Cutting-Edge Challenges in Communication Technology and Computer Network Security

The rapid development of communication technology and computer networks has brought a lot of convenience to production and life,but it also increases the security problem.Information security has become one of the severe challenges faced by people in the digital age.Currently,the security problems facing the field of communication technology and computer networks in China mainly include the evolution of offensive technology,the risk of large-scale data transmission,the potential vulnerabilities introduced by emerging technology,and the dilemma of user identity verification.This paper analyzes the frontier challenges of communication technology and computer network security,and puts forward corresponding solutions,hoping to provide ideas for coping with the security challenges of communication technology and computer networks.

Stackelberg Game for Wireless Powered and Backscattering Enabled Sensor Networks

This paper investigates a wireless powered and backscattering enabled sensor network based on the non-linear energy harvesting model, where the power beacon(PB) delivers energy signals to wireless sensors to enable their passive backscattering and active transmission to the access point(AP). We propose an efficient time scheduling scheme for network performance enhancement, based on which each sensor can always harvest energy from the PB over the entire block except its time slots allocated for passive and active information delivery. Considering the PB and wireless sensors are from two selfish service providers, we use the Stackelberg game to model the energy interaction among them. To address the non-convexity of the leader-level problem, we propose to decompose the original problem into two subproblems and solve them iteratively in an alternating manner. Specifically, the successive convex approximation, semi-definite relaxation(SDR) and variable substitution techniques are applied to find a nearoptimal solution. To evaluate the performance loss caused by the interaction between two providers, we further investigate the social welfare maximization problem. Numerical results demonstrate that compared to the benchmark schemes, the proposed scheme can achieve up to 35.4% and 38.7% utility gain for the leader and the follower, respectively.

A CSMA/CA based MAC protocol for hybrid Power-line/Visible-light communication networks:Design and analysis

Hybrid Power-line/Visible-light Communication(HPVC)network has been one of the most promising Cooperative Communication(CC)technologies for constructing Smart Home due to its superior communication reliability and hardware efficiency.Current research on HPVC networks focuses on the performance analysis and optimization of the Physical(PHY)layer,where the Power Line Communication(PLC)component only serves as the backbone to provide power to light Emitting Diode(LED)devices.So designing a Media Access Control(MAC)protocol remains a great challenge because it allows both PLC and Visible Light Communication(VLC)components to operate data transmission,i.e.,to achieve a true HPVC network CC.To solve this problem,we propose a new HPC network MAC protocol(HPVC MAC)based on Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance(CSMA/CA)by combining IEEE 802.15.7 and IEEE 1901 standards.Firstly,we add an Additional Assistance(AA)layer to provide the channel selection strategies for sensor stations,so that they can complete data transmission on the selected channel via the specified CSMA/CA mechanism,respectively.Based on this,we give a detailed working principle of the HPVC MAC,followed by the construction of a joint analytical model for mathematicalmathematical validation of the HPVC MAC.In the modeling process,the impacts of PHY layer settings(including channel fading types and additive noise feature),CSMA/CA mechanisms of 802.15.7 and 1901,and practical configurations(such as traffic rate,transit buffer size)are comprehensively taken into consideration.Moreover,we prove the proposed analytical model has the solvability.Finally,through extensive simulations,we characterize the HPVC MAC performance under different system parameters and verify the correctness of the corresponding analytical model with an average error rate of 4.62%between the simulation and analytical results.

Falcon Optimization Algorithm-Based Energy Efficient Communication Protocol for Cluster-Based Vehicular Networks

Rapid development in Information Technology(IT)has allowed several novel application regions like large outdoor vehicular networks for Vehicle-to-Vehicle(V2V)transmission.Vehicular networks give a safe and more effective driving experience by presenting time-sensitive and location-aware data.The communication occurs directly between V2V and Base Station(BS)units such as the Road Side Unit(RSU),named as a Vehicle to Infrastructure(V2I).However,the frequent topology alterations in VANETs generate several problems with data transmission as the vehicle velocity differs with time.Therefore,the scheme of an effectual routing protocol for reliable and stable communications is significant.Current research demonstrates that clustering is an intelligent method for effectual routing in a mobile environment.Therefore,this article presents a Falcon Optimization Algorithm-based Energy Efficient Communication Protocol for Cluster-based Routing(FOA-EECPCR)technique in VANETS.The FOA-EECPCR technique intends to group the vehicles and determine the shortest route in the VANET.To accomplish this,the FOA-EECPCR technique initially clusters the vehicles using FOA with fitness functions comprising energy,distance,and trust level.For the routing process,the Sparrow Search Algorithm(SSA)is derived with a fitness function that encompasses two variables,namely,energy and distance.A series of experiments have been conducted to exhibit the enhanced performance of the FOA-EECPCR method.The experimental outcomes demonstrate the enhanced performance of the FOA-EECPCR approach over other current methods.

