{"title":"A survey of AI-driven QoT analysis in lightpath management","authors":"Difei Cao, Chao Ren, Zijun Wu, Yan Liang, Linpei Li, Haijun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2025.12.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2025.12.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Quality of Transmission (QoT) analysis is a foundational component in planning and operational management of modern optical networks. Traditional analytical models have limitations in accurately modeling complex physical-layer impairments in high-capacity systems. In contrast, recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have enabled significant progress in QoT estimation. This survey systematically reviews AI-driven QoT analysis methodologies for Lightpath (LP) management. It examines key application scenarios, including unestablished LP feasibility prediction, intelligent spectrum allocation, and adaptive margin optimization. The existing approaches are categorized based on methodological frameworks and operational objectives. The review shows a predominant reliance on end-to-end path feature extraction, with occasional incorporation of per-channel metrics. A critical observation from this review is the prevalent neglect of inter-LP correlation effects in existing studies. This is notable despite their substantial impact on network-wide QoT dynamics. Finally, we identify unresolved challenges in current QoT analysis paradigms. We also propose future research directions to bridge gaps between data-driven predictions and physical-layer constraints in next-generation optical networks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1017-1031"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148582985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tao Guo, Fengjun Shang, Mun-Kyu Lee, Zhongxiao Hao, Qilie Liu
{"title":"Multi-feature weighted PBFT with reputation monopoly prevention","authors":"Tao Guo, Fengjun Shang, Mun-Kyu Lee, Zhongxiao Hao, Qilie Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) imposes a high communication overhead and is susceptible to reputation monopolies in scoring-based consensus. Driven by these limitations, this study proposes a Multi-feature Weighting-based PBFT (MF-PBFT) to mitigate reputation monopoly in trusted nodes. The developed approach retains the traditional grouping and scoring mechanisms by introducing attribute prioritization and objective evaluation of candidate nodes. Moreover, to evaluate node capabilities comprehensively, weights are assigned based on the distribution of scores across multiple attributes, including trust, response speed, and communication efficiency. Furthermore, a score-decay function measures and controls the degree of score decentralization among nodes in the consensus process. Finally, a penalty factor deters malicious nodes from participating in the consensus process. Experimental results demonstrate that MF-PBFT enhances consensus efficiency by selecting robust nodes and fostering fair, decentralized node participation in consensus.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1056-1066"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148646555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Wasserstein distance-based interference characterization and analysis in NGSO constellations with non-homogeneous stochastic geometry","authors":"Yuanzhi He, Liujing Hu, Li Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The performance degradation of mega Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite systems caused by co-frequency interference exhibits significant uncertainty, primarily due to the time-varying geometric topology, diverse communication signals, and dynamic channel conditions. Traditional approaches for characterizing NGSO interference often depend on non-statistical methods, which tend to incur substantial information loss. To address this issue, this paper proposes a co-frequency interference characterization model based on the Wasserstein distance and derives a closed-form expression for the ergodic capacity to support NGSO system performance analysis. Specifically, the NGSO constellation satellites are modeled as a Non-homogeneous Poisson Point Process (NPPP), while User Terminals (UTs) are modeled as a Homogeneous Poisson Point Process (HPPP). By incorporating a satellite-terrestrial Rician channel model and the orbital motion constraints of the NGSO constellation, an NGSO–NGSO co-frequency interference model is established. Furthermore, a chain mapping model is introduced to construct a topologically equivalent relationship among NGSO constellation configuration parameters, the statistical distribution of satellite signals, and the Wasserstein metric space. Finally, a closed-form expression for the system ergodic capacity is derived using higher-order stochastic geometry, revealing a negative correlation between the Wasserstein metric and the ergodic capacity. Simulation results validate the correctness of the chain mapping model and demonstrate the dual effectiveness of the Wasserstein distance in both interference characterization and system performance prediction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1116-1125"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148742936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Decentralized semi-federated learning in digital twin-empowered industrial IoT","authors":"Fangfang Chen, Xiongyue Wu, Jianhua Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recently, Industrial Edge Intelligence (IEI) is becoming a key component to achieve smart factory. However, the large amount of required training data, data privacy issues, and heterogeneous computation capacity among industrial devices all pose significant difficulties and challenges to the realization of IEI. In order to improve the efficiency of resource utilization and overcome the limitations of conventional federated learning-based IEI, we propose a <em>Decentralized Semi-Federated Learning (DSFL)</em> framework where data with higher privacy attributes remains on the local end and data with less privacy attributes can optionally upload to multiple potential edge nodes for training and constructing Digital Twins (DT). In order to minimize the training overhead of each round of the proposed DSFL framework, we investigate a novel perspective that the number of active edge nodes can be dynamically adjusted. Therefore, a new optimization problem for jointly optimizing edge association and non-private data uploading ratio is formulated. Considering that the formulated problem is a mixed integer programming problem, we propose efficient algorithms to find the solution. In addition, simulation results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm can significantly reduce the training overhead.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1091-1101"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148742941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peiying Zhang, Yilin Li, Athanasios V. Vasilakos, Konstantin Igorevich Kostromitin, Jianyong Zhang, Mohsen Guizani
