41. Simultaneous Ranging and Communication Based on X-Ray Communications

To satisfy the increasing requirement for accurate range measurement and high rate data transmission, a new simultaneous ranging and communication system based on X-ray communications (XCOM) is proposed. To achieve simultaneous range measurement and data communication, a specific signal structure is designed. The designed signal structure guarantees the simultaneous transmission of the ranging and communication information. By matching the local sequence number of the signal symbol with the sequence number propagating through the two-way range, the range can be calculated. In this paper, the basic principles of the proposed method is described and the related key techniques are analysed in detail. Besides, the performance of the proposed method is analysed both theoretically and numerically. The analysis covers the data rate, the acquisition probability, the ranging jitter, etc. Compared with the available methods, the proposed method improves the link efficiency and is helpful for system miniaturization and integration, which provides an option for future deep space explorations.