arXiv subjects

Henk Wymeersch

Publications and source records attributed to Henk Wymeersch.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Monostatic ISAC Without Full Buffers: Revisiting Spatial Trade-Offs Under Bursty Traffic

This work investigates the spatial trade-offs arising from the design of the transmit beamformer in a monostatic integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) base station (BS) under bursty traffic, a crucial aspect necessitated by the integration of communication and sensing functionalities in next-generation wireless systems. In this setting, the BS does not always have data available for transmission. This study compares different ISAC policies and reveals the presence of multiple effects influencing ISAC performance: signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) boosting of data-aided strategies compared to pilot-based ones, saturation of the probability of detection in data-aided strategies due to the non-full-buffer assumption, and, finally, directional masking of sensing targets due to the relative position between target and user. Simulation results demonstrate varying impact of these effects on ISAC trade-offs under different operating conditions, thus guiding the design of efficient ISAC transmission strategies.

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arXiv2026

Positioning-Aided Channel Estimation for Multi-LEO Satellite Cooperative Beamforming

We investigate a multi-low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite system that simultaneously provides positioning and communication services to terrestrial user terminals. To address the challenges of accurately acquiring channel state information in LEO satellite systems, we propose a novel two-timescale positioning-aided channel estimation framework, exploiting the distinct variation rates of position-related parameters and channel gains inherent in LEO satellite channels. Using the misspecified Cramér-Rao bound (MCRB) theory, we systematically analyze positioning performance under practical imperfections, such as inter-satellite clock bias and carrier frequency offset. Furthermore, we theoretically demonstrate how position information derived from downlink positioning can enhance uplink channel estimation accuracy, even in the presence of positioning errors, through an MCRB-based analysis. To address the limited link budgets and communication rates of single-satellite communication, we develop a multi-LEO cooperative beamforming strategy for downlink transmission that leverages cluster-wise satellite cooperation while maintaining reduced complexity. Theoretical analyses and numerical results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed framework in facilitating high-precision downlink positioning under practical imperfections, facilitating uplink channel estimation, and enabling efficient downlink communication.

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arXiv2026

Distributed Integrated Sensing, Localization, and Communications over LEO Satellite Constellations

Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations are rapidly becoming essential enablers of next-generation wireless systems, offering global broadband access, high-precision localization, and reliable sensing beyond terrestrial coverage. However, the inherent limitations of individual LEO satellites, including restricted power, limited antenna aperture, and constrained onboard processing, hinder their ability to meet the growing demands of 6G applications. To address these challenges, this article introduces the concept of distributed integrated sensing, localization, and communication (DISLAC) over LEO constellations, inspired by distributed multiple input multiple output architectures. By enabling inter-satellite cooperation through inter-satellite links, DISLAC jointly exploits communication, localization, and sensing functionalities, achieving synergistic gains in throughput, positioning accuracy, and sensing robustness through shared resources and cooperative design. We present illustrative case studies that quantify these benefits and analyze key system-level considerations, including synchronization, antenna reconfigurability, and inter-satellite link design. The article concludes by outlining open research directions to advance the practical deployment of DISLAC in future non-terrestrial networks.

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arXiv2026

Multi-band Carrier Phase Positioning toward 6G: Performance Bounds and Efficient Estimators

