Zero-Overhead Unambiguous Velocity Estimation in Multiband ISAC Systems Under Random Traffic

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel multiband velocity estimation method for ISAC systems that overcomes packet timing irregularities, enabling accurate target velocity estimation without additional sensing overhead.

Contribution

It formulates a mixed-integer quadratic program leveraging phase differences across multiple carrier frequencies to resolve Doppler ambiguity under sporadic traffic.

Findings

Simulation shows improved accuracy over existing methods.

Performance increases with greater frequency separation.

Effective under irregular packet arrival times.

Abstract

This paper proposes an original method for estimating the velocity of a target by leveraging the multiband capabilities of modern Integrated Sensing And Communication (ISAC) systems. Traditional Doppler estimation relies on regular sampling rates, but ISAC systems often face irregular packet arrival times because they reuse opportunistic communication traffic. This non-deterministic timing increases the risk of Doppler ambiguity and aliasing, degrading velocity estimation accuracy. To resolve this, we advocate exploiting frequency diversity across multiple carrier frequencies to observe Doppler shifts without imposing restrictions on packet timing or requiring dedicated sensing overhead. A multiband velocity estimation problem is here formulated as a mixed-integer quadratic program by utilizing phase differences from all possible pairwise packet combinations. By integrating at least one unambiguous phase measurement, the system can reconstruct the true target velocity even under sporadic traffic conditions. Simulation results using realistic traffic traces demonstrate that this approach significantly outperforms multiband likelihood-based and single-band algorithms, with accuracy improving as frequency separation between bands and inter-packet time intervals increase. This framework provides a zero-overhead solution for robust velocity estimation in dynamic ISAC environments.