Channel Semantic Characterization for Integrated Sensing and Communication Scenarios: From Measurements to Modeling

As a novel technology in the sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication systems, integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) enables intelligent agents to perceive, predict, and interact with the environment. It is crucial for ISAC to acquire environmental information based on electromagnetic propagation, referred to as channel semantics, to facilitate tasks such as decision-making and beamforming. However, channel models that focus on physical characteristics face challenges in representing the semantics embedded in the channel, thereby limiting the performance evaluation of ISAC systems. To tackle this, we present a novel unified framework for channel modeling from the conceptual event perspective. By leveraging a multi-level semantic structure and characterized knowledge libraries, the framework decomposes complex channel characteristics into composable and extensible high-level semantic characterization, thereby better capturing the relationship between the environment and channel, and enabling more flexible adjustments of channel models for different events without requiring a complete reset. Specifically, we define channel semantics from three levels: status semantics, behavior semantics, and event semantics, corresponding to channel transient multipaths, channel time-varying trajectories, and channel topology, respectively. Taking a realistic vehicular ISAC scenario as an example, we perform semantic clustering through depth estimation and semantic segmentation of environmental images, and further characterize the channel status semantics by fitting multipath statistical distributions; behavior semantics are modeled using Markov chains to capture time-varying characteristics; event semantics are characterized by employing a co-occurrence matrix. The results indicate that the proposed model can generate accurate channels whereas representing rich semantic information. Additionally, generalization of the model for customized semantics is demonstrated.