Mega-Constellations Based TT&C Resource Sharing: Keep Reliable Aeronautical Communication in an Emergency

With the development of the transportation industry, the effective guidance of aircraft in an emergency to prevent catastrophic accidents remains one of the top safety concerns. Undoubtedly, operational status data of the aircraft play an important role in the judgment and command of the Operational Control Center(OCC). However, how to transmit various operational status data from abnormal aircraft back to the OCC in an emergency is still an open problem. In this paper, we propose a novel Telemetry, Tracking,and Command(TT&C) architecture named Collaborative TT&C(CoTT&C) based on mega-constellation to solve such a problem. CoTT&C allows each satellite to help the abnormal aircraft by sharing TT&C resources when needed, realizing real-time and reliable aeronautical communication in an emergency. Specifically, we design a dynamic resource sharing mechanism for CoTT&C and model the mechanism as a single-leader-multi-follower Stackelberg game. Further, we give an unique Nash Equilibrium(NE) of the game as a closed form. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed resource sharing mechanism is effective, incentive compatible, fair, and reciprocal. We hope that our findings can shed some light for future research on aeronautical communications in an emergency.

Protocol-Based Non-Fragile State Estimation for Delayed Recurrent Neural Networks Subject to Replay Attacks

Dear Editor, This letter focuses on the protocol-based non-fragile state estimation problem for a class of recurrent neural networks(RNNs). With the development of communication technology, the networked systems have received particular attentions. The networked system brings advantages such as easy to implement.

Call for Papers--Feature Topic Vol. 22, No. 3, 2025 Special Issue of China Communications: Convergence of 6G empowered Edge Intelligence and Generative AI: Theories, Algorithms, and Applications

Generative artificial intelligence(AI), as an emerging paradigm in content generation, has demonstrated its great potentials in creating high-fidelity data including images, texts, and videos. Nowadays wireless networks and applications have been rapidly evolving from achieving “connected things” to embracing “connected intelligence”.

Robot-Oriented 6G Satellite-UAV Networks: Requirements, Paradigm Shifts, and Case Studies

Networked robots can perceive their surroundings, interact with each other or humans,and make decisions to accomplish specified tasks in remote/hazardous/complex environments. Satelliteunmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) networks can support such robots by providing on-demand communication services. However, under traditional open-loop communication paradigm, the network resources are usually divided into user-wise mostly-independent links,via ignoring the task-level dependency of robot collaboration. Thus, it is imperative to develop a new communication paradigm, taking into account the highlevel content and values behind, to facilitate multirobot operation. Inspired by Wiener’s Cybernetics theory, this article explores a closed-loop communication paradigm for the robot-oriented satellite-UAV network. This paradigm turns to handle group-wise structured links, so as to allocate resources in a taskoriented manner. It could also exploit the mobility of robots to liberate the network from full coverage,enabling new orchestration between network serving and positive mobility control of robots. Moreover,the integration of sensing, communications, computing and control would enlarge the benefit of this new paradigm. We present a case study for joint mobile edge computing(MEC) offloading and mobility control of robots, and finally outline potential challenges and open issues.

Covert LEO Satellite Communication Aided by Generative Adversarial Network Based Cooperative UAV Jamming

In this paper,we study the covert performance of the downlink low earth orbit(LEO)satellite communication,where the unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)is employed as a cooperative jammer.To maximize the covert rate of the LEO satellite transmission,a multi-objective problem is formulated to jointly optimize the UAV’s jamming power and trajectory.For practical consideration,we assume that the UAV can only have partial environmental information,and can’t know the detection threshold and exact location of the eavesdropper on the ground.To solve the multiobjective problem,we propose the data-driven generative adversarial network(DD-GAN)based method to optimize the power and trajectory of the UAV,in which the sample data is collected by using genetic algorithm(GA).Simulation results show that the jamming solution of UAV generated by DD-GAN can achieve an effective trade-off between covert rate and probability of detection errors when only limited prior information is obtained.

