Enabling Mobility-Oriented JCAS in 6G Networks: An Architecture Proposal

TL;DR

This paper proposes an architecture for integrating joint communication and sensing (JCAS) in 6G networks to enhance mobility applications like autonomous driving and drones, addressing new design challenges.

Contribution

It introduces a novel 6G system architecture for device-oriented JCAS, including use cases, technical requirements, and different levels of integration for mobility scenarios.

Findings

Identified key use cases for mobility-oriented JCAS.

Derived five higher-level Tech Cases (TCs) for system design.

Outlined architectural views and requirements for 6G JCAS integration.

Abstract

Sensing plays a crucial role in autonomous and assisted vehicular driving, as well as in the operation of autonomous drones. The traditional segregation of communication and onboard sensing systems in mobility applications is due to be merged using Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) in the development of the 6G mobile radio standard. The integration of JCAS functions into the future road traffic landscape introduces novel challenges for the design of the 6G system architecture. Special emphasis will be placed on facilitating direct communication between road users and aerial drones. In various mobility scenarios, diverse levels of integration will be explored, ranging from leveraging communication capabilities to coordinate different radars to achieving deep integration through a unified waveform. In this paper, we have identified use cases and derive five higher-level Tech Cases (TCs). Technical and functional requirements for the 6G system architecture for a device-oriented JCAS approach will be extracted from the TCs and used to conceptualize the architectural views.