arXiv subjects

Yong Liang Guan

Publications and source records attributed to Yong Liang Guan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Enabling Flexible AFDM-ISAC Design: When Ambiguity Shaping Meets PAPR Control

Affine frequency division multiplexing (AFDM) has emerged as an enabling waveform for integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) due to its intrinsic chirp signaling nature. Nevertheless, the practicality of AFDM-ISAC systems needs to address two major technical challenges, i.e., high ambiguity function (AF) sidelobes and high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). By exploiting the reserved chirp-subcarrier (RCS) symbols and per-subcarrier pre-chirp parameters, we develop a flexible and unified AFDM waveform design framework for AF shaping and PAPR control. The proposed framework supports three tunable modes: AF shaping via weighted integrated sidelobe level (ISL) minimization, PAPR minimization, and joint AF shaping and PAPR control under a prescribed PAPR constraint. To solve the formulated nonconvex problem and to accommodate the discrete-phase constraints on the pre-chirp parameters, a joint ISL-PAPR discrete-phase majorization-minimization (JIPD-MM) algorithm is developed. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed framework under all the three design modes, with the benchmark comparisons conducted at similar effective spectral efficiencies. It is shown that the resulting weighted-ISL and PAPR gains lead to improved weak-target detectability in multi-target scenarios and lower bit error rate (BER) under power-amplifier (PA) nonlinearity.

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arXiv2026

Structured-Sparsity-Aware Joint User Activity Detection and Channel Estimation for OTFS-Based Grant-Free Random Access

Grant-free random access (GFRA) is a promising solution for massive machine-type communications (mMTC) in future wireless networks. However, reliable user activity detection and channel estimation are critical challenges, particularly when orthogonal time-frequency space (OTFS) modulation is integrated with GFRA to address doubly selective channels induced by high mobility. In this paper, we propose an OTFS-based GFRA framework that exploits the inherent structured sparsity of delay-Doppler channels. By adopting a basis expansion model (BEM), we formulate joint user activity detection and channel estimation as a structured compressive sensing problem. A bi-level sparsity structure is identified, consisting of common sparsity across multiple receive antennas and activation sparsity across mMTC users. To effectively leverage this structure, we construct a two-layer factor graph and develop a structured sparsity expectation propagation (SS-EP) algorithm for efficient Bayesian inference. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms existing benchmarks.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2026

Multi-Hop RIS ISAC for Target Positioning: A Tensor Decomposition-based Approach

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) has demon- strated remarkable potential to enhance the performance of integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), particularly when the line-of-sight (LoS) paths are obstructed. By controlling the reconfigurable elements on the surface, RIS can establish virtual LoS paths and provide considerable passive beamforming gains, thereby significantly improving the received signal quality. In this paper, we design a novel multi-hop RIS ISAC system for target positioning, where multiple RISs are deployed to assist the communication from a transmitter to associated users while simultaneously enhancing receiver sensing performance in target positioning. Specifically, we formulate an optimization problem to minimize the root mean square error (RMSE) of the target detection while guaranteeing the communication requirements of the users. To solve this problem, we first unfold the cascaded sens- ing channel through parallel factor decomposition, and develop a low-rank CANDECOMP/PARAFAC decomposition (CPD)-based scheme to extract the location parameters (i.e., angle of arrival, angle of departure and delay) of the sensing targets. Then, we develop a scheme for jointly selecting the transmit beamforming and RIS phase shift configurations to maximize the sensing energy at the receiver, which in turn leads to improved accuracy in target positioning. We also provide a uniqueness analysis, complexity analysis, and Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB) of the parameters estimated by our methodology. Simulation results validate the improvement in target positioning obtained by our design relative to baselines.

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arXiv2026

CSI RefineNet: A Soft Data-Aided Iterative Receiver for High-Mobility OFDM Systems

In high-mobility orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, rapid channel variation can make the channel state information (CSI) estimated from pilots inaccurate for data subcarriers, leading to a mismatch with their effective channel. To address this issue, this paper proposes a CSI RefineNet receiver, where the CSI is iteratively refined using soft symbol decisions in a data-aided manner. Specifically, a pilot-driven initialization module is first employed to obtain a coarse CSI estimation and the corresponding symbol posterior probabilities. Based on these posteriors, soft data-aided channel observations are constructed over all subcarriers and fused with the initial CSI to refine the channel estimation. The refined CSI is subsequently fed back to the equalization and detection modules, thereby forming an iterative receiver structure. To improve training stability and fully exploit the refinement capability, a two-stage training strategy is also developed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed CSI RefineNet receiver achieves superior BER performance and strong robustness under different velocities, modulation orders, and pilot spacing configurations in high-mobility OFDM systems.

