A Dual-frequency Distributed MIMO Approach for Future 6G Applications

Research Project, 2023 – 2026

TThe 6GTandem project will demonstrate ultra-high-capacity coverage, off-load of lower frequency bands and new services such as sub-cm resolution sensing and positioning in high traffic areas by adding sub-THz carriers to lower frequency bands in a seamless, tightly coordinated fashion. The two frequency bands will form a network collaborating and supporting each other in a “tandem” configuration enabling an introduction of high capacity, energy efficient, sub-THz enabled services, while mitigating known drawbacks of the sub-THz frequency bands such as susceptibility to line-of-sight blockage, coverage, and cost. Deployment will be addressed through the introduction of a thin and light dielectric waveguide to distribute a sub-THz RF signal through a daisy chain of integrated low-power antenna units, referred to as a “radio stripe”. We will demonstrate the use of lower, sub-10 GHz frequency bands to support the sub-THz band with resilience and coverage and the implementation of a distributed MIMO system to extend the coverage of the sub-THz band as well as offering capacities in the order of Tbps system throughput. We will demonstrate the possibility to implement local fronthaul solutions for added sub-10GHz access points using the high bandwidth of sub-THz radio stripes.
Key elements for 6GTandem:
- A system defining an ‘aligned tandem’ dual-frequency distributed MIMO architecture
- Medium-aware waveforms, transmission schemes and communication strategies for energy-efficient operation and development of cross-layer solutions to offer required service levels on the novel dual-frequency infrastructure
- Novel, “radio stripe” hardware including transceivers at 130GHz-175GHz, packaging, integration, and plastic waveguide for a low-cost, easy-deployable sub-THz infrastructure
- Conception of a combined low-frequency and sub-THz distributed MIMO system supporting joint high-resolution sensing, high-accuracy positioning, and high-resilience and reliability communication.