Performance of Downlink and Uplink Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) Systems

Abstract: This letter analyzes the fundamental performance of integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) systems. For downlink and uplink ISAC, the diversity orders are analyzed to evaluate the communication rate (CR) and the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) slopes are unveiled for the CR as well as the sensing rate (SR). Furthermore, the achievable downlink and uplink CR-SR regions are characterized. It is shown that ISAC can provide more degrees of freedom for both the CR and the SR than conventional frequency-division sensing and communications systems where isolated frequency bands are used for sensing and communications, respectively.