Method of joint communication and environment perception

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor of or functionally coupled with a receiver, cause the processor and/or the receiver to process wireless communication signals for use in joint communication and environment perception in a region of interest comprising NA≥1 access points and NU≥1 UEs, each of the NA access points having NR≥1 antennas, the region of interest represented by voxels arranged in a three-dimensional grid, by performing operations comprising:

• a) receiving, at the NAR antennas respectively associated with the NA access points, NT≥1 transmission instances, the NT transmission instances carrying a plurality of transmit symbols comprising pilot signals and data signals, sent by all of the NU UEs,
• b) performing, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a soft interference cancellation to received communication signals representing the transmit symbols, for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• c) determining, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• d) updating all soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs,
• e) repeating steps b) to d) while a termination criterion is not met,
• f) computing, for each voxel in the region of interest, and for each transmit symbol, from the corresponding soft-replicas of each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a respective final soft-estimate,
• g) projecting the final soft estimate for each transmit symbol to the symbol constellation X, and
• h) outputting the projected transmit symbol as hard estimate.

A receiver for wireless communication signals comprising at least one antenna, circuitry for processing radio frequency signals, a microprocessor, volatile and non-volatile memory, connected via one or more data and/or signal lines or buses, wherein the non-volatile memory stores computer program instructions which, when executed by the microprocessor, configure components of the receiver to process wireless communication signals for use in joint communication and environment perception in a region of interest comprising NA≥1 access points and NU≥1 UEs, each of the NA access points having NR≥1 antennas, the region of interest represented by voxels arranged in a three-dimensional grid, by performing operations comprising:

• a) receiving, at the NR antennas respectively associated with the NA access points, NT≥1 transmission instances, the NT transmission instances carrying a plurality of transmit symbols comprising pilot signals and data signals, sent by all of the NU UEs,
• b) performing, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a soft interference cancellation to received communication signals representing the transmit symbols, for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• c) determining, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• d) updating all soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs,
• e) repeating steps b) to d) while a termination criterion is not met,
• f) computing, for each voxel in the region of interest, and for each transmit symbol, from the corresponding soft-replicas of each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a respective final soft-estimate,
• g) protecting the final soft estimate for each transmit symbol to the symbol constellation X, and
• h) outputting the projected transmit symbol as hard estimate.

A communication system comprising a receiver and a corresponding transmitter configured for sending a communication signal, the receiver being configured to process wireless communication signals for use in joint communication and environment perception in a region of interest comprising NA≥1 access points and NU≥1 UEs, each of the NA access points having NR≥1 antennas, the region of interest represented by voxels arranged in a three-dimensional grid, by performing operations comprising:

• a) receiving, at the NAR antennas respectively associated with the NA access points,
• NT≥1 transmission instances, the NT transmission instances carrying a plurality of transmit symbols comprising pilot signals and data signals, sent by all of the NU UEs,
• b) performing, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a soft interference cancellation to received communication signals representing the transmit symbols, for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• c) determining, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• d) updating all soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs,
• e) repeating steps b) to d) while a termination criterion is not met,
• f) computing, for each voxel in the region of interest, and for each transmit symbol, from the corresponding soft-replicas of each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a respective final soft-estimate,
• g) protecting the final soft estimate for each transmit symbol to the symbol constellation X, and
• h) outputting the projected transmit symbol as hard estimate.

A vehicle comprising a receiver and/or a communication system, the receiver being configured to process wireless communication signals for use in joint communication and environment perception in a region of interest comprising NA≥1 access points and NU≥1 UEs, each of the NA access points having NR≥1 antennas, the region of interest represented by voxels arranged in a three-dimensional grid, by performing operators comprising:

• a) receiving, at the NR antennas respectively associated with the NA access points, NT≥1 transmission instances, the NT transmission instances carrying a plurality of transmit symbols comprising pilot signals and data signals, sent by all of the NU UEs,
• b) performing, for each of the N antennas of each of the NA access points, a soft interference cancellation to received communication signals representing the transmit symbols, for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• c) determining, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• d) updating all soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs,
• e) repeating steps b) to d) while a termination criterion is not met,
• f) computing, for each voxel in the region of interest, and for each transmit symbol, from the corresponding soft-replicas of each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a respective final soft-estimate,
• g) projecting the final soft estimate for each transmit symbol to the symbol constellation X, and
• h) outputting the projected transmit symbol as hard estimate;
• and
• the communication system comprising the receiver and a corresponding transmitter configured for sending a communication signal.

Use of a receiver and/or a communication system or of a method for both wireless communication and radar sensing the receiver being configured to process wireless communication signals for use in joint communication and environment perception in a region of interest comprising NA≥1 access points and NU≥1 UEs, each of the NA access points having NR≥1 antennas, the region of interest represented by voxels arranged in a three-dimensional grid, by performing operators comprising:

• a) receiving, at the NR antennas respectively associated with the NA access points, NT≥1 transmission instances, the NT transmission instances carrying a plurality of transmit symbols comprising pilot signals and data signals, sent by all of the NU UEs,
• b) performing, for each of the N antennas of each of the NA access points, a soft interference cancellation to received communication signals representing the transmit symbols, for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• c) determining, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• d) updating all soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs,
• e) repeating steps b) to d) while a termination criterion is not met,
• f) computing, for each voxel in the region of interest, and for each transmit symbol, from the corresponding soft-replicas of each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a respective final soft-estimate,
• g) projecting the final soft estimate for each transmit symbol to the symbol constellation X, and
• h) outputting the projected transmit symbol as hard estimate;
• and
• the communication system comprising the receiver and a corresponding transmitter configured for sending a communication signal;
• the communication system comprising the receiver and a corresponding transmitter configured for sending a communication signal;
• and
• wherein the method for both wireless communication and radar sensing comprises:
• A method of processing wireless communication signals for use in joint communication and environment perception in a region of interest comprising NA≥1 access points and NU≥1 UEs, each of the NA access points having NR≥1 antennas, the region of interest represented by voxels arranged in a three-dimensional grid, comprising:
• a′) receiving, at the NR antennas respectively associated with the NA access points, NT≥1 transmission instances, the NT transmission instances carrying a plurality of transmit symbols comprising pilot signals and data signals, sent by all of the NU UEs,
• b′) performing, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a soft interference cancellation to received communication signals representing the transmit symbols, for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• c′) determining, for each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs for all voxels in the region of interest and for all transmit symbols,
• d′) updating all soft-replicas and corresponding MSEs,
• e′) repeating steps b) to d) while a termination criterion is not met,
• f′) computing, for each voxel in the region of interest, and for each transmit symbol, from the corresponding soft-replicas of each of the NR antennas of each of the NA access points, a respective final soft-estimate,
• g′) projecting the final soft estimate for each transmit symbol to the symbol constellation X, and
• h′) outputting the projected transmit symbol as hard estimate.