Reconfigurable intelligent surface, communication system and method, power supply method

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a reconfigurable intelligent surface, a communication system and method, a power supply method, and relates to the technical field of communication. The reconfigurable intelligent surface comprises: an intelligent reflection module configured to regulate the phase and / or amplitude of an incident signal; a first power supply module configured to supply power to the intelligent reflection module by using light energy; and a second power supply module configured to supply power to the intelligent reflection module by using wireless received energy; and the power supply priority of the first power supply module is higher than that of the second power supply module. The present disclosure can solve the problems of time-consuming, labor-consuming, low efficiency and limited RIS application caused by the line design and construction of deploying RIS through wired connection in the related art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and more specifically, to a reconfigurable smart surface, a communication system and method, and a power supply method. Background Technology

[0002] Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) integrate a large number of electromagnetic units on the panel. By adjusting the amplitude and phase of the electromagnetic units, the characteristics of the reflected beam can be controlled, thereby achieving purposes such as coverage expansion and capacity enhancement.

[0003] For RIS (Radio Injection System), power is required to control the characteristics of the electromagnetic units. Related technologies typically use wired connections for RIS power supply. However, this wired power supply method requires the design and construction of additional power lines during RIS installation, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, impacting installation efficiency. Furthermore, RIS applications are limited in environments where wired power supply is difficult.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a reconfigurable smart surface, a communication system and method, and a power supply method, thereby solving to some extent the problems of time-consuming, labor-intensive, and inefficient RIS deployment via wired connections, which leads to limited RIS applications.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a reconfigurable smart surface is provided, comprising: a first power supply module for powering the smart reflection module using light energy; a second power supply module for powering the smart reflection module using wirelessly received energy; and a smart reflection module for regulating the phase and / or amplitude of an incident signal; wherein the power supply priority of the first power supply module is higher than that of the second power supply module.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the first power supply module includes a solar cell module and a first energy storage module. The solar cell module is used to convert light energy into electrical energy and store it in the first energy storage module. The second power supply module includes an energy receiving module and a second energy storage module. The energy receiving module is used to receive energy signals and convert the energy signals into electrical energy and store them in the second energy storage module. The first energy storage module and the second energy storage module are respectively used to supply power to the intelligent reflection module.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the smart reflection module includes a plurality of reflective elements and a reconfigurable smart surface RIS controller. The reconfigurable smart surface further includes: a first detection module for detecting the power of the first energy storage module, so that the RIS controller determines the power supply status of the first energy storage module based on the power of the first energy storage module; and a second detection module for detecting the power of the second energy storage module, so that the RIS controller determines the power supply status of the second energy storage module based on the power of the second energy storage module.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the reconfigurable smart surface further includes: a third detection module, configured to detect the operating state of the solar cell module, so that the RIS controller controls the solar cell module to charge the first energy storage module based on the operating state of the solar cell module; and a fourth detection module, configured to detect the operating state of the energy receiving module, so that the RIS controller controls the energy receiving module to charge the second energy storage module based on the operating state of the energy receiving module.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the reconfigurable smart surface further includes: a signal processing module, configured to receive first configuration information so that the RIS controller determines the power supply status of the first energy storage module and the second energy storage module based on the first configuration information; the first configuration information is used to indicate data transmission duration information.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the signal processing module is further configured to receive second configuration information, so that the RIS controller adjusts the reflected beam energy of the intelligent reflection module based on the second configuration information; the second configuration information is used to indicate the energy ratio information of each reflected beam of the intelligent reflection module.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, based on the foregoing scheme, the signal processing module is further configured to send one of an energy request signal, an energy sufficient feedback signal, and a fault signal.

[0013] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a communication system is provided, the system being configured with a reconfigurable smart surface as described in any one of the preceding claims, for controlling the phase and / or amplitude of an incident signal during communication.

[0014] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a power supply method is applied to a reconfigurable smart surface, the reconfigurable smart surface including a smart reflection module, a first power supply module, and a second power supply module, characterized in that the method includes: determining the power supply state of the first power supply module; when the power supply state of the first power supply module is normal, using the first power supply module to supply power to the smart reflection module using light energy; when the power supply state of the first power supply module is abnormal, using the second power supply module to supply power to the smart reflection module using wirelessly received energy.

[0015] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a communication method is applied to a reconfigurable smart surface, the reconfigurable smart surface including a smart reflection module, a first power supply module, and a second power supply module, characterized in that the method includes: receiving first configuration information, the first configuration information being used to indicate data transmission duration information; determining the power supply status of the first power supply module based on the first configuration information; when the power supply status of the first power supply module is normal, using the first power supply module to power the smart reflection module using light energy; when the power supply status of the first power supply module is abnormal, using the second power supply module to power the smart reflection module using wirelessly received energy; using the normally powered smart reflection module to adjust the phase and / or amplitude of the incident signal to form a reflected signal and send it to a terminal device.

[0016] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in any of the preceding claims.

[0017] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to perform the method described in any of the preceding methods by executing the executable instructions.