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arXiv2026

Data-aided Channel Estimation and Sensing With Sparse Bayesian Learning for AFDM-ISAC System

Affine frequency division multiplexing (AFDM) has emerged as a promising waveform for next-generation integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems. However, it becomes challenging to improve spectral efficiency while simultaneously obtaining accurate channel and sensing-related parameters, particularly in doubly-dispersive channels with fractional delays and fractional Doppler shifts. To tackle this challenge, by formulating the channel estimation task as a multiple measurement vector (MMV) off-grid sparse recovery problem, we propose a data-aided grid-evolution sparse Bayesian learning (D-GESBL) scheme for channel estimation and sensing under a superimposed pilot framework. Specifically, we develop an efficient data-aided iterative receiver, in which reliably decoded data symbols are fed back as additional pseudo-pilot information to assist channel estimation and sensing. To mitigate off-grid mismatch and improve the overall estimation accuracy, we develop a grid evolution procedure that iteratively adjusts the virtual grids in the discrete affine Fourier (DAF) domain according to the estimated off-grid components. Furthermore, by integrating the generalized approximate message passing (GAMP) algorithm into the proposed SBL framework, we also develop a low-complexity data-aided GAMP-based grid-evolution SBL (D-GAMP-GESBL) algorithm. Finally, the numerical results validate the effectiveness of our proposed schemes and demonstrate their superiority over existing state-of-the-art methods.

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arXiv2026

Dual-Mapping Sparse Vector Coding for Phase Noise-Resilient Short-Packet Transmission

Sparse vector transmission (SVT) has emerged as a promising technique for ultra-reliable low-latency short-packet communications. However, existing SVT schemes typically assume negligible phase noise (PN), an assumption that rarely holds in practical wireless systems. In this paper, a dual-mapping sparse vector coding (DM-SVC) scheme is proposed for short-packet communications subject to PN. In DM-SVC, pilot symbols are mapped onto multiple non-zero blocks and data symbols onto isolated non-zero elements within a single sparse vector, thereby enabling pilot-data separation through distinct sparsity patterns rather than explicit resource partitioning. Moreover, the indices of pilot blocks convey additional information bits, further improving spectral efficiency. A basis expansion model is adopted to represent the PN process, substantially reducing the number of parameters to be estimated. Furthermore, an iterative joint PN estimation and data decoding algorithm is developed, where pilot block indices are first detected exploiting block-sparse priors, after which PN estimation and data decoding proceed iteratively. Simulation results show that DM-SVC could achieve block error rate performance close to that of perfect PN compensation, while offering improved spectral efficiency and reduced codebook storage overhead compared to state-of-the-art SVT schemes.

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arXiv2026

Multi-Functional Chirp Signalling for Next-Generation Multi-Carrier Wireless Networks: Communications, Sensing and ISAC Perspectives

To meet the increasingly demanding quality-of-service requirements of the next-generation multi-carrier mobile networks, it is essential to design multi-functional signalling schemes facilitating efficient, flexible, and reliable communication and sensing in complex wireless environments. As a compelling candidate, we advocate chirp signalling, beneficially amalgamating sequences (e.g., Zadoff-Chu sequences) with waveforms (e.g., chirp spread spectrum and frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar), given their resilience against doubly selective channels. Besides chirp sequences, a wide range of chirp waveforms is considered, ranging from FMCW to affine frequency-division multiplexing (AFDM), to create a promising chirp multicarrier waveform. This study also highlights the advantages of such waveforms in supporting reliable high-mobility communications, plus integrated sensing and communications (ISAC). Finally, we outline several emerging research directions for chirp signalling designs.