In addition to satellite systems, carrier phase positioning (CPP) is gaining attraction also in terrestrial mobile networks, particularly in 5G New Radio evolution toward 6G. One key challenge is to resolve the integer ambiguity problem, as the carrier phase provides only relative position information. This work introduces and studies a multi-band CPP scenario with intra- and inter-band carrier aggregation (CA) opportunities across FR1, mmWave-FR2, and emerging 6G FR3 bands. Specifically, we derive multi-band CPP performance bounds, showcasing the superiority of multi-band CPP for high-precision localization in current and future mobile networks, while noting also practical imperfections such as clock offsets between the user equipment (UE) and the network as well as mutual clock imperfections between the network nodes. A wide collection of numerical results is provided, covering the impacts of the available carrier bandwidth, number of aggregated carriers, transmit power, and the number of network nodes or base stations. The offered results highlight that only two carriers suffice to substantially facilitate resolving the integer ambiguity problem while also largely enhancing the robustness of positioning against imperfections imposed by the network-side clocks and multi-path propagation. In addition, we also propose a two-stage practical estimator that achieves the derived bounds under all realistic bandwidth and transmit power conditions. Furthermore, we show that with an additional search-based refinement step, the proposed estimator becomes particularly suitable for narrowband Internet of Things applications operating efficiently even under narrow carrier bandwidths. Finally, both the derived bounds and the proposed estimators are extended to scenarios where the bands assigned to each base station are nonuniform or fully disjoint, enhancing the practical deployment flexibility.

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arXiv2025

Phase-Coherent D-MIMO ISAC: Multi-Target Estimation and Spectral Efficiency Trade-Offs

We investigate distributed multiple-input multiple-output (D-MIMO) integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems, in which multiple phase-synchronized access points (APs) jointly serve user equipments (UEs) while cooperatively detecting and estimating multiple static targets. To achieve high-accuracy multi-target estimation, we propose a two-stage sensing framework combining non-coherent and coherent maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation. In parallel, adaptive AP mode-selection strategies are introduced to balance communication and sensing performance: a communication-centric scheme that maximizes downlink spectral efficiency (SE) and a sensing-centric scheme that selects geometrically diverse receive APs to enhance sensing coverage. Simulation results confirm the SE-sensing trade-off, where appropriate power allocation between communication and sensing and larger array apertures alleviate performance degradation, achieving high SE with millimeter-level sensing precision. We further demonstrate that the proposed AP-selection strategy reveals an optimal number of receive APs that maximizes sensing coverage without significantly sacrificing SE.

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arXiv2025

Semantic Communication for Rate-Limited Closed-Loop Distributed Communication-Sensing-Control Systems

The growing integration of distributed integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) with closed-loop control in intelligent networks demands efficient information transmission under stringent bandwidth constraints. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a unified framework for goal-oriented semantic communication in distributed SCC systems. Building upon Weaver's three-level model, we establish a hierarchical semantic formulation with three error levels (L1: observation reconstruction, L2: state estimation, and L3: control) to jointly optimize their corresponding objectives. Based on this formulation, we propose a unified goal-oriented semantic compression and rate adaptation framework that is applicable to different semantic error levels and optimization goals across the SCC loop. A rate-limited multi-sensor LQR system is used as a case study to validate the proposed framework. We employ a GRU-based AE for semantic compression and a PPO-based rate adaptation algorithm that dynamically allocates transmission rates across sensors. Results show that the proposed framework effectively captures task-relevant semantics and adapts its resource allocation strategies across different semantic levels, thereby achieving level-specific performance gains under bandwidth constraints.

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arXiv2025

Observation Compression in Rate-Limited Closed-Loop Distributed ISAC Systems: From Signal Reconstruction to Control

In closed-loop distributed multi-sensor integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems, performance often hinges on transmitting high-dimensional sensor observations over rate-limited networks. In this paper, we first present a general framework for rate-limited closed-loop distributed ISAC systems, and then propose an autoencoder-based observation compression method to overcome the constraints imposed by limited transmission capacity. Building on this framework, we conduct a case study using a closed-loop linear quadratic regulator (LQR) system to analyze how the interplay among observation, compression, and state dimensions affects reconstruction accuracy, state estimation error, and control performance. In multi-sensor scenarios, our results further show that optimal resource allocation initially prioritizes low-noise sensors until the compression becomes lossless, after which resources are reallocated to high-noise sensors.

