Solar-Powered Dynamic Hybrid Reconfigurable Intelligent Reflecting Surface

Abstract

The present invention discloses a dynamically hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply, which includes a reflecting surface main unit, a hybrid RIS controller, and a control circuit board. Among them, the reflecting surface main unit sequentially includes a first reflecting element layer, a semiconductor crystal layer, a patch inductor layer, and a first metal backplane from top to bottom. A plurality of radiation patches are arranged on the first reflecting element layer; the control circuit board is integrated with a switching network unit, a plurality of active link units, and a plurality of passive link units. The hybrid RIS controller is used to control the switching network unit to selectively connect any one of the plurality of first reflecting element units to the active link unit or the passive link unit; the first reflecting element layer, the semiconductor crystal layer, and the first metal backplane form a solar cell, which can convert the light incident on the first reflecting element layer into electrical energy. The present invention can dynamically adjust the positions and quantities of the active reflecting element units and the passive reflecting element units through the switching network unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of wireless communication, and particularly relates to a dynamically hybrid reconfigurable intelligent surface powered by solar energy. Background Art

[0002] It is expected that the communication network capacity will increase by a thousand times in the next decade, and ubiquitous wireless connection will become a reality. However, highly complex networks, high-cost hardware, and increasing energy consumption will be the key problems faced by future wireless communication. For example, in the key technologies of 5G, massive MIMO and ultra-dense networking increase the hardware cost and energy consumption due to the deployment of a large number of base stations and antennas; the expansion of the spectrum from sub-6G to millimeter wave and terahertz requires more complex signal processing and more expensive energy-consuming hardware. At present, the manufacturing process of the solar photovoltaic power generation industry has been continuously improved and refined, the scale has been continuously expanded, and the commercialization process has been continuously accelerated. However, applying the inexhaustible and environmentally friendly solar energy to the existing communication network to reduce energy consumption and miniaturize devices has become a major trend in the future. In addition, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, wireless networks have become more intelligent in terms of technology, equipment, etc. As a result, a large number of scholars have deeply considered the limitations of communication performance and the decline of service quality caused by the uncontrollability of the wireless environment, and thus proposed a nearly passive, low-cost, low-energy-consuming, easy-to-deploy and novel technology - Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS).

[0003] RIS can change the phase of the incident electromagnetic wave in a programmable manner, turning the wireless channel into an intelligently controllable and optimized system block, so as to achieve the purpose of improving the overall performance of the communication system, and become one of the potential key technologies for 6G wireless communication systems. Most of the existing RISs adopt a pure passive structure. However, the pure passive RIS has the following problems: First, when using a pure passive RIS, the signal passes through a cascaded channel, and the path loss of the reflection link is superimposed in a multiplicative manner compared with the direct link, resulting in a double-fading problem. In addition, the pure passive RIS not only limits the end-to-end channel beamforming gain but also hinders the RIS from obtaining accurate channel state information for phase control. The pure passive RIS only achieves a 3% capacity gain, while the active RIS can achieve a 129% capacity gain, overcoming the limitation of double fading. At the same time, the active RIS also introduces non-negligible dynamic noise. The RIS with hybrid active / passive reflection elements can achieve better performance gain compared with the pure passive RIS. Compared with the active RIS, it can reduce the overall noise and cost of the system. However, the active reflection elements in the RIS with hybrid active / passive reflection elements need to be powered. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to power the RIS of the dynamic hybrid architecture, reduce costs and energy consumption, and reduce the occupation of space resources. To solve the above problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a dynamically hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply. The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0005] The present invention provides a dynamically hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply, including a reflecting surface main unit, a hybrid RIS controller, and a control circuit board. Among them,

[0006] The reflecting surface main unit sequentially includes a first reflecting element layer, a semiconductor crystal layer, a patch inductor layer, and a first metal backplane from top to bottom. A plurality of radiation patches are arranged regularly on the first reflecting element layer to form a plurality of first reflecting element units;

[0007] The control circuit board is integrated with a switching network unit, a plurality of active link units, and a plurality of passive link units. The hybrid RIS controller is connected to the control circuit board and is used to control the switching network unit to selectively connect any one of the plurality of first reflecting element units to the active link unit or the passive link unit, so as to form an active reflecting element unit or a passive reflecting element unit with the current first reflecting element unit;

