Radio Signal Scavenging Technology: A New Method of Radio Channel Sounding

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02136
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 21020:Communication and network engineering-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Takada Jun-ichi 東京工業大学, 環境・社会理工学院, 教授 (90222083)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 齋藤 健太郎 東京工業大学, 環境・社会理工学院, 助教 (40756665)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 電波伝搬 / ソフトウェア無線 / radio signal scavenging / 電磁波計測

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on the utilization of radio signals already available for other services to conduct the radio porpagation measurement without additional transmission of radio signal, which is named radio signal scavenging. Specific applications are considered, then set up of the equipment as well as the data processing have been investigated.
Two applications, i.e. inter-terminal propagation measurement by using 3G mobile radio, and tree obstruction loss measurement by using 5G mobile radio. There are some minor issues, but the equipment setup as well as the data processing schemes have been established.

Free Research Field

通信工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

電波伝搬研究は，無線通信サービスの根幹となる通信の可否に関わる重要な技術である．一方で無線通信の逼迫により実サービスへの共用が優先され，電波伝搬研究を行うための電波資源割当は未使用の新周波数帯を除いてほぼ不可能となっている．本研究では，すでに電波発射している既存の無線局の信号を利用して電波伝搬計測を行うものであり，電波伝搬研究の将来展開に向けた有力な手法である．一見自明の手法のように見えるが，電波伝搬特性を装置特性から切り離して取り出すことが本研究の中心的な課題であり，電波伝搬研究の民主化・オープンサイエンス化に貢献する意義のある研究である．