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arXiv2025

Sparse OFDM Design for Interference and Ambiguity Mitigation in Multi-Static ISAC

The sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks promises the integration of radar-like sensing capabilities into communication infrastructure. In this paper, we investigate a multi-static sensing framework where half-duplex base stations (BSs) are assigned as either transmitter or sensing receiver nodes. We propose a randomized sparse resource allocation scheme based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) waveform design tailored for the multi-static scenario to simultaneously mitigate inter-BS interference (IBI) and sensing ambiguities. The waveform design also ensures robustness against inter-symbol interference (ISI) and intercarrier interference (ICI) via a judicious choice of subcarrier spacing according to the deployment of BSs. The potential ambiguity caused by sparse signaling is addressed through controlled irregularity in both time and frequency domains, with a negligible noise floor elevation. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and resilience of the proposed design in the presence of multiple targets and clutter.

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arXiv2025

POLO: Phase-Only Localization in Uplink Distributed MIMO Systems

We propose a low-complexity localization framework for uplink distributed MIMO (D-MIMO) systems, targeting the challenge of minimizing the highly spiky maximum-likelihood (ML) cost function that arises in sparsely deployed phasecoherent access points (APs) with narrowband transmission. In such systems, ML-based localization typically relies on dense grid search, incurring prohibitive computational complexity. To address this, we introduce phase-only localization (POLO), an approach that leverages differential carrier-phase measurements from selected APs to generate a compact set of candidate user positions. The ML cost function is then evaluated only at these candidates, reducing complexity significantly. A key challenge is to devise an AP selection mechanism that reduces the number of candidate points while maintaining reliable coverage. We propose two variants: POLO-I, which selects three APs to provide closed-form candidate positions with low computational cost, and POLO-II, which selects four APs using an alternative strategy that enhances coverage at marginally higher runtime. Comprehensive analytical and simulation results show that POLO achieves a favorable coverage-complexity trade-off, reducing cost by orders of magnitude relative to exhaustive grid search with only marginal loss in coverage. By characterizing this tradeoff under diverse AP configurations, we also provide practical guidelines for selecting between POLO-I and POLO-II depending on latency and coverage requirements.

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arXiv2025

Digital Twin-Assisted High-Precision Massive MIMO Localization in Urban Canyons

High-precision wireless localization in urban canyons is challenged by noisy measurements and severe non-line-of-sight (NLOS) propagation. This paper proposes a robust three-stage algorithm synergizing a digital twin (DT) model with the random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm to overcome these limitations. The method leverages the DT for geometric path association and employs RANSAC to identify reliable line-of-sight (LOS) and single-bounce NLOS paths while rejecting multi-bounce outliers. A final optimization on the resulting inlier set estimates the user's position and clock bias. Simulations validate that by effectively turning NLOS paths into valuable geometric information via the DT, the approach enables accurate localization, reduces reliance on direct LOS, and significantly lowers system deployment costs, making it suitable for practical deployment.

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arXiv2025

Generation-Agnostic Zero-Energy Devices for Sustainable Connectivity, Sensing, and Localization

The massive scale of Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity expected in 6G networks raises unprecedented challenges in energy use, battery waste, and lifecycle sustainability. Current cellular IoT solutions remain bound to the lifetime of underlying network generations and rely on billions of disposable batteries, creating unsustainable economic and environmental costs. This article proposes generation-agnostic zero-energy devices (XG-ZEDs), a new class of backscatter based IoT devices that are battery-less, spectrum-agnostic, and future-proof across successive network generations. XG-ZEDs exploit existing ambient wireless signals for communication, sensing, and localization, transforming infrastructure and user devices into universal enablers of ultra-low-power connectivity. We review architectural classifications, communication protocols, network integration, and representative applications such as sensing, localization, and radio-SLAM, while outlining the challenges ahead.