[0008] The first reflecting element layer, the semiconductor crystal layer, and the first metal backplane constitute a solar cell, and the solar cell can convert the light incident on the first reflecting element layer into electric energy to supply power to the hybrid RIS controller and the control circuit board.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first reflecting element layer is a ring-shaped radiation patch arranged on the upper surface of the semiconductor crystal layer; or a radiation patch formed of a transparent conductive material.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the switching network unit includes a plurality of selection switches. One end of the selection switch is connected to one of the first reflecting element layers, and the other end can be selectively connected to the active link unit or the passive link unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller, so as to dynamically convert the current first reflecting element unit into an active reflecting element unit or a passive reflecting element unit.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the active link unit includes a first phase shift circuit, a reflective amplifier, and a power supply module. Among them,

[0012] The first phase shift circuit is used to change the phase of the incident signal arriving at the current active reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller;

[0013] The reflective amplifier is used to change the amplitude of the incident signal arriving at the current active reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller;

[0014] The power supply module is used to store the electric energy generated by the solar cell for powering the hybrid RIS controller and the control circuit board.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, the passive link unit includes a second phase shift circuit, and the second phase shift circuit is used to change the phase of the incident signal arriving at the current passive reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention provides a solar self-powered dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface, including a reflecting surface main unit, a hybrid RIS controller and a control circuit board, wherein,

[0017] The reflecting surface main unit includes a second reflection element layer, a glass substrate, a thin film solar cell and a second metal backplane in sequence from top to bottom. A plurality of radiation patches are arranged regularly on the second reflection element layer to form a plurality of second reflection element units;

[0018] The control circuit board is integrated with a switching network unit, a plurality of active link units and a plurality of passive link units. The hybrid RIS controller is connected to the control circuit board and is used to control the switching network unit to selectively connect any one of the plurality of second reflection element units to the active link unit or the passive link unit, so as to form an active reflection element unit or a passive reflection element unit with the current second reflection element unit;

[0019] The thin film solar cell can convert the light energy incident on the second reflection element layer into electric energy to power the hybrid RIS controller and the control circuit board.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, the thin film solar cell includes a first ZnO layer, an amorphous silicon layer and a second ZnO layer in sequence from bottom to top.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, the switching network unit includes a plurality of selection switches. One end of the selection switch is connected to one of the second reflection element layers, and the other end can be selectively connected to the active link unit or the passive link unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller, so as to dynamically convert the current second reflection element unit into an active reflection element unit or a passive reflection element unit.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the active link unit includes a first phase shift circuit, a reflective amplifier, and a power supply module, wherein,

[0023] The first phase shift circuit is used to change the phase of the incident signal arriving at the current active reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller;

[0024] The reflective amplifier is used to change the amplitude of the incident signal arriving at the current active reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller;

[0025] The power supply module is used to store the electric energy generated by the solar cell for powering the hybrid RIS controller and the control circuit board.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present invention, the passive link unit includes a second phase shift circuit, and the second phase shift circuit is used to change the phase of the incident signal arriving at the current passive reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0028] 1. The present invention is a solar self-powered dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface. Through the switching network unit, the positions and quantities of the active reflection element units and the passive reflection element units can be dynamically adjusted. Using solar energy to solve the power supply problem of the reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface with dynamic hybrid active / passive reflection elements reduces the energy consumption and hardware cost of the communication network assisted by the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface. In addition, the solar-powered dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface can be deployed in remote areas without power system supply to assist communication, channel estimation, and positioning, and can also be deployed on walls, viaducts, street lamps, etc. in urban areas, getting rid of the dependence on the power system. From the economic perspective and in terms of green sustainability, it has greater commercial value. This design also lays the foundation for the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface in future 6G.

[0029] 2. The optical transparency of the radiation patch layer in the active part is crucial, which directly affects the radiation efficiency of the RIS and the efficiency of the thin-film solar cell. In the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface of the present invention, the radiation patch layer uses transparent conductive oxide, which has high light transmittance, effectively reduces the shielding of the solar cell panel by the radiation patch, ensures that the solar cell panel can be fully exposed to light, and has the least impact on the power generation of the solar cell.

