) ISAC networks and compare to the state of the art in propagation modeling for mobile communication.

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arXiv2017

3D MIMO Outdoor-to-Indoor Propagation Channel Measurement

3-dimensional Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (3D MIMO) systems have received great interest recently because of the spatial diversity advantage and capability for full-dimensional beamforming, making them promising candidates for practical realization of massive MIMO. In this paper, we present a low-cost test equipment (channel sounder) and post-processing algorithms suitable for investigating 3D MIMO channels, as well as the results from a measurement campaign for obtaining elevation and azimuth characteristics in an outdoor-to-indoor (O2I) environment. Due to limitations in available antenna switches, our channel sounder consists of a hybrid switched/virtual cylindrical array with effectively 480 antenna elements at the base station (BS). The virtual setup increased the overall MIMO measurement duration, thereby introducing phase drift errors in the measurements. Using a reference antenna measurements, we estimate and correct for the phase errors during post-processing. We provide the elevation and azimuth angular spreads, for the measurements done in an urban macro-cellular (UMa) and urban micro-cellular (UMi) environments, and study their dependence on the UE height. Based on the measurements done with UE placed on different floors, we study the feasibility of separating users in the elevation domain. The measured channel impulse responses are also used to study the channel hardening aspects of Massive MIMO and the optimality of Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) receiver.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2016

A Hybrid Channel Model based on WINNER for Vehicle-to-X Application

V2V and V2I channel modeling became recently more of interest. To provide realistic radio channels either expensive measurements or complex ray tracing simulations are mostly used. Stochastic channel models are of low complexity but do not offer that deterministic repeatable realism. Based on the WINNER channel model and a simple single path model, a hybrid model has been developed. The concept relies on a layered structure featuring high flexibility and scalability.

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