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arXiv2025

UNILocPro: Unified Localization Integrating Model-Based Geometry and Channel Charting

In this paper, we propose a unified localization framework (called UNILocPro) that integrates model-based localization and channel charting (CC) for mixed line-of-sight (LoS)/non-line-of-sight (NLoS) scenarios. Specifically, based on LoS/NLoS identification, an adaptive activation between the model-based and CC-based methods is conducted. Aiming for unsupervised learning, information obtained from the model-based method is utilized to train the CC model, where a pairwise distance loss (involving a new dissimilarity metric design), a triplet loss (if timestamps are available), a LoS-based loss, and an optimal transport (OT)-based loss are jointly employed such that the global geometry can be well preserved. To reduce the training complexity of UNILocPro, we propose a low-complexity implementation (called UNILoc), where the CC model is trained with self-generated labels produced by a single pre-training OT transformation, which avoids iterative Sinkhorn updates involved in the OT-based loss computation. Extensive numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed unified frameworks achieve significantly improved positioning accuracy compared to both model-based and CC-based methods. Notably, UNILocPro with timestamps attains performance on par with fully-supervised fingerprinting despite operating without labelled training data. It is also shown that the low-complexity UNILoc can substantially reduce training complexity with only marginal performance degradation.

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arXiv2025

Pilot Distortion Design for ToA Obfuscation in Uplink OFDM Communication

We study uplink orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) pilot distortion to deliberately obfuscate time-of-arrival (ToA) estimation at a single base station while preserving communication performance. We design a complex per-subcarrier distortion vector that increases sidelobes of the mismatched ambiguity function (MAF) relative to its mainlobe, using two objectives: the sidelobe-to-peak level ratio and the integrated sidelobe level. The design is subject to a transmit-power budget and a proximity (dissimilarity) constraint around the communication-optimal pilot. Communication impact is quantied by a capacity-motivated lower bound obtained from the linear minimum mean-squared error error covariance with a mismatched channel estimate. The resulting generalized fractional program is solved with Dinkelbach's transform and a difference-of-convex update that yields a closed-form Karush-Kuhn-Tucker step. Simulations on a single-input single-output OFDM link show that the optimized distortions raise MAF sidelobes and degrade delay estimation, as validated by a mismatched maximum-likelihood ToA estimator, while incurring only marginal capacity loss over a broad signal-to-noise ratio range. The method requires no protocol changes or artificial path injection and provides a signal-level mechanism to control ToA observability under communication constraints.

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arXiv2025

Probabilistic Constellation Shaping for OFDM ISAC Signals Under Temporal-Frequency Filtering

Integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) is considered an innovative technology in sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks, where utilizing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication signals for sensing provides a cost-effective solution for implementing ISAC. However, the sensing performance of matched and mismatched filtering schemes can be significantly deteriorated due to the signaling randomness induced by finite-alphabet modulations with nonconstant modulus, such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellations. Therefore, improving sensing performance without significantly compromising communication capability (i.e., maintaining randomness), remains a challenging task. To that end, we propose a unified probabilistic constellation shaping (PCS) framework that is compatible with both matched and mismatched filtering schemes, by maximizing the communication rate while imposing constraints on mean square error (MSE) of sensing channel state information (CSI), power, and probability distribution. Specifically, the MSE of sensing CSI is leveraged to optimize sensing capability, which is illustrated to be a more comprehensive metric compared to the output SNR after filtering (SNRout) and integrated sidelobes ratio (ISLR). Additionally, the internal relationships among these three sensing metrics are explicitly analyzed. Finally, both simulations and field measurements validate the efficiency of proposed PCS approach in achieving a flexible S&C trade-off, as well as its credibility in enhancing 6G wireless transmission in real-world scenarios.