[0030] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings and embodiments. Description of the Drawings

[0031] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a main reflecting surface unit provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of a control circuit board of a dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the working principle of an auxiliary communication system of a dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of another main reflecting surface unit provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of an amorphous silicon thin-film solar cell provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Description of reference numerals:

[0038] 1 - Main reflecting surface unit; 11 - First reflecting element layer; 12 - Semiconductor crystal layer; 13 - Patch inductor layer; 14 - First metal backplane; 15 - Second reflecting element layer; 16 - Glass substrate; 17 - Thin-film solar cell; 18 - Second metal backplane; 2 - Hybrid RIS controller; 3 - Control circuit board; 31 - Switching network unit; 32 - Active link unit; 321 - First phase-shifting circuit; 322 - Reflective amplifier; 323 - Power supply module; 33 - Passive link unit; 331 - Second phase-shifting circuit; 4 - Decoupling circuit; 5 - Feeder; 6 - Wire; 7 - Base station; 8 - Beam reflected by active reflecting element; 9 - Beam reflected by passive reflecting element. Detailed implementation manners

[0039] In order to further elaborate on the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the predetermined invention purpose, the following provides a detailed description of a dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply proposed according to the present invention in combination with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation manners.

[0040] The foregoing and other technical contents, features, and effects of the present invention can be clearly presented in the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Through the description of the specific implementation manners, a more in-depth and specific understanding of the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the predetermined purpose can be obtained. However, the accompanying drawings are only for reference and illustration, and are not used to limit the technical solutions of the present invention.

[0041] It should be noted that in this text, relational terms such as first and second are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprising", "including" or any other variant are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that an article or device comprising a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "comprising an..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the article or device comprising the element.

[0042] Embodiment 1

[0043] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a reflecting surface main body unit provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface of this embodiment includes a reflecting surface main body unit 1, a hybrid RIS controller 2, and a control circuit board 3.

[0044] The reflecting surface main body unit 1 sequentially includes a first reflecting element layer 11, a semiconductor crystal layer 12, a patch inductor layer 13, and a first metal backplane 14 from top to bottom. A plurality of radiation patches are arranged regularly on the first reflecting element layer 11 to form a plurality of first reflecting element units. The control circuit board 3 is integrated with a switching network unit 31, a plurality of active link units 32, and a plurality of passive link units 33. The hybrid RIS controller 2 is connected to the control circuit board 3 and is used to control the switching network unit 31 to selectively connect any one of the plurality of first reflecting element units to the active link unit 32 or the passive link unit 33, so as to form an active reflecting element unit or a passive reflecting element unit for the current first reflecting element unit. It should be noted that the number and ratio of the active link units 32 and the passive link units 33 integrated on the control circuit board 3 are set according to actual needs.

[0045] Specifically, when the first reflection element unit is connected to the active link unit 32 through the switching network unit 31 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2, the first reflection element unit forms an active reflection mode, that is, an active reflection element is formed. Subsequently, the hybrid RIS controller 3 can control the phase and amplitude of the incident signal on the active reflection element. When the first reflection element unit is connected to the passive link unit 32 through the switching network unit 31 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2, the first reflection element unit forms a passive reflection mode, that is, a passive reflection element is formed. Subsequently, the hybrid RIS controller 3 can control the phase of the incident signal on the passive reflection element.

[0046] Further, the first reflection element layer 11, the semiconductor crystal layer 12, and the first metal backplane 14 constitute a solar cell, which can convert the light incident on the first reflection element layer 11 into electrical energy to supply power to the hybrid RIS controller 2 and the control circuit board 3. In this embodiment, the control circuit board 3 is disposed below the reflection surface main body unit 1.

