Joint Radar-Communication Transmission: A Generalized Pareto Optimization Framework

Dual-functional radar-communication (DFRC) has been envisioned as a key enabler for a number of emerging applications. Nevertheless, the intrinsic difference between communication and sensing functionalities has imposed challenges in fully realizing the promise of the technology. In this paper, we propose a Pareto optimization framework for a multi-antenna DFRC system, where a single transmitter with multiple antennas communicates with multiple users and detects radar targets simultaneously. To begin with, we define an achievable performance region that is built upon the difference between peak and sidelobe (DPSL) of the radar spatial beampattern and the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of each communication user, which is proved to be compact and normal. Then, we formulate a fairness-profile optimization problem with a lowest acceptable performance level of dual functionalities and a pre-defined direction to attain the Pareto boundary of the achievable performance region. Also, we provide a bisection search algorithm to solve the Pareto optimization problem with polynomial complexity, and prove its optimality can be achieved by single-stream transmission. As a further step, we extend the discussion to the DFRC beamforming design given hardware impairments. Finally, we evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed design and the impact brought by the impairments by numerical simulations.