ITMay 28
User-Centric Clustering for uRLLC in Cell-Free RAN via Extreme Value TheoryYu Zhang, Xinyue Yang, Dongming Wang et al.
Ultra-reliable low-latency communication (uRLLC) is a pivotal enabler for B5G/6G networks, yet it faces severe challenges from rare but critical extreme events, which are characterized by heavy tails in the delay distribution. While the cell-free radio access network (CF-RAN) architecture offers essential spatial diversity to combat these uncertainties, conventional user-centric clustering designs typically focus on average metrics, thereby inadequately addressing such tail behaviors. We propose a novel, tail-risk-aware, user-centric clustering framework operating within the finite blocklength (FBL) regime. Our approach employs extreme value theory (EVT), specifically the peaks-over-threshold (POT) model, to accurately quantify the probability of queue latency violations. This framework is applied to formulate an energy efficiency (EE) maximization problem under strict tail latency constraints. The problem is solved via an efficient online algorithm that integrates Lyapunov optimization with successive convex approximation (SCA). Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme, through its dynamic adaptation of cluster formation to mitigate tail risks, achieves a superior reliability-efficiency trade-off and leads to a significant suppression of extreme latency events.
ITApr 27
A Framework for Uplink ISAC Receiver Designs: Performance Analysis and Algorithm DevelopmentZhiyuan Yu, Hong Ren, Cunhua Pan et al.
Uplink integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems have recently emerged as a promising research direction, enabling simultaneous uplink signal detection and target sensing. {In this paper, we propose the flexible projection (FP)-type receiver that unifies the projection-type receiver and the successive interference cancellation (SIC)-type receiver by using a flexible tradeoff factor to adapt to dynamically changing uplink ISAC scenarios.} The FP-type receiver addresses the joint signal detection and target response estimation problem through two coordinated phases: 1) Communication signal detection using a reconstructed signal whose composition is controlled by the tradeoff factor, followed by 2) Target response estimation performed through subtraction of the detected communication signal from the received signal. With adjustable tradeoff factors, the FP-type receiver can balance the enhancement of the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) with the reduction of correlation in the reconstructed signal for communication signal detection. The pairwise error probability (PEP) expressions are analyzed for both the maximum likelihood (ML) and the zero-forcing (ZF) detectors, revealing that the optimal tradeoff factor should be determined based on the adopted detection algorithm and the relative power of the sensing and communication (S\&C) signals. A homotopy optimization framework is first applied for the FP-type receiver with a fixed tradeoff factor. This framework is then extended to develop the dynamic flexible projection (DFP)-type receiver, which iteratively adjusts the tradeoff factor for improved algorithm performance and environmental adaptability. Finally, we show that the length of the jointly processed signal should scale with the antenna size to fully unleash the potential of the uplink ISAC receiver.
MAMay 15
Distributed Zeroth-Order Policy Gradient for Networked Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning from Human FeedbackPengcheng Dai, He Wang, Dongming Wang et al.
We study a networked multi-agent reinforcement learning (NMARL) problem with human feedback in an infinite-horizon setting, where agents interact over an underlying network with localized state dependencies and aim to collaboratively maximize the average discounted return. Existing approaches with preference feedback are primarily developed for single-agent settings and rely on centralized training, which limits their scalability and applicability to large-scale networked multi-agent systems. To address this, we introduce a novel human feedback mechanism based on spatiotemporally truncated trajectories, defined as $H$-horizon trajectory pairs aggregated over each agent's $κ$-hop neighborhood. Building on this, we develop a distributed zeroth-order policy gradient algorithm, where each agent estimates its local policy gradient using human preference feedback generated from both the current joint policy and a perturbed joint policy drawn from zero-mean Gaussian distribution. Specifically, the algorithm is fully distributed, as the feedback received by each agent depends solely on the state-action information within its $κ$-hop neighborhood and does not require explicit reward signals or centralized control. We further rigorously establish that the proposed algorithm converges to an $ε$-stationary point with polynomial sample complexity. Finally, simulation results in a stochastic GridWorld environment and a predator-prey environment further demonstrate that the effectiveness and scalability of the proposed algorithm in achieving collaborative optimization based solely on human preference feedback.
ITJan 7
Flexible-Duplex Cell-Free Architecture for Secure Uplink Communications in Low-Altitude Wireless NetworksWei Shi, Wei Xu, Yongming Huang et al.
Low-altitude wireless networks (LAWNs) are expected to play a central role in future 6G infrastructures, yet uplink transmissions of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) remain vulnerable to eavesdropping due to their limited transmit power, constrained antenna resources, and highly exposed air-ground propagation conditions. To address this fundamental bottleneck, we propose a flexible-duplex cell-free (CF) architecture in which each distributed access point (AP) can dynamically operate either as a receive AP for UAV uplink collection or as a transmit AP that generates cooperative artificial noise (AN) for secrecy enhancement. Such AP-level duplex flexibility introduces an additional spatial degree of freedom that enables distributed and adaptive protection against wiretapping in LAWNs. Building upon this architecture, we formulate a max-min secrecy-rate problem that jointly optimizes AP mode selection, receive combining, and AN covariance design. This tightly coupled and nonconvex optimization is tackled by first deriving the optimal receive combiners in closed form, followed by developing a penalty dual decomposition (PDD) algorithm with guaranteed convergence to a stationary solution. To further reduce computational burden, we propose a low-complexity sequential scheme that determines AP modes via a heuristic metric and then updates the AN covariance matrices through closed-form iterations embedded in the PDD framework. Simulation results show that the proposed flexible-duplex architecture yields substantial secrecy-rate gains over CF systems with fixed AP roles. The joint optimization method attains the highest secrecy performance, while the low-complexity approach achieves over 90% of the optimal performance with an order-of-magnitude lower computational complexity, offering a practical solution for secure uplink communications in LAWNs.