[0047] Specifically, the first reflection element layer 11 is located on the upper surface of the semiconductor crystal layer 12 and is respectively connected to the decoupling circuit 4 and the control circuit board 3 through the feeder 5. The first reflection element layer 11 is composed of radiation patches. The radiation patches, the semiconductor crystal layer 12, and the first metal backplane 14 constitute a solar cell. The radiation patches serve as the upper electrode of the solar cell while serving as the reflection element layer. The semiconductor crystal layer 12 serves as the dielectric substrate of the antenna. The first metal backplane 14 is located below the semiconductor crystal layer 12, serves as the substrate of the solar cell panel, and serves as an output electrode of the solar cell. The solar cells are connected through the patch inductor layer 13, that is, the patch inductor layer 13 connects the bottoms of the solar cells of each first reflection surface 11. The control circuit board 3 is respectively connected to the first metal backplane 14 and the hybrid RIS controller 2 through the wire 7.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first reflection element layer 11 of the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface is a circular radiation patch disposed on the upper surface of the semiconductor crystal layer 12, or a radiation patch is formed by using a transparent conductive material to reduce occlusion and enhance the absorption of sunlight by the semiconductor crystal. It is recommended that the semiconductor crystal layer 12 of this embodiment adopt single crystal silicon. The solar cell formed by single crystal silicon has a high photoelectric conversion efficiency, the manufacturing process is also the most mature, and the highest photoelectric conversion rate can reach 24.7%.

[0049] It should be noted that the conductive layer (i.e., the semiconductor crystal layer) of the solar cell composed of the first reflective element layer 11, the semiconductor crystal layer 12, and the first metal backplane 14 will generate electromagnetic coupling when the radiation electromagnetic wave is patch on the reflective element layer, which will inevitably affect the radiation performance of the patch. In order to eliminate the coupling effect, a large distance is required between the patch and the conductive layer, but this will increase the volume of the entire reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface. In view of this, in this embodiment, a patch inductor layer 13 is provided between the semiconductor crystal layer 12 and the first metal backplane 14. By using the property of the inductor that it conducts direct current and blocks alternating current, the patch inductor layer 13 is used to connect the bottoms of each solar cell, extract the direct current generated by photovoltaics from the solar cell, and at the same time block the influence of the changing magnetic field generated by the alternating current in the solar cell on the radiation performance of the patch. The patch inductor layer 13 in this embodiment is specifically formed by connecting multiple inductors in series and integrating them on a patch to form a patch layer. Further, as Figure 2 shown, a decoupling circuit 4 is also connected to the first reflective surface 11 in this embodiment. The decoupling circuit 4 is connected between the first reflective element layer 11 and the control circuit board 3. Specifically, one end of the decoupling circuit 4 is connected to the entire first reflective element layer composed of each radiation patch of the first reflective surface, and the other end is connected to the control circuit board of the first reflective surface. The decoupling circuit 4 in this embodiment is a DC / RF decoupling circuit, including a parallel resistor R and inductor L. Among them, one end of the resistor R is connected to the first reflective element layer 11, and the other end is connected to the control circuit board 3; one end of the inductor L is connected to the first reflective element layer 11, and the other end is connected to the control circuit board 3. The decoupling circuit 4 can reduce the influence of the DC bus on the antenna performance and eliminate the influence of impedance matching performance.

[0050] Further, the switching network unit 3 includes a plurality of selection switches. One end of the selection switch is connected to a first reflective element layer 11, and the other end can be selectively connected to the active link unit 32 or the passive link unit 33 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2 to form an active reflective element unit or a passive reflective element unit with the current first reflective element unit. In other words, if the current radiation patch on the first reflective element layer 11 is connected to the active link unit 32 through the switching network unit 3, then the radiation patch, together with the underlying semiconductor crystal layer 12, patch inductor layer 13, and first metal backplane 14, forms an active reflective element unit; if the current radiation patch on the first reflective element layer 11 is connected to the passive link unit 33 through the switching network unit 3, then the radiation patch, together with the underlying semiconductor crystal layer 12, patch inductor layer 13, and first metal backplane 14, forms a passive reflective element unit.

[0051] Further, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3It is a schematic structural diagram of a control circuit board of a dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The active link unit 32 of this embodiment includes a first phase shift circuit 321, a reflective amplifier 322, and a power supply module 323. Among them, the first phase shift circuit 321 is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current first reflecting surface 11 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2; the reflective amplifier 322 is used to change the amplitude of the incident signal reaching the current first reflecting surface 11 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2; the power supply module 323 is used to store the electric energy generated by the solar cell for supplying power to the hybrid RIS controller 2 and the control circuit board 3. Preferably, the power supply module 323 is a storage battery or other suitable rechargeable power source.

