Multitarget Flexible Angular Emulation for the ISAC Base Station Sensing Test Using a Conductive Amplitude and Phase Matrix Setup: The Framework and Experimental Validation

Journal article, 2026

Comprehensive evaluation of the functionalities, algorithms, hardware components, and performance characteristics of future integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) base stations (BSs) under realistic deployment scenarios in controlled laboratory environments represents a critical requirement for ISAC technology advancement. A primary challenge in achieving this objective involves the emulation of multiple targets with arbitrary radar cross section (RCS), range, angle, and Doppler profiles for an ISAC BS equipped with large-scale antenna arrays using a radar target simulator (RTS) with limited interface ports. In this work, we introduce a simple, yet highly effective and practical conductive amplitude and phase matrix framework to address this fundamental challenge. The core concept involves introducing a tunable conductive amplitude and phase modulation (APM) network in the test configuration between the ISAC BS under test and an RTS. Based on this structure, we subsequently investigate the corresponding configurations for different sensing operational modes of ISAC BSs, specifically the array duplex transmission and reception (ADTR) mode and the split-array transmission and reception (SATR) mode. For experimental validation, we design two distinct monostatic sensing scenarios to demonstrate the framework’s capabilities across both operational modes. The first scenario involves dynamic multidrone sensing validation for ADTR mode operation, while the second scenario addresses static single-drone sensing for SATR mode validation. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework can accurately emulate the joint RCS, range, velocity, and angular characteristics of multiple sensing targets within the conductive test environment, highlighting its significant potential for testing applications in sub-6-GHz ISAC BS development and validation.