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arXiv2026

Outage Analysis and Fairness Design for Spatially Correlated FAS-Enabled RSMA Systems

Sixth-generation (6G) systems target higher reliability, denser connectivity, and tighter interference control. {Within this context, rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) is envisioned as a promising candidate to enhance interference management in future wireless networks by flexibly splitting messages into a common and a private part, while fluid antenna systems (FAS) offer the potential to improve spatial selectivity through dynamic port reconfiguration.} Combining RSMA and FAS therefore enables efficient interference control and adaptive antenna utilization in multiuser multi-input single-output (MISO) networks. However, deriving closed-form outage probability (OP) expressions and tractable user fairness optimization in this scenario remains scarce in the literature. This paper studies a multiuser MISO downlink that jointly leverages RSMA and FAS. We develop a spatial correlation model for FAS using block correlation and incorporate linear precoding with zero-forcing and maximum-ratio transmission. Within this model, we derive closed-form OP expressions using a one-factor construction and generalized Gauss-Laguerre quadrature. Building on these expressions, we formulate a fairness objective that minimizes the worst-user OP and propose a low-complexity algorithm with a linear-program feasibility check to obtain the closed-form solution per iteration. Numerical results across different port counts, channel conditions, and target rates validate the analytical analysis, show that FAS-RSMA reduces OP by up to 92% relative to the fixed-position antenna (FPA) baseline, and demonstrate that fairness-oriented design equalizes user reliability while delivering a 1 dB SNR gain for the worst user at a fixed outage level.

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arXiv2026

Harnessing Rydberg Atomic Receivers: From Quantum Physics to Wireless Communications

The intrinsic integration of Rydberg atomic receivers into wireless communication systems is proposed, by harnessing the principles of quantum physics in wireless communications. More particularly, we conceive a pair of Rydberg atomic receivers, one incorporates a local oscillator (LO), referred to as an LO-dressed receiver, while the other operates without an LO and is termed an LO-free receiver. The appropriate wireless model is developed for each configuration, elaborating on the receiver's responses to the radio frequency (RF) signal, on the potential noise sources, and on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) performance. The developed wireless model conforms to the classical RF framework, facilitating compatibility with established signal processing methodologies. Next, we investigate the associated distortion effects that might occur, specifically identifying the conditions under which distortion arises and demonstrating the boundaries of linear dynamic ranges. This provides critical insights into its practical implementations in wireless systems. Finally, extensive simulation results are provided for characterizing the performance of wireless systems, harnessing this pair of Rydberg atomic receivers. Our results demonstrate that LO-dressed systems achieve a significant SNR gain of approximately 40~50 dB over conventional RF receivers in the standard quantum limit regime. This SNR head-room translates into reduced symbol error rates, enabling efficient and reliable transmission with higher-order constellations.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2026

MIMO-AFDM Outperforms MIMO-OFDM in the Face of Hardware Impairments

The impact of both multiplicative and additive hardware impairments (HWIs) on multiple-input multiple-output affine frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-AFDM) systems is investigated. For small-scale MIMO-AFDM systems, a tight bit error rate (BER) upper bound associated with the maximum likelihood (ML) detector is derived. By contrast, for large-scale systems, a closed-form BER approximation associated with the linear minimum mean squared error (LMMSE) detector is presented, including realistic imperfect channel estimation scenarios. Our first key observation is that the full diversity order of a hardware-impaired AFDM system remains unaffected, which is a unique advantage. Furthermore, our analysis shows that 1) the BER results derived accurately predict the simulated ML performance in moderate-to-high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), while the theoretical BER curve of the LMMSE detector closely matches that of the Monte-Carlo based one. 2) MIMO-AFDM is more resilient to multiplicative distortions, such as phase noise and carrier frequency offset, compared to its orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) counterparts. This is attributed to its inherent chirp signal characteristics; 3) MIMO-AFDM consistently achieves superior BER performance compared to conventional MIMO-OFDM systems under the same additive HWI conditions, as well as different velocity values. The latter is because MIMO-AFDM is also resilient to the additional inter-carrier interference (ICI) imposed by the nonlinear distortions of additive HWIs. In a nutshell, compared to OFDM, AFDM demonstrates stronger ICI resilience and achieves the maximum full diversity attainable gain even under HWIs, thanks to its intrinsic chirp signalling structure as well as to the beneficial spreading effect of the discrete affine Fourier transform.

