On Discrete Ambiguity Functions of Random Communication Waveforms

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Zhang, Ying, Liu, Fan, Xiong, Yifeng, Yuan, Weijie, Li, Shuangyang, Zheng, Le, Han, Tony Xiao, Masouros, Christos, Jin, Shi
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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_version_ 1866912925131735040
author Zhang, Ying
Liu, Fan
Xiong, Yifeng
Yuan, Weijie
Li, Shuangyang
Zheng, Le
Han, Tony Xiao
Masouros, Christos
Jin, Shi
author_facet Zhang, Ying
Liu, Fan
Xiong, Yifeng
Yuan, Weijie
Li, Shuangyang
Zheng, Le
Han, Tony Xiao
Masouros, Christos
Jin, Shi
contents This paper provides a fundamental characterization of the discrete ambiguity functions (AFs) of random communication waveforms under arbitrary orthonormal modulation with random constellation symbols, which serve as a key metric for evaluating the delay-Doppler sensing performance in future ISAC applications. A unified analytical framework is developed for two types of AFs, namely the discrete periodic AF (DP-AF) and the fast-slow time AF (FST-AF), where the latter may be seen as a small-Doppler approximation of the DP-AF. By analyzing the expectation of squared AFs, we derive exact closed-form expressions for both the expected sidelobe level (ESL) and the expected integrated sidelobe level (EISL) under the DP-AF and FST-AF formulations. For the DP-AF, we prove that the normalized EISL is identical for all orthogonal waveforms. To gain structural insights, we introduce a matrix representation based on the finite Weyl-Heisenberg (WH) group, where each delay-Doppler shift corresponds to a WH operator acting on the ISAC signal. This WH-group viewpoint yields sharp geometric constraints on the lowest sidelobes: The minimum ESL can only occur along a one-dimensional cut or over a set of widely dispersed delay-Doppler bins. Consequently, no waveform can attain the minimum ESL over any compact two-dimensional region, leading to a no-optimality (no-go) result under the DP-AF framework. For the FST-AF, the closed-form ESL and EISL expressions reveal a constellation-dependent regime governed by its kurtosis: The OFDM modulation achieves the minimum ESL for sub-Gaussian constellations, whereas the OTFS waveform becomes optimal for super-Gaussian constellations. Finally, four representative waveforms, namely, SC, OFDM, OTFS, and AFDM, are examined under both frameworks, and all theoretical results are verified through numerical examples.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_08352
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle On Discrete Ambiguity Functions of Random Communication Waveforms
Zhang, Ying
Liu, Fan
Xiong, Yifeng
Yuan, Weijie
Li, Shuangyang
Zheng, Le
Han, Tony Xiao
Masouros, Christos
Jin, Shi
Information Theory
Signal Processing
This paper provides a fundamental characterization of the discrete ambiguity functions (AFs) of random communication waveforms under arbitrary orthonormal modulation with random constellation symbols, which serve as a key metric for evaluating the delay-Doppler sensing performance in future ISAC applications. A unified analytical framework is developed for two types of AFs, namely the discrete periodic AF (DP-AF) and the fast-slow time AF (FST-AF), where the latter may be seen as a small-Doppler approximation of the DP-AF. By analyzing the expectation of squared AFs, we derive exact closed-form expressions for both the expected sidelobe level (ESL) and the expected integrated sidelobe level (EISL) under the DP-AF and FST-AF formulations. For the DP-AF, we prove that the normalized EISL is identical for all orthogonal waveforms. To gain structural insights, we introduce a matrix representation based on the finite Weyl-Heisenberg (WH) group, where each delay-Doppler shift corresponds to a WH operator acting on the ISAC signal. This WH-group viewpoint yields sharp geometric constraints on the lowest sidelobes: The minimum ESL can only occur along a one-dimensional cut or over a set of widely dispersed delay-Doppler bins. Consequently, no waveform can attain the minimum ESL over any compact two-dimensional region, leading to a no-optimality (no-go) result under the DP-AF framework. For the FST-AF, the closed-form ESL and EISL expressions reveal a constellation-dependent regime governed by its kurtosis: The OFDM modulation achieves the minimum ESL for sub-Gaussian constellations, whereas the OTFS waveform becomes optimal for super-Gaussian constellations. Finally, four representative waveforms, namely, SC, OFDM, OTFS, and AFDM, are examined under both frameworks, and all theoretical results are verified through numerical examples.
title On Discrete Ambiguity Functions of Random Communication Waveforms
topic Information Theory
Signal Processing
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.08352