[0052] Furthermore, a voltage stabilizing circuit is also connected between the solar cell and the power supply module 323 to stabilize the electric energy generated by the solar cell and then transmit it to the power supply module 323. Specifically, the solar cell converts light energy into electric energy and transports it to the storage battery in the control circuit board 3 for storage. Since the intensity of sunlight varies at different times, the voltage output by the solar cell is too affected by light, so it needs to pass through a voltage stabilizing circuit first and then be connected to the power supply module 323 in the control circuit board 3 to store the electric energy in the storage battery. This storage battery ensures that the power supply can stably and continuously supply power to the device, enabling it to work normally at night and during the day.

[0053] The hybrid RIS controller 2 of this embodiment is an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) controller. This FPGA controller can control the number and proportion of the reflective element units connected to the active link unit 32 and the passive link unit 33 according to actual needs. At the same time, this FPGA controller can set the phase and amplitude of the incident signal of the active reflective elements to be adjusted according to actual needs, and set the phase of the incident signal of the passive reflective elements to be adjusted. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the hybrid RIS controller 2 can also be other suitable controller types, not limited to the FPGA controller.

[0054] Furthermore, the solar cell converts light energy into electrical energy and stores it in the storage battery on the control circuit board. Since the intensity of sunlight varies at different times, the voltage output by the solar cell is greatly affected by light. Therefore, it needs to pass through a voltage stabilization circuit first and then be connected to the control circuit board to store electrical energy in the storage battery. This storage battery ensures that the power supply can stably and continuously supply power to the reflection element, enabling it to work properly at night and during the day. That is, in this embodiment, a voltage stabilization circuit is connected between the first metal backplane 14 and the control circuit board 3. It should be noted that the voltage stabilization circuit in this embodiment can be any appropriate circuit that can stabilize the electrical energy generated by the solar cell.

[0055] Furthermore, the passive link unit 33 in this embodiment includes a second phase shift circuit 331, which is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current first reflection surface 11 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2. When the first reflection surface 11 is connected to the passive link unit 33 through the switching network unit 3 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2, the first reflection surface 11 forms a passive reflection mode, that is, a passive reflection element is formed. Subsequently, the hybrid RIS controller 3 can control the phase of the incident signal on the passive reflection element.

[0056] Specifically, the multiple selection switches in this embodiment are a certain number of radio frequency chains (RF chains). The function of the switching network unit 31 is to determine the number and position of active reflection elements in the entire reflection element layer by controlling the opening and closing of the RF chains. The active reflection element can not only change the phase of the incident signal but also amplify the amplitude of the incident signal. The rest are all passive reflection elements, and the passive reflection element can only change the phase of the incident signal. The switching network unit 31 controls the existence state of the entire reflection element layer through the selection switch, that is, all passive, all active, or hybrid active / passive.

[0057] The working principle of the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface in this embodiment is as follows:

[0058] First, sunlight irradiates the single-crystal silicon PN junction on the semiconductor crystal layer through the radiation patch on the first reflection surface (the first reflection element layer), generating electron-hole pairs. Then, a strong built-in electric field is generated in the PN junction barrier region. The photo-generated minority carriers on both sides of the PN junction are affected by this field and move in opposite directions. Finally, the photo-generated carriers are collected and stored in the storage battery by the two poles of the solar cell (that is, the first reflection element layer 11 and the first metal backplane 14) after voltage stabilization by the voltage stabilization circuit, to supply power to the control circuit board 3 and the hybrid RIS controller 2.

[0059] Specifically, when an incident signal from the base station 7 is incident on the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface, the hybrid RIS controller 2 generates a control signal for the switching network unit 31, such that the switching network unit 31 activates some of the reflecting elements to the active state, i.e., active reflecting elements, through the connection state of the selection switches, and the remaining reflecting elements maintain the passive state, i.e., passive reflecting elements. Subsequently, the hybrid RIS controller 2 sends a command specifying the reflection phase and amplitude to the active link unit 32. The active link unit 32 changes the phase of the incident signal arriving at the active reflecting elements by adjusting the first phase shift circuit 321, and amplifies the amplitude of the incident signal by the reflective amplifier 322 to generate a beam 8 reflected by the active reflecting elements; at the same time, the hybrid RIS controller 2 sends a command specifying the reflection phase to the passive link unit 33. The passive link unit 33 changes the phase of the incident signal arriving at the passive reflecting elements by adjusting the second phase shift circuit 331 to generate a beam 9 reflected by the passive reflecting elements, as Figure 4 shown. In addition, a decoupling circuit is connected between the first reflecting element layer and the control circuit board, which can reduce the influence of the DC bus on the antenna performance and eliminate the influence of the impedance matching performance.