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arXiv2026

Two-Stage Coded-Sliding Beam Training and QoS-Constrained Sum-Rate Maximization for SIM-Assisted Wireless Communications

Stacked intelligent metasurfaces (SIM) provide a cost-effective and scalable solution for large-scale antenna communications.However, efficient channel state information acquisition and phase shift optimization remain critical challenges. In this paper, we develop a unified framework of low-complexity algorithms for SIM-assisted communication systems to address these issues. Specifically, we propose a generalized two-step codebook construction (TSCC) method that leverages two-dimensional angular-domain decoupling to transform planar array beamformer design into two independent one-dimensional linear array beamformer design problems, efficiently solved via the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm and our proposed majorization-minimization-based proximal distance (PDMM) algorithm. We further develop a two-stage coded-sliding beam training (TSCSBT) method for low-overhead and high-accuracy beam training, where error-correcting codes are embedded in the first-stage training to enhance robustness against noise, and sliding sampling is subsequently performed around the matched angular samples to improve angular resolution. The proposed framework is further extended to multi-path user channels. Finally, a variable decoupling-based block successive upper bound minimization (VD-BSUM) algorithm is proposed to directly solve the QoS-constrained sum-rate maximization problem through closed-form iterative updates with substantially reduced computational complexity. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods in achieving precise beam pattern realization, improved beam training accuracy and angular resolution, and enhanced sum-rate performance.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2026

Optimization-as-a-Service via Multi-Agent Large Language Model for Radio Access Networks

The physical resource block (PRB) allocation in Radio Access Networks (RANs) traditionally relies on case-by-case manual problem construction or, more recently, learning-based artificial intelligence (AI) methods. However, the sixth-generation (6G) RAN environments confront unprecedented service diversity and exponential dynamics, featuring volatile fluctuations in active base stations (BSs), user scale, and stringent Quality-of-Service (QoS) requirements. Faced with such conditions, both manual models and standard AI algorithms remain fundamentally rigid, lacking the flexibility to adapt and self-evolve. To provide a one-size-fits-all solution, we propose treating the PRB allocation problem as an Optimization-as-a-Service (OaaS) provided by a large language model multi-agent (LLM-MA) system. This fundamentally reshapes RAN resource allocation by utilizing agents to dynamically construct optimization problems and automatically determine objectives tailored to real-time scenarios. Our closed-loop architecture, integrating scene understanding, objective generation, solver, and reflection agents, enables context-aware, self-correcting formulation. To eliminate the computational latency of iterative reflection, we introduce a one-shot reflection distillation mechanism, training a lightweight student model to directly predict refined objective parameters. We theoretically bound the performance gap of this one-shot policy. Experimental results demonstrate our framework achieves near-optimal resource allocation with ultra-low inference latency.

cs.NI↗

arXiv2026

DFT-s-OFDM with Chirping for Integrated Sensing and Communications in 6G and Beyond

The sixth generation (6G) of mobile communications and beyond is expected to enable advanced functionalities, such as integrated sensing and communication (ISAC), while involving diverse terminal/user equipment types from terrestrial to non-terrestrial networks. As waveforms are acknowledged as a fundamental technology driving 6G and beyond, this article presents a contribution in this technical domain. First, it provides an overview of several standardized communication waveforms, as well as chirp-based waveforms for radar sensing and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. This article then presents single-carrier chirping waveform: discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-s-OFDM) with chirping. Its fundamental principles, key properties, performances, and advantages are examined from both communication and sensing perspectives. Finally, several future research directions are outlined to further explore its potential and opportunities for ISAC.

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arXiv2026

DRL-Based Antenna Position Optimization For MA-Assisted OTFS System Under Imperfect CSI

In this paper, we introduce movable antenna (MA) technology into orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) systems to enable wavelength-level antenna position optimization under imperfect channel state information (CSI), thereby mitigating deep fading. To accurately acquire CSI, we develop a sparse Bayesian learning method with variational inference (SBLVI) method. Based on estimated CSI, we formulate an MA position optimization problem with the objective of maximizing channel gain. Due to the highly non-convex character of the problem, we further develop a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) strategy to intelligently optimize MA positions. Simulation results show that the proposed SBLVI method significantly improves channel estimation accuracy over benchmark methods, and MA position optimization based on estimated CSI achieves substantially higher channel gains than the fixed-position antenna (FPA), demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed MA-assisted OTFS system.

cs.IT↗

arXiv2026

Fluid Antennas Meet Rate-Splitting Multiple Access: A New Path Forward for 6G Networks

