Project description
Sustainable solutions for future 6G distributed radios
To meet the demands of urban areas and population densification, 6G technology must embrace sustainable solutions while introducing disruptive capabilities like the realisation of the Internet of Sense. However, these systems face challenges, including the need for precise synchronisation among distributed radio units, efficient fronthaul data distribution, integration of sensing capabilities, development of low-complexity, low-cost, low-consumption radios, and coexistence with other services. The EU-funded 6G-REFERENCE project will address these challenges by developing integrated circuit and antenna component solutions for future 6G distributed radios. It will design a new synchronisation framework based on full-duplex technology, explore the integration of environmental sensors with antennas, and develop novel array solutions for spatial super-resolution. The project will also establish dynamic filtering techniques to ensure efficient spectrum coexistence.
Objective
In urban areas, 6G will need to rely on a sustainable solution to cope with the ever-increasing traffic demands and population densification, while providing disruptive capabilities like the materialization of the internet of sense. The solution envisioned by 6G-REFERENCE consist of ultra-dense cell-free deployments for joint coherent communications and sensing at cm-waves, which balance the benefits of sub-6GHz (e.g. reduced pathloss) and mm-wave (e.g. wide bandwidth) ranges. These systems face five fundamental challenges: (i) the need of accurate synchronization among distributed radio units; (ii) fronthaul data distribution; (iii) integration of sensing capabilities; (iv) low complexity/cost/consumption radios; and (v) coexistence with other services. 6G-REFERENCE will develop integrated circuit and antenna component solutions addressing all of them. It will design frequency/time synchronization circuits and a new continuous synchronization framework based on full-duplex. Indeed, full-duplex enabling solutions will be developed targeting such scheme as well as efficient fronthaul data distribution among cascaded radio units, and for enabling integrated monostatic radar sensing. Besides these, on the sensing domain, 6G-REFERENCE will explore environmental sensors integrated in the antenna estates, reuse the synchronization framework for accurate localization, and develop new array solutions like frequency modulation providing spatial superesolution at a contained cost and power consumption. The latter will be also targeted by time modulated arrays providing efficient single-RF chain multibeam operation as well as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces extending the capabilities of small FMA/TMA arrays. Finally, dynamic IF and antenna filtering will be developed to enable efficient spectrum coexistence schemes. The ultimate goal of 6G-REFERENCE is to develop hardware enablers that could end up constituting a reference design of future 6G distributed radios.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesinternet
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technologyradar
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.2.4 - Digital, Industry and Space Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
08860 Castelldefels Barcelona
Spain