{"title":"Optimizing network resource allocation with graph pointer neural network in large-scale AI systems","authors":"Peiying Zhang, Yilin Li, Athanasios V. Vasilakos, Konstantin Igorevich Kostromitin, Jianyong Zhang, Mohsen Guizani","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2024.07.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2024.07.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For increasingly complex communication demands of large-scale AI systems, the Space-Air-Ground Integrated Network (SAGIN) better caters to demands but also raises concerns about resource scarcity and diversity. This paper innovatively combines Graph Pointer Neural Networks (GPNN) and Reinforcement Learning (RL) to enhance resource allocation efficiency. The method leverages the advantages of GPNN in handling graph data and RL in optimizing decisions in dynamic environments. It also targets the optimization goal of maximizing resource allocation while minimizing deployment latency. This work begins by modeling its and elucidating the SAGIN logical architecture based on Software-defined Networking (SDN). Subsequently, it introduces an SFC deployment algorithm aimed at joint optimization of resource allocation and latency. The algorithm leverages GPNN and RL to deploy virtual nodes and links, with the goal of optimizing resource allocation and deployment latency. Experimental findings conclusively demonstrate the efficacy proposed algorithm in effectively weighing limited heterogeneous resources and minimum mapping delay. Notably, when compared to three other SFC mapping algorithms MLRL, NFVdeep, and RL, the proposed algorithm consistently outperforms them, with an average improvement of 10.17% in long-term average reward/cost, 11.21% in link resource utilization ratio, 15.34% in node resource utilization ratio, and 16.38% in acceptance ratio.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1151-1163"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148742940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ali Raza, Zeshan Iqbal, Farhan Aadil, Muhammad Attique Khan, Seifedine Kadry, Hussain Mobarak Albarakati
{"title":"Wideband communications through drone-assisted cognitive radio VANETs using SURF channel selection","authors":"Ali Raza, Zeshan Iqbal, Farhan Aadil, Muhammad Attique Khan, Seifedine Kadry, Hussain Mobarak Albarakati","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2024.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2024.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the past decade, Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET) research has flourished, particularly in the context of smart cities, where it plays a pivotal role in supporting intelligent transportation systems and entertainment services. However, intermittent connectivity, unscalable networks, and high packet collision rates are the key challenges that put hindrances on the wide applications of VANETs. The severity of these challenges becomes even more intensified when deployed in urban areas. Therefore, VANETs should have a communication model that must satisfy the delay and bandwidth needs of VANET applications. To meet the low latency demands of both safety-critical applications and bandwidth-intensive infotainment services while optimizing resource utilization, we introduced cognitive radio technology into drone-assisted VANETs. Our model leverages licensed spectrum opportunistically without interfering with the primary user and relies on line-of-sight communications between drones and vehicles. We employ the SURF channel selection strategy to identify the most suitable channel from available options. SURF selects the channel based on the primary user activity and number of cognitive users. The primary user activity model is based on the alternating on/off Markov Renewal Process (MRP), and the Cognitive Radio (CR) occupancy is based on the number of cognitive neighbors using a specific channel. Extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed models for safety-critical and entertainment applications. The results indicate that SURF outperforms the others in terms of the delivery ratio and interference to the primary user, guaranteeing the timely delivery of emergency messages in less than 100 ms to nearby vehicles to avoid further damage. The availability of free spectrum results in a higher throughput of 18 Mbps for entertainment applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1079-1090"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141026012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adaptive joint source-channel coding with regulated autoencoder","authors":"Li Lan, Hongxin Zhang, Daquan Feng, Qi He, Shuchen Han, Zhiping Shi, Zhi Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper introduces ReJSCC, a unified deep Joint Source-Channel Coding (JSCC) framework designed for cross-modal adaptability to dynamic channel conditions. Unlike prior methods that rely on context-aware fusion of image features and channel SNR, ReJSCC employs systematic SNR-conditioned regulation to enable a single model to guide encoding and decoding processes across varying noise levels. The proposed framework integrates a regulating module that transforms encoder features through channel-specific scaling derived solely from SNR, paired with a symmetric deregulating module to steer channel-aware decoding. Extensive experiments demonstrate ReJSCC’s consistent superiority for both image and speech transmission, outperforming conventional JSCC and its robust version across broad SNR ranges. Ablation studies reveal that intermediate feature modulation during encoding/decoding surpasses pre-post channel intervention, while explicit SNR guidance to the encoder enhances reconstruction fidelity. Notably, ReJSCC shows strong robustness to inaccurate SNR estimation, demonstrating its practical resilience in real- world environments. Surprisingly, experiments