Future sixth-generation (6G) networks require high spectral efficiency (SE), massive connectivity, and stringent reliability under imperfect channel state information at the transmitter. Rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) addresses part of this challenge by flexibly managing interference through common and private message streams, while fluid antenna systems (FAS) offer low-cost spatial diversity by dynamically reconfiguring antenna positions within a compact aperture. In this paper, we first classify FAS-enabled multiple access systems from the perspectives of FAS deployment, objectives, and antenna configuration, along with some comparisons with benchmark schemes, thereby exhibiting the inherent efficiency of FAS-RSMA. Moreover, we reveal the mutually enhancing mechanism between FAS and RSMA: FAS strengthens the weakest effective link and improves the beamforming design in RSMA, whereas RSMA turns FAS-induced spatial diversity into robust interference management under diverse channel conditions. In addition, we identify representative 6G scenarios and highlight major research challenges in joint beamforming-antenna position design, channel estimation, and hardware design. Furthermore, case studies quantify the gains of FAS-RSMA over the fixed-position antenna (FPA) system with RSMA and NOMA baselines, which validates that FAS-RSMA is a strong candidate for interference-limited access in 6G systems.

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arXiv2026

Antenna Elements' Trajectory Optimization for Throughput Maximization in Continuous-Trajectory Fluid Antenna-Aided Wireless Communications

Fluid antenna (FA) systems offer novel spatial degrees of freedom (DoFs) with the potential for significant performance gains. Compared to existing works focusing solely on optimizing FA positions at discrete time instants, we introduce the concept of continuous-trajectory fluid antenna (CTFA), which explicitly considers the antenna element's movement trajectory across continuous time intervals and incorporates the inherent kinematic constraints present in practical FA implementations. Accordingly, we formulate the total throughput maximization problem in CTFA-aided wireless communication systems, addressing the joint optimization of continuous antenna trajectories in conjunction with the transmit covariance matrices under kinematic constraints. To effectively solve this non-convex problem with highly coupled optimization variables, we develop an iterative algorithm based on block coordinate descent (BCD) and majorization-minimization (MM) principles with the aid of the weighted minimum mean square error (WMMSE) method. Finally, numerical results are presented to validate the efficacy of the proposed algorithms and to quantify the substantial total throughput advantages afforded by the conceived CTFA-aided system compared to conventional fixed-position antenna (FPA) benchmarks and alternative approaches employing simplified trajectories.

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arXiv2026

A Unified Multicarrier Waveform Framework for Next-generation Wireless Networks: Principles, Performance, and Challenges

Next-generation wireless networks require enhanced flexibility, efficiency, and reliability in physical layer waveform design to address the challenges posed by heterogeneous channel conditions and stringent quality-of-service demands. To this end, this paper proposes a unified multicarrier waveform framework that provides a systematic characterization and practical implementation guidelines to facilitate waveform selection for the sixth-generation (6G) mobile networks and beyond. We commence by examining the design principles of the state-of-the-art waveforms, which are categorized into one-dimensional modulation waveforms (e.g., orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and affine frequency division multiplexing (AFDM)) and two-dimensional modulation waveforms (e.g., orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS)). Their inherent resilience against various channel-induced interference is further studied, revealing their distinct suitability in diverse channel conditions. Furthermore, an in-depth performance analysis is presented by comparing their key performance indicators (KPIs), followed by an extensive exploration of these advanced waveforms in various applications. Consequently, this work aims to serve as a pivotal reference for waveform adoption in future 6G standardization and network deployment.

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arXiv2026

ComAgent: Multi-LLM based Agentic AI Empowered Intelligent Wireless Networks

Emerging 6G networks rely on complex cross-layer optimization, yet manually translating high-level intents into mathematical formulations remains a bottleneck. While Large Language Models (LLMs) offer promise, monolithic approaches often lack sufficient domain grounding, constraint awareness, and verification capabilities. To address this, we present ComAgent, a multi-LLM agentic AI framework. ComAgent employs a closed-loop Perception-Planning-Action-Reflection cycle, coordinating specialized agents for literature search, coding, and scoring to autonomously generate solver-ready formulations and reproducible simulations. By iteratively decomposing problems and self-correcting errors, the framework effectively bridges the gap between user intent and execution. Evaluations demonstrate that ComAgent achieves expert-comparable performance in complex beamforming optimization and outperforms monolithic LLMs across diverse wireless tasks, highlighting its potential for automating design in emerging wireless networks.

cs.AI↗