Bistatic OFDM-based Joint Radar-Communication: Synchronization, Data Communication and Sensing

TL;DR

This paper presents a bistatic OFDM-based joint radar-communication system, detailing synchronization, data transmission, sensing methods, and validating the system through experimental results highlighting trade-offs between frame size and performance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel bistatic OFDM RadCom system with integrated synchronization, communication, and sensing techniques, supported by experimental validation.

Findings

Effective synchronization methods for bistatic OFDM RadCom

Successful radar sensing using pilot-based and data-based approaches

Trade-off identified between frame size and system performance

Abstract

This article introduces a bistatic joint radar-communication (RadCom) system based on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM). In this context, the adopted OFDM frame structure is described and system model encompassing time, frequency, and sampling synchronization mismatches between the transmitter and receiver of the bistatic system is outlined. Next, the signal processing approaches for synchronization and communication are discussed, and radar sensing processing approaches using either only pilots or a reconstructed OFDM frame based on the estimated receive communication data are presented. Finally, proof-of-concept measurement results are presented to validate the investigated system and a trade-off between frame size and the performance of the aforementioned processing steps is observed.