[0060] This embodiment is based on a solar self-powered dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface, which uses solar energy to solve the power supply problem of the dynamic hybrid RIS with hybrid active / passive reflecting elements, reduces the energy consumption of the communication network assisted by the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface and the dependence on the power system, and lays the foundation for the hybrid passive / active RIS in future 6G.

[0061] Embodiment 2

[0062] Based on the above embodiment, this embodiment provides another solar self-powered dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface. Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 5 together. The dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface of this embodiment includes a reflecting surface main body unit 1, a hybrid RIS controller 2, and a control circuit board 3. The reflecting surface main body unit 1 includes, from top to bottom, a second reflecting element layer 15, a glass substrate 16, a thin-film solar cell 17, and a second metal backplane 18. A plurality of radiation patches are arranged regularly on the second reflecting element layer 15 to form a plurality of second reflecting element units; the control circuit board 3 is integrated with a switching network unit 31, a plurality of active link units 32, and a plurality of passive link units 33. The hybrid RIS controller 2 is connected to the control circuit board 3 and is used to control the switching network unit 31 to selectively connect any one of the plurality of second reflecting element units to the active link unit 32 or the passive link unit 33, so as to form an active reflecting element unit or a passive reflecting element unit from the current first reflecting element unit.

[0063] Specifically, when the second reflection element layer 15 is connected to the active link unit 32 through the switching network unit 3 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2, the second reflection element layer 15 forms an active reflection mode, that is, an active reflection element is formed. Subsequently, the hybrid RIS controller 3 can control the phase and amplitude of the incident signal on the active reflection element; when the second reflection element layer 15 is connected to the passive link unit 33 through the switching network unit 3 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2, the second reflection element layer 15 forms a passive reflection mode, that is, a passive reflection element is formed. Subsequently, the hybrid RIS controller 3 can control the phase of the incident signal on the passive reflection element.

[0064] The thin-film solar cell 17 can convert the light energy incident on the second reflection element layer 15 into electrical energy to supply power to the hybrid RIS controller 2 and the control circuit board 3. Further, in this embodiment, the control circuit board 3 is disposed below the reflection surface main unit 1.

[0065] Specifically, the glass substrate 16 is used to isolate the second reflection element layer 15 from the thin-film solar cell 17. The second metal backplane 18 is located below the thin-film solar cell 17, serves as a substrate for the thin-film solar cell 17, and is used as an output electrode of the thin-film solar cell 17 and the ground terminal of the radiation patch. The control circuit board 3 is connected to the second metal backplane 18 through a wire 6 and is connected to the hybrid RIS controller 2 through the wire 6.

[0066] The second reflection element layer 15 of this embodiment is a radiation patch disposed on the upper surface of the glass substrate 16 and made of a transparent conductive oxide. Preferably, the transparent conductive oxide is indium tin oxide ITO. Indium tin oxide has high light transmittance, effectively reducing the shielding of the radiation patch to the solar cell panel, ensuring that the solar cell panel can be completely exposed to light, and having the least impact on the power generation of the solar cell.

[0067] Further, as Figure 6 shown, the thin-film solar cell 17 of this embodiment is composed of two substances, ZnO and amorphous silicon a-Si, and sequentially includes a first ZnO layer, an amorphous silicon layer, and a second ZnO layer from bottom to top. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the thin-film solar cell 17 can also be other suitable thin-film solar cell types, which are not limited here. The second metal backplane 18 is made of a metal such as copper or silver.

[0068] Further, the switching network unit 3 includes a plurality of selection switches. One end of the selection switch is connected to a second reflective element layer 15, and the other end can be selectively connected to the active link unit 32 or the passive link unit 33 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2, so as to form an active reflective element unit or a passive reflective element unit with the current second reflective element unit. In other words, if the current radiation patch on the second reflective element layer 15 is connected to the active link unit 32 through the switching network unit 3, the radiation patch and the underlying layers together form an active reflective element unit; if the current radiation patch on the second reflective element layer 15 is connected to the passive link unit 33 through the switching network unit 3, the radiation patch and the underlying layers together form a passive reflective element unit.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 3 , the active link unit 32 of this embodiment includes a first phase shift circuit 321, a reflective amplifier 322, and a power supply module 323. Among them, the first phase shift circuit 321 is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current second reflective element layer 15 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2; the reflective amplifier 322 is used to change the amplitude of the incident signal reaching the current second reflective element layer 15 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2; the power supply module 323 is used to store the electric energy generated by the solar cell for supplying power to the hybrid RIS controller 2 and the control circuit board 3. Preferably, the power supply module 323 is a storage battery or other suitable rechargeable power source.

