Implementation of Deep Joint Source-Channel Coding on 5G Systems for Image Transmission

Deep joint source-channel coding (JSCC) has been attracting attention for achieving task-oriented communication. It replaces traditional information source coding and channel coding with a deep learning-based autoencoder, directly mapping information sources such as images to IQ symbols. For images, it is claimed to avoid the cliff effect and achieve a higher peak signal noise ratio (PSNR) even in low SNR regions. While related work has assumed various propagation channel models and validated the effectiveness of Deep JSCC, there are few reports confirming its principles through experiments. Specifically, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reported examples of experiments of Deep JSCC in 5G systems. In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept of Deep JSCC in a 5G system. We modified commercially available 5G base stations (gNB) and 5G terminals to enable input and output of IQ data from external devices. We connect the 5G devices using coaxial cables and attenuators, transmit and receive JSCC signals, and evaluate the PSNR. The results demonstrate that even when communicating at power levels lower than the minimum receiver sensitivity specified in the receiver's datasheet, the image can be successfully restored with less than 1 dB degradation in PSNR compared with the simulation result.