Communication device combining communication function and positioning function and operation method thereof

1 . A communication device combining a communication function and a positioning function, the communication device comprising:

a photonics-based sub-terahertz (sub-THz) transmission unit configured to transmit a sub-THz signal generated by beating two optical signals having different wavelengths; and

a positioning unit configured to determine a position of a target using the sub-THz signal transmitted by the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit and received by the positioning unit by being reflected by the target,

wherein the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit is configured to adjust a transmission direction of the sub-THz signal based on the position of the target determined by the positioning unit,

wherein the positioning unit comprises:

a plurality of receiving antennas for sensing disposed at positions separated by a same distance from a receiving antenna for communication included in a photonics-based sub-THz receiver unit.

2 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit comprises:

a first optical signal generator;

a first optical modulator configured to optically modulate a first optical signal that is provided by the first optical signal generator, based on an externally injected baseband data signal;

a second optical signal generator configured to produce a second optical signal having a different wavelength from a wavelength of the first optical signal;

a first photodetector configured to generate a sub-THz signal by beating the first optical signal and the second optical signal; and

at least one transmitting antenna configured to transmit the generated sub-THz signal.

3 . The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the positioning unit comprises:

at least one receiving antenna for sensing configured to receive a sub-THz signal reflected by the target;

a mixer configured to convert a sub-THz signal received through the receiving antenna for sensing into a baseband signal;

a second optical modulator configured to generate a third optical signal by optically modulating the baseband signal obtained through conversion by the mixer, based on a first optical signal optically modulated by a first optical modulator of the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit;

a second photodetector configured to generate an optical beating signal by beating the third optical signal and the first optical signal; and

a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to measure the position of the target using the optical beating signal.

4 . The communication device of claim 3 , wherein the DSP is configured to measure the position of the target using a time delay of the optical beating signal and a speed of the optical beating signal.

5 . An operation method of a communication device combining a communication function and a positioning function, the operation method comprising:

transmitting, by a photonic-based sub-terahertz (sub-THz) transmission unit, a sub-THz signal generated by beating two optical signals having different wavelengths; and

determining, by a positioning unit, position of a target using the sub-THz signal transmitted by the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit and received by the positioning unit by being reflected by the target,

wherein the transmitting of the sub-THz signal comprises:

adjusting a transmission direction of the sub-THz signal based on the position of the target determined by the positioning unit,

wherein the positioning unit comprises:

a plurality of receiving antennas for sensing disposed at positions separated by a same distance from a receiving antenna for communication included in a photonics-based sub-THz receiver.

6 . The operation method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitting of the sub-THz signal comprises:

generating a first optical signal by a first optical signal generator;

optically modulating, by a first optical modulator, the output first optical signal based on an externally injected baseband data signal;

generating, by a second optical signal generator, a second optical signal having a different wavelength from a wavelength of the first optical signal;

generating, by a first photodetector, a sub-THz signal by beating the first optical signal and the second optical signal; and

transmitting the generated sub-THz signal through at least one transmitting antenna.

7 . The operation method of claim 5 , wherein the determining of the position of the target further comprises:

receiving a sub-THz signal reflected by the target through at least one receiving antenna for sensing;

converting, by a mixer, a sub-THz signal received through the receiving antenna for sensing into a baseband signal;

providing, by a second optical modulator, a third optical signal by optically modulating the baseband signal obtained through conversion based on a first optical signal optically modulated by a first optical modulator of the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit;

generating, by a second photodetector, an optical beating signal by beating the third optical signal and the first optical signal; and

measuring, by a digital signal processor (DSP), the position of the target using the optical beating signal.

8 . The operation method of claim 7 , wherein the measuring of the position of the target comprises:

measuring the position of the target using a time delay of the optical beating signal and a speed of the optical beating signal.

9 . A communication system combining a communication function and a positioning function, the communication system comprising:

a photonics-based sub-terahertz (sub-THz) transmission unit configured to transmit a sub-THz signal generated by beating two optical signals having different wavelengths;

a photonics-based sub-THz receiver unit configured to receive a sub-THz signal transmitted from another transmission unit using a local oscillator (LO) signal; and

a positioning unit configured to determine a position of a target using the sub-THz signal transmitted by the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit and received by the positioning unit by being reflected by the target,

wherein the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit is configured to adjust a transmission direction of the sub-THz signal based on the position of the target determined by the positioning unit,

wherein the positioning unit comprises:

a plurality of receiving antennas for sensing disposed at positions separated by a same distance from a receiving antenna for communication included in a photonics-based sub-THz receiver unit.

10 . The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit comprises:

a first optical signal generator;

a first optical modulator configured to optically modulate a first optical signal that is provided by the first optical signal generator, based on an externally injected baseband data signal;

a second optical signal generator configured to produce a second optical signal having a different wavelength from a wavelength of the first optical signal;

a first photodetector configured to generate a sub-THz signal by beating the first optical signal and the second optical signal; and

at least one transmitting antenna configured to transmit the generated sub-THz signal.

11 . The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the photonics-based sub-THz receiver unit comprises:

at least one receiving antenna for communication configured to receive a sub-THz signal provided by another photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit;

a first mixer configured to convert a sub-THz signal received through the receiving antenna for communication into a baseband signal; and

a baseband signal processor configured to restore a data signal from the baseband signal obtained through conversion by the first mixer.

12 . The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the positioning unit comprises:

at least one receiving antenna for sensing configured to receive a sub-THz signal reflected by the target;

a second mixer configured to convert a sub-THz signal received through the receiving antenna for sensing into a baseband signal;

a second optical modulator configured to provide a third optical signal by optically modulating the baseband signal obtained through conversion by the second mixer, based on a first optical signal optically modulated by a first optical modulator of the photonics-based sub-THz transmission unit;

a second photodetector configured to generate an optical beating signal by beating the third optical signal and the first optical signal; and

a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to measure the position of the target using the optical beating signal.

13 . The communication system of claim 12 , wherein the DSP is configured to measure the position of the target using a time delay of the optical beating signal and a speed of the optical beating signal.