Alamouti coding scheme and virtual array concept for joint radar and communication systems

This paper focuses on the integration of radar and communication (RadCom) systems on a common platform. We consider a scenario with multiple transmit and receive antennas, where the integration of the two functionalities is achieved through the use of Alamouti coding and OFDM waveform. It is shown that by using the Alamouti coding scheme, the spatial diversity order is improved as in legacy communication systems, which has a favorable impact on the bit error rate (BER). Furthermore, as the Alamouti code is an orthogonal code the radar's angle resolution is improved through the use of the virtual array concept.

I. Introduction

Wireless communication and radar systems have been historically designed and developed in total isolation from one another. Although, both systems share similar features that can promote systems handling the trend towards less exclusionary spectrum policies and interference [1]. Nowadays, the scarcity of the radio spectrum is becoming a problem for the telecommunication sector, leading to the study of new manners for coexistence [2]. Joint radar and communication systems (RadCom) stands as one of the paradigms candidate endeavoring to achieve more efficient use of the radio spectrum, relieving the problem of scarcity.