Beyond Transmitting Bits: Context, Semantics, and Task-Oriented Communications

Communication systems to date primarily aim at reliably communicating bit sequences. Such an approach provides efficient engineering designs that are agnostic to the meanings of the messages or to the goal that the message exchange aims to achieve. Next generation systems, however, can be potentially enriched by folding message semantics and goals of communication into their design. Further, these systems can be made cognizant of the context in which communication exchange takes place, thereby providing avenues for novel design insights. This tutorial summarizes the efforts to date, starting from its early adaptations, semantic-aware and task-oriented communications, covering the foundations, algorithms and…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: CNS-2225511, CNS-1814477
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 62293484
• MO
  Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning

  Awards: 2021-0-02208, 2022R1A5A1027646
• EA
  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  Awards: EP/W035960/1, EP/W035960/1, EP/T023600/1, EP/T023600/1
• HE
  H2020 European Research Council

  Award: 677854