suggest that integrating image feature maps for SNR adaptation may be nonessential, simplifying architectural design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1067-1078"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148646556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multi-RIS-aided covert communication for ISAC systems: performance analysis and DRL-based algorithm","authors":"Hongyi Bian, Wei Gao, Qi Zhang, Yu Yao, Zhen Chen, Hao Jiang, Feng Shu","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multi-Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS)-aided wireless networks has demonstrated the potential advantage in improving capacity and degree of freedom. In this paper, we investigate a novel multi-RIS-aided covert communication for Integrated Sensing And Communication (ISAC) system, where the signal of the Base Station (BS) transmit through multiple RISs to estimate the target Direction-Of-Arrival (DoA) and send message to Bob covertly against the Willie’s surveillance. We established performance boundary optimization problems centered on communication and sensing, where solutions were obtained by employing a combination of Successive Convex Approximation (SCA) and Semi-Definite Relaxation (SDR) schemes, as well as a low complexity method, respectively. Moreover, we jointly design the transmit beamforming and the multi-RISs’ phase shifts, as well as receiving beamforming to maximize the sensing-centric Energy Efficiency (EE). To deal with the intractable optimization problem, the Enhanced Distributional Soft Actor-Critic (E-DSAC) based Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithm was employed to obtain the optimal transmission strategy to prevent eavesdropping. Numerical results show the performance upper limit of multi-RIS-aided ISAC systems and demonstrate significant gains of E-DSAC scheme on sensing-centric EE over other DRL based algorithms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 7","pages":"Pages 1042-1055"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148646963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mojdeh Karbalaee Motalleb, Chafika Benzaid, Tarik Taleb, Marcos Katz, Vahid Shah-Mansouri, Jaeho Kim
{"title":"Towards secure intelligent O-RAN architecture: Vulnerabilities, threats and promising technical solutions using LLMs","authors":"Mojdeh Karbalaee Motalleb, Chafika Benzaid, Tarik Taleb, Marcos Katz, Vahid Shah-Mansouri, Jaeho Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evolution of wireless communication systems will be fundamentally impacted by an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN), a new concept defining an intelligent architecture with enhanced flexibility, openness, and the ability to slice services more efficiently. For all its promises and like any technological advancement, O-RAN is not without risks that need to be carefully assessed and properly addressed to accelerate its wide adoption in future mobile networks. In this paper, we present an in-depth security analysis of the O-RAN architecture, discussing the potential threats that may arise in different O-RAN architecture layers and their impact on the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) triad. We also promote the potential of zero trust, Moving Target Defense (MTD), blockchain, and Large Language Models (LLM) technologies in fortifying O-RAN's security posture. Furthermore, we numerically demonstrate the effectiveness of MTD in empowering robust deep reinforcement learning methods for dynamic network slice admission control in the O-RAN architecture. Moreover, we examine the effect of Explainable AI (XAI) based on Large Language Models (LLM) in securing the system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 6","pages":"Pages 916-925"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148530640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Md Mahabub Alam, Md. Suaibur Rahman, Mohamad Shaiful Abdul Karim, Yasmin Abdul Wahab, Nurhafizah Abu Talip Yusof
{"title":"Design and optimization of a high-efficiency circular SIW patch antenna for satellite communication","authors":"Md Mahabub Alam, Md. Suaibur Rahman, Mohamad Shaiful Abdul Karim, Yasmin Abdul Wahab, Nurhafizah Abu Talip Yusof","doi":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dcan.2026.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents the design and optimization of a circular Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) patch antenna for high-efficiency satellite communication applications. Building upon a previously proposed dual-band structure, the design introduces geometric modifications by adjusting the SIW radius, the number of metallized vias, and the via pitch to achieve triple-band operation. The antenna is developed to support high-data-rate transmission and High-Definition (HD) video over K- and Ka-band frequencies, meeting the requirements of modern compact satellite systems. Triple-band functionality is realized by incorporating three concentric circular slots into a square radiating patch and embedding 27 metallized vias in a circular configuration within a Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 substrate. A microstrip line feed is used to ensure effective impedance matching, while the excitation of TM<sub>01</sub> and TE<sub>11</sub> modes enhances the bandwidth and gain. Simulated results using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio demonstrate resonant frequencies at 26.176 GHz, 31.6 GHz, and 33.59 GHz, with corresponding peak gains of 8.05 dB, 7.66 dB, and 6.53 dB, respectively. At 26.176 GHz, the antenna achieves an impedance bandwidth of 2.52 GHz (24.885-27.405 GHz), a Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) of 1.011, and a radiation efficiency of 93%. In place of experimental validation, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was trained to predict antenna performance with high accuracy, achieving R² values of 0.9876 for resonance frequency and 0.9907 for bandwidth. The proposed design demonstrates enhanced performance through structural optimization and ANN-based prediction, offering strong potential for future satellite communication systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48631,"journal":{"name":"Digital Communications and Networks","volume":"12 6","pages":"Pages 977-993"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148530224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"计算机科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}