Network-Level ISAC Design: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Opportunities

Kawon Han; Kaitao Meng; Xiao-Yang Wang; Christos Masouros

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arXiv · 2505.01295

Network-Level ISAC Design: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Opportunities

Kawon Han·Kaitao Meng·Xiao-Yang Wang·Christos Masouros

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Abstract

The ultimate goal of integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) deployment is to provide coordinated sensing and communication services at an unprecedented scale. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of network-level ISAC systems, an emerging paradigm that significantly extends the capabilities of link-level ISAC through distributed cooperation. We first examine recent advancements in network-level ISAC architectures, emphasizing various cooperation schemes and distributed system designs. The sensing and communication (S\&C) performance is analyzed with respect to interference management and cooperative S\&C, offering new insights into the design principles necessary for large-scale networked ISAC deployments. In addition, distributed signaling strategies across different levels of cooperation are reviewed, focusing on key performance metrics such as sensing accuracy and communication quality-of-service (QoS). Next, we explore the key challenges for practical deployment where the critical role of synchronization is also discussed, highlighting advanced over-the-air synchronization techniques specifically tailored for bi-static and distributed ISAC systems. Finally, open challenges and future research directions in network-level ISAC design are identified. The findings and discussions aim to serve as a foundational guideline for advancing scalable, high-performance, and resilient distributed ISAC systems in next-generation wireless networks.

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Kawon Han, Kaitao Meng, Xiao-Yang Wang, Christos Masouros. 2025-05-02. Network-Level ISAC Design: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Opportunities. https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.01295

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