[0070] Further, the passive link unit 33 includes a second phase shift circuit 331, and the second phase shift circuit 331 is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current second reflective element layer 15 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2. When the second reflective element layer 15 is connected to the passive link unit 33 through the switching network unit 3 under the control of the hybrid RIS controller 2, the second reflective element layer 15 forms a passive reflection mode, that is, a passive reflective element is formed, and then the hybrid RIS controller 3 can control the phase of the incident signal on the passive reflective element.

[0071] The working principle of the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface of this embodiment is as follows:

[0072] First, sunlight irradiates the thin-film solar cell through the radiation patch composed of transparent conductive oxide on the second reflective element layer. Due to the photovoltaic effect, an electromotive force is generated on both sides of the barrier region. Photons with energy greater than the bandgap width generate electron-hole pairs on both sides of the PN junction by intrinsic absorption. Subsequently, a strong built-in electric field is generated within the PN junction barrier region. The photo-generated minority carriers on both sides of the PN junction are affected by this field and move in opposite directions respectively. Finally, the photo-generated carriers are collected by the two poles of the solar cell and stored in the storage battery after being regulated by the voltage regulation circuit, supplying power to the control circuit board 3 and the hybrid RIS controller 2.

[0073] Specifically, when an incident signal from the base station 7 is incident on the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface, the hybrid RIS controller 2 generates a control signal for the switching network unit 3, causing the switching network unit 3 to activate some of the reflective element units to the active state, that is, active reflective elements, through the connection state of the selection switch, while the remaining reflective elements maintain the passive state, that is, passive reflective elements. Subsequently, the hybrid RIS controller 2 sends a command specifying the reflection phase and amplitude to the active link unit 32. The active link unit 32 changes the phase of the incident signal reaching the active reflective element by adjusting the first phase shift circuit 321, and amplifies the amplitude of the incident signal by the reflective amplifier 322 to generate a beam 8 reflected by the active reflective element; at the same time, the hybrid RIS controller 2 sends a command specifying the reflection phase to the passive link unit 33. The passive link unit 33 changes the phase of the incident signal reaching the passive reflective element by adjusting the second phase shift circuit 331 to generate a beam 9 reflected by the passive reflective element, as Figure 4 shown. In addition, a decoupling circuit is connected between the first reflective element layer and the control circuit board, which can reduce the influence of the DC bus on the antenna performance and eliminate the influence of impedance matching performance.

[0074] The optical transparency of the radiation patch layer of the active part is crucial, which directly affects the radiation efficiency of the RIS and the efficiency of the thin-film solar cell. For the dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface of the present invention, the radiation patch layer uses transparent conductive oxide, which has high light transmittance, effectively reducing the occlusion of the solar cell panel by the radiation patch, ensuring that the solar cell panel can be completely exposed to light, and having the least impact on the power generation of the solar cell.