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arXiv2025

Modern Base Station Architecture: Enabling Passive Beamforming with Beyond Diagonal RISs

Beamforming plays a crucial role in millimeter wave (mmWave) communication systems to mitigate the severe attenuation inherent to this spectrum. However, the use of large active antenna arrays in conventional architectures often results in high implementation costs and excessive power consumption, limiting their practicality. As an alternative, deploying large arrays at transceivers using passive devices, such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), offers a more cost-effective and energy-efficient solution. In this paper, we investigate a promising base station (BS) architecture that integrates a beyond diagonal RIS (BD-RIS) within the BS to enable passive beamforming. By utilizing Takagi's decomposition and leveraging the effective beamforming vector, the RIS profile can be designed to enable passive beamforming directed toward the target. Through the beamforming analysis, we reveal that BD-RIS provides robust beamforming performance across various system configurations, whereas the traditional diagonal RIS (D-RIS) exhibits instability with increasing RIS size and decreasing BS-RIS separation-two critical factors in optimizing RIS-assisted systems. Comprehensive computer simulation results across various aspects validate the superiority of the proposed BS-integrated BD-RIS over conventional D-RIS architectures, showcasing performance comparable to active analog beamforming antenna arrays.

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arXiv2025

Integrating Phase-Coherent Multistatic Imaging in Downlink D-MIMO Networks

This paper addresses the challenge of integrating multistatic coherent imaging functionalities in the downlink (DL) of a phase-coherent distributed multiple input multiple output (D-MIMO) communication network. During DL, the D-MIMO access points (APs) jointly precode the transmitted signals to maximize the spectral efficiency (SE) at the users (UEs) locations. However, imaging requires that \textit{(i)} a fraction of the APs work as receivers for sensing and \textit{(ii)} the transmitting APs emit AP-specific and orthogonal signals to illuminate the area to be imaged and allow multistatic operation. In these settings, our contribution is twofold. We propose a novel distributed integrated sensing and communication (D-ISAC) system that superposes a purposely designed AP-specific signal for imaging to the legacy UE-specific communication one, with a tunable trade-off factor. We detail both the imaging waveform design according to the \textit{extended orthogonality condition} and the space-frequency precoder design. Then, we propose an optimized selection strategy for the receiving APs, in order to maximize imaging performance under half-duplex constraints. Extensive numerical results prove the feasibility and benefits of our proposal, materializing the potential of joint multistatic imaging and communications in practical D-MIMO deployments.

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arXiv2025

Integrated Sensing, Communication, and Positioning in Cellular Vehicular Networks

In this correspondence, a novel integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) framework is proposed to accomplish data communication, vehicle positioning, and environment sensing simultaneously in a cellular vehicular network. By incorporating the vehicle positioning problem with the existing computational-imaging-based ISAC models, we formulate a special integrated sensing, communication, and positioning problem in which the unknowns are highly coupled. To mitigate the rank deficiency and make it solvable, we discretize the region of interest (ROI) into sensing and positioning pixels respectively, and exploit both the line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight propagation of the vehicles' uplink access signals. The resultant problem is shown to be a polynomial bilinear compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction problem, which is then solved by the alternating optimization (AO) algorithm to iteratively achieve symbol detection, vehicle positioning and environment sensing. Performance analysis and numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

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arXiv2025

Frugal RIS-aided 3D Localization with CFO under LoS and NLoS Conditions

In this paper, we investigate 3-D localization and frequency synchronization with multiple reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) in the presence of carrier frequency offset (CFO) for a stationary user equipment (UE). In line with the 6G goals of sustainability and efficiency, we focus on a frugal communication scenario with minimal spatial and spectral resources (i.e., narrowband single-input single-ouput system), considering both the presence and blockage of the line-of-sight (LoS) path between the base station (BS) and the UE. We design a generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT)-based LoS detector, channel parameter estimation and localization algorithms, with varying complexity. To verify the efficiency of our estimators, we compare the root mean-squared error (RMSE) to the Cramér- Rao bound (CRB) of the unknown parameters. We also evaluate the sensitivity of our algorithms to the presence of uncontrolled multi-path components (MPC) and various levels of CFO. Simulation results showcase the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms under minimal hardware and spectral requirements, and a wide range of operating conditions, thereby confirming the viability of RIS-aided frugal localization in 6G scenarios.

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