ITDec 17, 2024
Distributed satellite information networks: Architecture, enabling technologies, and trendsQinyu Zhang, Liang Xu, Jianhao Huang et al.
Driven by the vision of ubiquitous connectivity and wireless intelligence, the evolution of ultra-dense constellation-based satellite-integrated Internet is underway, now taking preliminary shape. Nevertheless, the entrenched institutional silos and limited, nonrenewable heterogeneous network resources leave current satellite systems struggling to accommodate the escalating demands of next-generation intelligent applications. In this context, the distributed satellite information networks (DSIN), exemplified by the cohesive clustered satellites system, have emerged as an innovative architecture, bridging information gaps across diverse satellite systems, such as communication, navigation, and remote sensing, and establishing a unified, open information network paradigm to support resilient space information services. This survey first provides a profound discussion about innovative network architectures of DSIN, encompassing distributed regenerative satellite network architecture, distributed satellite computing network architecture, and reconfigurable satellite formation flying, to enable flexible and scalable communication, computing and control. The DSIN faces challenges from network heterogeneity, unpredictable channel dynamics, sparse resources, and decentralized collaboration frameworks. To address these issues, a series of enabling technologies is identified, including channel modeling and estimation, cloud-native distributed MIMO cooperation, grant-free massive access, network routing, and the proper combination of all these diversity techniques. Furthermore, to heighten the overall resource efficiency, the cross-layer optimization techniques are further developed to meet upper-layer deterministic, adaptive and secure information services requirements. In addition, emerging research directions and new opportunities are highlighted on the way to achieving the DSIN vision.
CVMar 11, 2025
NeRF-VIO: Map-Based Visual-Inertial Odometry with Initialization Leveraging Neural Radiance FieldsYanyu Zhang, Dongming Wang, Jie Xu et al.
A prior map serves as a foundational reference for localization in context-aware applications such as augmented reality (AR). Providing valuable contextual information about the environment, the prior map is a vital tool for mitigating drift. In this paper, we propose a map-based visual-inertial localization algorithm (NeRF-VIO) with initialization using neural radiance fields (NeRF). Our algorithm utilizes a multilayer perceptron model and redefines the loss function as the geodesic distance on \(SE(3)\), ensuring the invariance of the initialization model under a frame change within \(\mathfrak{se}(3)\). The evaluation demonstrates that our model outperforms existing NeRF-based initialization solution in both accuracy and efficiency. By integrating a two-stage update mechanism within a multi-state constraint Kalman filter (MSCKF) framework, the state of NeRF-VIO is constrained by both captured images from an onboard camera and rendered images from a pre-trained NeRF model. The proposed algorithm is validated using a real-world AR dataset, the results indicate that our two-stage update pipeline outperforms MSCKF across all data sequences.
NIDec 10, 2024
Access Point Deployment for Localizing Accuracy and User Rate in Cell-Free SystemsFanfei Xu, Shengheng Liu, Zihuan Mao et al.
Evolving next-generation mobile networks is designed to provide ubiquitous coverage and networked sensing. With utility of multi-view sensing and multi-node joint transmission, cell-free is a promising technique to realize this prospect. This paper aims to tackle the problem of access point (AP) deployment in cell-free systems to balance the sensing accuracy and user rate. By merging the D-optimality with Euclidean criterion, a novel integrated metric is proposed to be the objective function for both max-sum and max-min problems, which respectively guarantee the overall and lowest performance in multi-user communication and target tracking scenario. To solve the corresponding high dimensional non-convex multi-objective problem, the Soft actor-critic (SAC) is utilized to avoid risk of local optimal result. Numerical results demonstrate that proposed SAC-based APs deployment method achieves $20\%$ of overall performance and $120\%$ of lowest performance.
AINov 6, 2014
The Spaces of Data, Information, and KnowledgeXiaoyu Chen, Dongming Wang
We study the data space $D$ of any given data set $X$ and explain how functions and relations are defined over $D$. From $D$ and for a specific domain $Δ$ we construct the information space $I$ of $X$ by interpreting variables, functions, and explicit relations over $D$ in $Δ$ and by including other relations that $D$ implies under the interpretation in $Δ$. Then from $I$ we build up the knowledge space $K$ of $X$ as the product of two spaces $K_T$ and $K_P$, where $K_T$ is obtained from $I$ by using the induction principle to generalize propositional relations to quantified relations, the deduction principle to generate new relations, and standard mechanisms to validate relations and $K_P$ is the space of specifications of methods with operational instructions which are valid in $K_T$. Through our construction of the three topological spaces the following key observation is made clear: the retrieval of information from the given data set for $Δ$ consists essentially in mining domain objects and relations, and the discovery of knowledge from the retrieved information consists essentially in applying the induction and deduction principles to generate propositions, synthesizing and modeling the information to generate specifications of methods with operational instructions, and validating the propositions and specifications. Based on this observation, efficient approaches may be designed to discover profound knowledge automatically from simple data, as demonstrated by the result of our study in the case of geometry.
AIJun 6, 2014
Automated Generation of Geometric Theorems from Images of DiagramsXiaoyu Chen, Dan Song, Dongming Wang
We propose an approach to generate geometric theorems from electronic images of diagrams automatically. The approach makes use of techniques of Hough transform to recognize geometric objects and their labels and of numeric verification to mine basic geometric relations. Candidate propositions are generated from the retrieved information by using six strategies and geometric theorems are obtained from the candidates via algebraic computation. Experiments with a preliminary implementation illustrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach for generating nontrivial theorems from images of diagrams. This work demonstrates the feasibility of automated discovery of profound geometric knowledge from simple image data and has potential applications in geometric knowledge management and education.