[0075] The above content is a further detailed description of the present invention in combination with specific preferred embodiments. It cannot be determined that the specific implementation of the present invention is only limited to these descriptions. For those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs, without departing from the concept of the present invention, several simple deductions or substitutions can be made, which should all be regarded as belonging to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on self-powered solar energy, characterized in that It includes a reflective surface main body unit (1), a hybrid RIS controller (2) and a control circuit board (3). Among them, The reflective surface main body unit (1) sequentially includes a first reflective element layer (11), a semiconductor crystal layer (12), a patch inductor layer (13) and a first metal backplane (14) from top to bottom. A plurality of radiation patches are arranged regularly on the first reflective element layer (11) to form a plurality of first reflective element units; An exchange network unit (31), a plurality of active link units (32) and a plurality of passive link units (33) are integrated on the control circuit board (3). The hybrid RIS controller (2) is connected to the control circuit board (3) and is used to control the exchange network unit (31) to selectively connect any one of the plurality of first reflective element units to the active link unit (32) or the passive link unit (33), so as to form an active reflective element unit or a passive reflective element unit with the current first reflective element unit; The first reflective element layer (11), the semiconductor crystal layer (12) and the first metal backplane (14) form a solar cell, and the solar cell can convert the light incident on the first reflective element layer (11) into electric energy to supply power to the hybrid RIS controller (2) and the control circuit board (3); The exchange network unit (31) includes a plurality of selection switches. One end of the selection switch is connected to one of the first reflective element units, and the other end can be selectively connected to the active link unit (32) or the passive link unit (33) under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2), so as to dynamically convert the current first reflective element unit into an active reflective element unit or a passive reflective element unit. The plurality of selection switches are a certain number of RF chains, and the exchange network unit (31) determines the number and position of active reflective elements in the entire reflective element layer by controlling the opening and closing of the RF chains; When the current radiation patch on the first reflective element layer (11) is connected to the active link unit (32) through the exchange network unit (31), the radiation patch, together with the underlying semiconductor crystal layer (12), patch inductor layer (13) and first metal backplane (14), forms an active reflective element unit; when the current radiation patch on the first reflective element layer (11) is connected to the passive link unit (33) through the exchange network unit (31), the radiation patch, together with the underlying semiconductor crystal layer (12), patch inductor layer (13) and first metal backplane (14), forms a passive reflective element unit; The active link unit (32) includes a first phase shift circuit (321), a reflective amplifier (322) and a power supply module (323). Among them, The first phase shift circuit (321) is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current active reflective element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2); The reflective amplifier (322) is used to change the amplitude of the incident signal reaching the current active reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2); The power supply module (323) is used to store the electric energy generated by the solar cell for supplying power to the hybrid RIS controller (2) and the control circuit board (3); The passive link unit (33) includes a second phase shift circuit (331), and the second phase shift circuit (331) is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current passive reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2).

2. The dynamic hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply according to claim 1, wherein The first reflection element layer (11) is an annular radiation patch provided on the upper surface of the semiconductor crystal layer (12); or a radiation patch formed of a transparent conductive material.

3. A dynamically hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply, characterized in that, It includes a reflection surface main body unit (1), a hybrid RIS controller (2) and a control circuit board (3), wherein, The reflection surface main body unit (1) successively includes a second reflection element layer (15), a glass substrate (16), a thin film solar cell (17) and a second metal backplane (18) from top to bottom. A plurality of regularly arranged radiation patches are provided on the second reflection element layer (15) to form a plurality of second reflection element units; The control circuit board (3) is integrated with a switching network unit (31), a plurality of active link units (32) and a plurality of passive link units (33). The hybrid RIS controller (2) is connected to the control circuit board (3) and is used to control the switching network unit (31) to selectively connect any one of the plurality of second reflection element units to the active link unit (32) or the passive link unit (33) to form an active reflection element unit or a passive reflection element unit for the current second reflection element unit; The thin film solar cell (17) can convert the light energy incident on the second reflection element layer (15) into electric energy for supplying power to the hybrid RIS controller (2) and the control circuit board (3); The switching network unit (3) includes a plurality of selection switches. One end of the selection switch is connected to one of the second reflection element layers (15), and the other end can be selectively connected to the active link unit (32) or the passive link unit (33) under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2) to dynamically convert the current second reflection element unit into an active reflection element unit or a passive reflection element unit; The active link unit (32) includes a first phase shift circuit (321), a reflective amplifier (322) and a power supply module (323), wherein, The first phase shift circuit (321) is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current active reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2); The reflective amplifier (322) is used to change the amplitude of the incident signal reaching the current active reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2); The power supply module (323) is used to store the electric energy generated by the solar cell for supplying power to the hybrid RIS controller (2) and the control circuit board (3); The passive link unit (33) includes a second phase shift circuit (331), and the second phase shift circuit (331) is used to change the phase of the incident signal reaching the current passive reflection element unit under the control of the hybrid RIS controller (2).

4. The dynamically hybrid reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface based on solar self-power supply according to claim 3, wherein The thin-film solar cell (17) sequentially includes a first ZnO layer, an amorphous silicon layer, and a second ZnO layer from bottom to top.

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