Evolution of a Monostatic RFSoC Platform to a Quasi-Bistatic Radar with Over-the-Air Synchronization

Abstract

This thesis presents the evolution, design, and test of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based radar system. The application of this research question involves the implementation of an Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) radar system that can be seamlessly integrated into existing wireless communication networks. The primary objective of this thesis project is to integrate RX timing synchronization between two RF frontend modules and a carrier frequency compensation scheme, enabling a quasi-bistatic setup for the radar test bench. The former iteration of the radar test bench is a monostatic setup with both the RX and TX RF frontend modules synchronized, working together as a full duplex. This work separates the two RF frontends to a distance comparable to the distance from the sensing targets and then to rely on over-the-air (OTA) synchronization methods.

Both the OTA timing synchronization and Carrier Frequency Offset (CFO) compensation schemes have been implemented on the programmable logic of a AMD Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC ZCU208. The results and functionality of both timing synchronization and CFO compensation schemes have been validated in both RTL simulation and hardware implementation and testing. The radar detection performance of the system has proved favorable with the ability to resolve the range of reflective targets. Doppler and velocity estimation has proved more limited. This work provides a scalable foundation for a robust, hardware-accelerated ISAC radar system for future communication technologies and systems.

Popular Abstract

Every text message sent, every song streamed on a train journey, and every scroll through social media rely on the invisible web of wireless signals. Today, these signals have one job: carrying data. But what if this same infrastructure could be used to "see" the physical world around us?

Our research focuses on Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC), a technology that transforms ordinary communication signals into an accurate radar system. By harnessing the waves and signals that are already bouncing around us, we can track autonomous drones, monitor traffic flow, or coordinate robotic logistics without installing a single new sensor. This project has successfully developed a system that aims to serve three purposes. We can utilize an already existing communication system to track the distance and speed of the targets in real-time. By implementing the design on field-programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware, we can harness the high data throughput possible with a hardware-accelerated implementation of the communication and sensing system. With a hardware implementation, we can process both sensing and communication much faster than a standard computer running a script. As wireless networks utilize multiple base station sites to create a communication network, it is advantageous to use multiple devices that work in tandem with each other. Using multiple communication and sensing sites together creates distinct advantages over just using one physical location.

This project focuses on the necessary engineering changes required to turn a single site sensing system in a dual site sensing radar system. To enable such a system, synchronization is a major challenge to get multiple sensing devices to work as one cohesive system. We have targeted two important synchronization concepts that include timing synchronization between the two separated sites and a mismatch in frequency caused by using two separated clocks. With these implemented changes we were able to verify their performance and certify that the radar capabilities of the system remained functional. With our research implemented at scale, we can move towards a future where our current wireless networks can be used as an intelligent sensor zone. A potential digital nervous system that can make autonomous transport safer and make the digital world more aware of the physical one.

• author: La, Alexander Jaeyoun and Stopar, Matevž
• supervisor: Liang Liu; Sijia Cheng
• organization: Department of Electrical and Information Technology
• course: EITM02 20261
• year: 2026
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Technology and Engineering
• keywords: OFDM, Radar, ISAC, Bistatic, Radio Frequency, PYNQ, Field Programmable Gate Array, Integrated Sensing and Communication, Carrier Frequency Offset.
• report number: LU/LTH-EIT 2026-1167
• language: English
• id: 9240777
• date added to LUP: 2026-06-17 16:29:36
• date last changed: 2026-06-17 16:29:36