Ultimately Bounded Output Feedback Control for Networked Nonlinear Systems With Unreliable Communication Channel: A Buffer-Aided Strategy

This paper concerns ultimately bounded output-feedback control problems for networked systems with unknown nonlinear dynamics. Sensor-to-observer signal transmission is facilitated over networks that has communication constraints.These transmissions are carried out over an unreliable communication channel. In order to enhance the utilization rate of measurement data, a buffer-aided strategy is novelly employed to store historical measurements when communication networks are inaccessible. Using the neural network technique, a novel observer-based controller is introduced to address effects of signal transmission behaviors and unknown nonlinear dynamics.Through the application of stochastic analysis and Lyapunov stability, a joint framework is constructed for analyzing resultant system performance under the introduced controller. Subsequently, existence conditions for the desired output-feedback controller are delineated. The required parameters for the observerbased controller are then determined by resolving some specific matrix inequalities. Finally, a simulation example is showcased to confirm method efficacy.

Secrecy Outage Probability Minimization in Wireless-Powered Communications Using an Improved Biogeography-Based Optimization-Inspired Recurrent Neural Network

This paper focuses on wireless-powered communication systems,which are increasingly relevant in the Internet of Things(IoT)due to their ability to extend the operational lifetime of devices with limited energy.The main contribution of the paper is a novel approach to minimize the secrecy outage probability(SOP)in these systems.Minimizing SOP is crucial for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of data,especially in situations where the transmission of sensitive data is critical.Our proposed method harnesses the power of an improved biogeography-based optimization(IBBO)to effectively train a recurrent neural network(RNN).The proposed IBBO introduces an innovative migration model.The core advantage of IBBO lies in its adeptness at maintaining equilibrium between exploration and exploitation.This is accomplished by integrating tactics such as advancing towards a random habitat,adopting the crossover operator from genetic algorithms(GA),and utilizing the global best(Gbest)operator from particle swarm optimization(PSO)into the IBBO framework.The IBBO demonstrates its efficacy by enabling the RNN to optimize the system parameters,resulting in significant outage probability reduction.Through comprehensive simulations,we showcase the superiority of the IBBO-RNN over existing approaches,highlighting its capability to achieve remarkable gains in SOP minimization.This paper compares nine methods for predicting outage probability in wireless-powered communications.The IBBO-RNN achieved the highest accuracy rate of 98.92%,showing a significant performance improvement.In contrast,the standard RNN recorded lower accuracy rates of 91.27%.The IBBO-RNN maintains lower SOP values across the entire signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)spectrum tested,suggesting that the method is highly effective at optimizing system parameters for improved secrecy even at lower SNRs.

Nonlinear Filtering With Sample-Based Approximation Under Constrained Communication:Progress, Insights and Trends

The nonlinear filtering problem has enduringly been an active research topic in both academia and industry due to its ever-growing theoretical importance and practical significance.The main objective of nonlinear filtering is to infer the states of a nonlinear dynamical system of interest based on the available noisy measurements. In recent years, the advance of network communication technology has not only popularized the networked systems with apparent advantages in terms of installation,cost and maintenance, but also brought about a series of challenges to the design of nonlinear filtering algorithms, among which the communication constraint has been recognized as a dominating concern. In this context, a great number of investigations have been launched towards the networked nonlinear filtering problem with communication constraints, and many samplebased nonlinear filters have been developed to deal with the highly nonlinear and/or non-Gaussian scenarios. The aim of this paper is to provide a timely survey about the recent advances on the sample-based networked nonlinear filtering problem from the perspective of communication constraints. More specifically, we first review three important families of sample-based filtering methods known as the unscented Kalman filter, particle filter,and maximum correntropy filter. Then, the latest developments are surveyed with stress on the topics regarding incomplete/imperfect information, limited resources and cyber security.Finally, several challenges and open problems are highlighted to shed some lights on the possible trends of future research in this realm.

