A Cross-Medium Uplink Communication Model Merging Acoustic and Millimeter Waves

Abstract

Uplink communication across the water–air interface holds great potential for offshore oil surveys and military applications. Among the various methods available for implementing uplink communication, translational acoustic-RF (TARF) communication stands out due to its ability to withstand wave interference and exhibit low absorption losses. However, the physical processes underlying such systems are currently under-researched, and channel models for evaluating its communication performance indicators are lacking. Herein, we propose a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) channel model for evaluating the performance metrics of an uplink communication system combining acoustic and millimeter waves for the first time and validate the accuracy of the proposed model through experiments. Specifically, in the process of model construction, the physical process of the communication system was deeply studied, and the corrections of multipath effects, box vibrations, and second-order nonlinear coefficients of the amplitude of the water surface were realized. The water-to-air cross-medium communication system was built, and communication experiments were conducted to validate the feasibility of combining acoustic and millimeter wave communication. This research provides a theoretical and experimental foundation for the design and evaluation of TARF communication systems, providing valuable guidance for enhancing the system’s performance metrics and promising an innovative approach for modern seaborne communication.