Advanced Topics in Communications

Name of Module:
"Advanced Topics in Communications"

Name of Course (starting Summer 2025):
"Advanced Topics in Wireless Communications"

Prerequisite: Basic Course on Wireless Communications of our Institute

Wireless communications is today's predominant network access technology, be it Bluetooth, WiFi, or Mobile Cellular Systems such as GSM, UMTS, LTE, 5G, or the 6G Systems to come.

This course discusses advanced topics on the physical layer of wireless systems, like transmit and receive algorithms in the context of multiple antenna channels, for communication as well as for sensing applications, bringing you close to the current state-of-the-art.

Students will become

• familiar with current research topics in wireless communications at the institute
• able to comprehend recently published papers in leading scientific journals such as IEEE Transaction on Communications, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, and IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing
• ready to apply theoretical concepts and other acquired knowledge in designing and prototyping communication systems.

Topic 1: Multi-Antenna Technology, Multi-User and Massive MIMO

• Space-Time Block Codes
• TDD and FDD systems (TBD)
• CSI feedback and beam codebooks (TBD)
• Massive MIMO and channel hardening (TBD)
• Closed loop point-to-point MIMO
• Capacity of closed-loop MIMO channels
• Waterfilling algorithm

Topic 2: Antenna Arrays

• Radiation patterns, array factor
• Beamforming, beamspace and element space
• Array arrangements: Uniform linear arrays, uniform planar arrays and others
• Array architectures: Fixed radiation patterns, beamforming networks, analog arrays, digital arrays and hybrid architectures
• Array calibration

Topic 3: Channel Modeling and Raytracing

• Recap: Multipath propagation and Doppler effect
• Stochastic channel models
• Stochastic modelling of the Doppler effect
• Delay spread and coherence bandwidth
• Reflection, refraction, diffraction and scattering
• Path tracing and Jones calculus
• From paths to channel impulse responses: End-to-end raytracing channel model

Topic 4: Radar Signal Processing and Wireless Sensing

• Overview: "Integrated Communication and Sensing" and radar systems
• Doppler-delay-domain
• Radar waveforms (CW, FMCW, pulse radar, pulse compression radar, OFDM radar)
• Pulse ambiguity function
• Stop-and-hop assumption
• Orthogonality of dimensions: Beamspace, Doppler, delay

Topic 5: Localization and Super-Resolution Spectral Estimation Techniques

• Radio localization: Triangulation (AoA estimation), multilateration (ToA estimation), deep learning-based techniques (overview)
• Spectral estimation (frequency estimation), resolution limit
• MUSIC (MUltiple SIgnal Classification) super-resolution algorithm
• MVDR algorithm
• Other spectral estimation methods

Note: Course contents subject to change in order to keep up-to-date with latest research results and developments in the communications industry.