For LEO Satellite Networks: Intelligent Interference Sensing and Signal Reconstruction Based on Blind Separation Technology

In LEO satellite communication networks,the number of satellites has increased sharply, the relative velocity of satellites is very fast, then electronic signal aliasing occurs from time to time. Those aliasing signals make the receiving ability of the signal receiver worse, the signal processing ability weaker,and the anti-interference ability of the communication system lower. Aiming at the above problems, to save communication resources and improve communication efficiency, and considering the irregularity of interference signals, the underdetermined blind separation technology can effectively deal with the problem of interference sensing and signal reconstruction in this scenario. In order to improve the stability of source signal separation and the security of information transmission, a greedy optimization algorithm can be executed. At the same time, to improve network information transmission efficiency and prevent algorithms from getting trapped in local optima, delete low-energy points during each iteration process. Ultimately, simulation experiments validate that the algorithm presented in this paper enhances both the transmission efficiency of the network transmission system and the security of the communication system, achieving the process of interference sensing and signal reconstruction in the LEO satellite communication system.

Information Centric Networking Based Cooperative Caching Framework for 5G Communication Systems

The demands on conventional communication networks are increasing rapidly because of the exponential expansion of connected multimedia content.In light of the data-centric aspect of contemporary communication,the information-centric network(ICN)paradigm offers hope for a solution by emphasizing content retrieval by name instead of location.If 5G networks are to meet the expected data demand surge from expanded connectivity and Internet of Things(IoT)devices,then effective caching solutions will be required tomaximize network throughput andminimize the use of resources.Hence,an ICN-based Cooperative Caching(ICN-CoC)technique has been used to select a cache by considering cache position,content attractiveness,and rate prediction.The findings show that utilizing our suggested approach improves caching regarding the Cache Hit Ratio(CHR)of 84.3%,Average Hop Minimization Ratio(AHMR)of 89.5%,and Mean Access Latency(MAL)of 0.4 s.Within a framework,it suggests improved caching strategies to handle the difficulty of effectively controlling data consumption in 5G networks.These improvements aim to make the network run more smoothly by enhancing content delivery,decreasing latency,and relieving congestion.By improving 5G communication systems’capacity tomanage the demands faced by modern data-centric applications,the research ultimately aids in advancement.

Space/Air Covert Communications:Potentials,Scenarios,and Key Technologies

Space/air communications have been envisioned as an essential part of the next-generation mobile communication networks for providing highquality global connectivity. However, the inherent broadcasting nature of wireless propagation environment and the broad coverage pose severe threats to the protection of private data. Emerging covert communications provides a promising solution to achieve robust communication security. Aiming at facilitating the practical implementation of covert communications in space/air networks, we present a tutorial overview of its potentials, scenarios, and key technologies. Specifically, first, the commonly used covertness constraint model, covert performance metrics, and potential application scenarios are briefly introduced. Then, several efficient methods that introduce uncertainty into the covert system are thoroughly summarized, followed by several critical enabling technologies, including joint resource allocation and deployment/trajectory design, multi-antenna and beamforming techniques, reconfigurable intelligent surface(RIS), and artificial intelligence algorithms. Finally, we highlight some open issues for future investigation.

Guest editorial: Network architectures and communication protocols for smart industrial IoT applications

The rapid growth in hardware technologies and the fourth industrial revolution-Industry 4.0 have enabled the Internet of Things(IoT)to be smarter.One of the main drivers in Industry 4.0 is smart and secured Industrial IoT(IIoT)[1].The IIoT results from the widespread use of computers and the interconnectedness of machines.It has made software a crucial tool for almost every industry,from bakeries and arts to manufacturing facilities and healthcare systems[2].The IIoT devices can be mobile and geographically distributed over a long distance,which exposes them to network disturbances,Quality of Service(QoS)degradation,and security vulnerabilities.In addition,the IIoT is a complex network at a large scale,and there is a dire need for network architecture and protocol design to accommodate these diverse domains and competencies and handle the increasing levels of complexity.Therefore,in this special issue,we aim to focus on the challenges of network architectures and communication protocol design in the context of the smart industry.This special issue has attracted numerous high-quality research articles and has accepted fourteen research papers[3–16].

