Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
Integrated Sensing and Communication
6G
5G-Advanced
network-grade sensing
passive object sensing
Integrated Sensing and Communication in 3GPP: Evolution from 5G-Advanced to 6G
🤖 AI Summary
This work addresses the growing demand for reliable sensing of passive objects and environments in mobile communication networks by systematically reviewing the 3GPP evolution path from 5G-Advanced to 6G integrated sensing and communication (ISAC). It proposes the first standardized, unified sensing architecture that bridges 5G-Advanced and 6G, supporting passive target detection, communication-assisted sensing, and multimodal collaboration. Built upon 3GPP Releases 19 and 20, the architecture leverages propagation delay, Doppler shift, angular information, and time-varying channel features, utilizing a monostatic radar baseline, edge computing, and licensed spectrum reuse to enable network-level sensing. The study establishes a baseline for drone detection and tracking in 5G-Advanced and defines key native sensing capabilities for 6G, offering a standardized technical roadmap for operator-controlled, infrastructure-reusing, high-reliability sensing.
📝 Abstract
Integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) extends mobile networks from information transfer toward perception of passive objects and environments. By exploiting propagation delay, Doppler, angle, and temporal variation, a mobile network can support detection and tracking while reusing licensed spectrum, infrastructure, and edge computing at network scale and under operator control. Unlike conventional radar, ISAC must additionally address multi-application access, heterogeneous sensing entities, uncertainty, privacy, trust, and integration with communication services. This article reviews the evolution of ISAC in 3GPP from 5G-Advanced to 6G. It explains Release-19 ISAC service requirements and channel models, the Release-20 sensing function architecture and reporting abstractions, and the 5G monostatic baseline for drone detection and tracking. It also examines 6G-native sensing, including passive object sensing, communication assistance, multiple sensing modes, and multi-source data integration. By connecting the evolving 3GPP architecture and radio studies across 5G-Advanced and 6G, this article provides a unified technical perspective on current standardization choices, their implementation tradeoffs, and the open challenges shaping network-grade sensing.
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC)
3GPP standardization
6G-native sensing
multi-source data integration
network-grade perception
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