The paper presents the prototype development for 5G new radio sidelink communications, enabling NR UEs to transfer data without the assistance of a base station. The design leverages open-source software operating on software-defined radios, including all signal processing components specified by 5G sidelink standards and can be configured to operate with different bands, bandwidths, and multiple antenna settings. The completed Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel development is demonstrated by showing synchronization between a SyncRef UE and a nearby UE. The physical sidelink framework is tested using both an RF simulator and an over-the-air testbed, with OTA experimental results aligned well with simulation results.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.09286