A Survey on the Role of Complex Networks in IoT and Brain Communication

Complex networks on the Internet of Things(IoT)and brain communication are the main focus of this paper.The benefits of complex networks may be applicable in the future research directions of 6G,photonic,IoT,brain,etc.,communication technologies.Heavy data traffic,huge capacity,minimal level of dynamic latency,etc.are some of the future requirements in 5G+and 6G communication systems.In emerging communication,technologies such as 5G+/6G-based photonic sensor communication and complex networks play an important role in improving future requirements of IoT and brain communication.In this paper,the state of the complex system considered as a complex network(the connection between the brain cells,neurons,etc.)needs measurement for analyzing the functions of the neurons during brain communication.Here,we measure the state of the complex system through observability.Using 5G+/6G-based photonic sensor nodes,finding observability influenced by the concept of contraction provides the stability of neurons.When IoT or any sensors fail to measure the state of the connectivity in the 5G+or 6G communication due to external noise and attacks,some information about the sensor nodes during the communication will be lost.Similarly,neurons considered sing the complex networks concept neuron sensors in the brain lose communication and connections.Therefore,affected sensor nodes in a contraction are equivalent to compensate for maintaining stability conditions.In this compensation,loss of observability depends on the contraction size which is a key factor for employing a complex network.To analyze the observability recovery,we can use a contraction detection algorithm with complex network properties.Our survey paper shows that contraction size will allow us to improve the performance of brain communication,stability of neurons,etc.,through the clustering coefficient considered in the contraction detection algorithm.In addition,we discuss the scalability of IoT communication using 5G+/6G-based photonic technology.

Echo state network based symbol detection in chaotic baseband wireless communication

The Chaotic Baseband Wireless Communication System(CBWCS)is expected to eliminate the Inter-Symbol Interference(ISI)caused by multipath propagation by using the optimal decoding threshold that is the sum of the ISI caused by past decoded bits and the ISI caused by future transmitting bits.However,the current technique is only capable of removing partial effects of the ISI,because only past decoded bits are available for the suboptimal decoding threshold calculation.The unavailability of the future information needed for the optimal decoding threshold is an obstacle to further improve the Bit Error Rate(BER)performance.In contrast to the previous method using Echo State Network(ESN)to predict one future bit,the proposed method in this paper predicts the optimal decoding threshold directly using ESN.The proposed ESN-based threshold prediction method simplifies the symbol decoding operation by avoiding the iterative prediction of the output waveform points using ESN and accumulated error caused by the iterative operation.With this approach,the calculation complexity is reduced compared to the previous ESN-based approach.The proposed method achieves better BER performance compared to the previous method.The reason for this superior result is twofold.First,the proposed ESN is capable of using more future symbols information conveyed by the ESN input to obtain more accurate threshold rather than the previous method in which only one future symbol was available.Second,the proposed method here does not need to estimate the channel information using Least Squared(LS)method,which avoids the extra error caused by inaccurate channel information estimation.Simulation results and experiment based on a wireless open-access research platform under a practical wireless channel show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.

Finite family trees of continuous time birth and death processes for evaluating the transmitting speed of information on communication networks

A finite random graph generated by continuous time birth and death processes with exponentially distributed waiting times was investigated, which is similar to a communication network in daily life. The vertices are the living particles, and directed edges go from mothers to daughters. The size of the communication network was studied. Furthermore, the probability of successfully connecting senders with receivers and the transmitting speed of information were obtained.

Adaptive Resource Allocation Algorithm for 5G Vehicular Cloud Communication

The current resource allocation in 5G vehicular networks for mobile cloud communication faces several challenges,such as low user utilization,unbalanced resource allocation,and extended adaptive allocation time.We propose an adaptive allocation algorithm for mobile cloud communication resources in 5G vehicular networks to address these issues.This study analyzes the components of the 5G vehicular network architecture to determine the performance of different components.It is ascertained that the communication modes in 5G vehicular networks for mobile cloud communication include in-band and out-of-band modes.Furthermore,this study analyzes the single-hop and multi-hop modes in mobile cloud communication and calculates the resource transmission rate and bandwidth in different communication modes.The study also determines the scenario of one-way and two-way vehicle lane cloud communication network connectivity,calculates the probability of vehicle network connectivity under different mobile cloud communication radii,and determines the amount of cloud communication resources required by vehicles in different lane scenarios.Based on the communication status of users in 5G vehicular networks,this study calculates the bandwidth and transmission rate of the allocated channels using Shannon’s formula.It determines the adaptive allocation of cloud communication resources,introduces an objective function to obtain the optimal solution after allocation,and completes the adaptive allocation process.The experimental results demonstrate that,with the application of the proposed method,the maximum utilization of user communication resources reaches approximately 99%.The balance coefficient curve approaches 1,and the allocation time remains under 2 s.This indicates that the proposed method has higher adaptive allocation efficiency.