[0018] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may have some or all of the following beneficial effects:

[0019] In the reconfigurable smart surface provided in this exemplary embodiment, on the one hand, by setting a first power supply module and a second power supply module, the reconfigurable smart surface can use light energy or wirelessly received energy to power the smart reflective module, solving the deployment problem of the reconfigurable smart surface when wired power supply is difficult, saving time and effort, and improving the deployment efficiency of the reconfigurable smart surface. On the other hand, by combining the first power supply module and the second power supply module, the power supply reliability of the reconfigurable smart surface is guaranteed. In addition, by setting the power supply priority of the first power supply module to be higher than that of the second power supply module, the smart reflective module is powered primarily through light energy, forming a stepped power supply for the reconfigurable smart surface, further improving power supply reliability, and being energy-saving and environmentally friendly.

[0020] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0022] Figure 1 The schematic diagram illustrates one of the structural schematics of a reconfigurable smart surface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates a second structural schematic of a reconfigurable smart surface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the third structural schematic of a reconfigurable smart surface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 4 The schematic diagram illustrates an architecture of an exemplary communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a power supply method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0027] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically.

[0028] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating the implementation process of a communication method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 8 A block diagram of an electronic device suitable for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to give a full understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced with one or more specific details omitted, or other methods, components, apparatus, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known technical solutions are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0031] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted. Some block diagrams shown in the drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities may be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0032] refer to Figure 1 This disclosure addresses RIS deployment scenarios where power supply via wired connections is difficult. In some embodiments, a reconfigurable smart surface 100 includes a smart reflection module 110, a first power supply module 120, and a second power supply module 130.

[0033] The intelligent reflection module 110 is used to adjust the phase and / or amplitude of the incident signal.

[0034] In this example embodiment, the smart reflection module 110 may include a plurality of reflective elements 111 and a reconfigurable smart surface RIS controller 112. The plurality of reflective elements 111 may be regularly arranged on the reconfigurable smart surface, located on the outermost layer of the reconfigurable smart surface, forming a reflective surface. The reflective elements 111 may be metal sheets printed on a dielectric substrate, directly interacting with the incident signal. A copper plate may also be used behind this layer to prevent signal energy leakage. The RIS controller 112 may include a control circuit board located on the innermost layer, responsible for adjusting the reflection amplitude / phase shift of each reflective element 111, triggered by the smart controller, which may be implemented using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0035] In this example embodiment, the size and number of reflective elements 111 can be determined according to actual needs.

[0036] The first power supply module 120 is used to power the intelligent reflection module using light energy.

[0037] In this example embodiment, the first power supply module includes a solar cell module 121 and a first energy storage module 122. The solar cell module is used to convert light energy into electrical energy and store it in the first energy storage module.

[0038] In this example embodiment, the solar cell module 121 can be any existing solar cell structure, and it can be disposed as an independent functional module on the surface or back of the smart reflective module 110. This example does not limit this. In another embodiment, the solar cell module 121 can also utilize the dielectric substrate or metal plate structure in the smart reflective module 110 to form a solar cell. For example, a solar cell can be formed using multiple reflective elements 110, a dielectric substrate, and a metal backplate, so that the light incident on the reflective elements 110 is converted into electrical energy to power the RIS controller 120. In this case, the reflective element can be used as the upper electrode, and the metal backplate can be used as the output electrode.

[0039] In this example embodiment, the first energy storage module 122 can be a rechargeable battery or other device capable of storing electrical energy; this example does not limit this. The two electrodes of the first energy storage module 122 can be connected to the corresponding electrodes of the solar cell module 121, so that the solar cell module 121 charges the first energy storage module 122.

[0040] The second power supply module 130 is used to power the intelligent reflection module using wirelessly received energy.

[0041] In this example embodiment, the second power supply module 130 includes an energy receiving module 131 and a second energy storage module 132. The energy receiving module 131 is used to receive energy signals and convert the energy signals into electrical energy and store them in the second energy storage module 132.

[0042] In this example embodiment, the energy receiving module 131 can be an energy harvesting module at the receiving end of a wireless energy-carrying communication system. For example, the energy receiving module may include an energy harvesting receiver, and may also include a power divider and a decoding / demodulation module. The energy harvesting receiver is used to receive the energy-carrying signal from the power supply end and harvest the energy in the signal through the energy harvesting circuit.

[0043] The second energy storage module 132 can be a rechargeable battery or other devices capable of storing electrical energy; this example does not limit this. The second energy storage module 132 can be connected to the energy harvesting circuit of the energy receiving module 131 so that the energy collected by the energy harvesting circuit can be used to charge the second energy storage module 132.

[0044] The reconfigurable smart surface provided in this disclosure, on the one hand, solves the deployment problem of reconfigurable smart surfaces when wired power supply is difficult by setting a first power supply module and a second power supply module, enabling the reconfigurable smart surface to power the smart reflective module using light energy or wireless energy reception. This saves time and effort and improves the deployment efficiency of the reconfigurable smart surface. On the other hand, by combining the first power supply module and the second power supply module, the power supply reliability of the reconfigurable smart surface is guaranteed. In addition, by setting the power supply priority of the first power supply module to be higher than that of the second power supply module, the smart reflective module is powered primarily through light energy, forming a stepped power supply for the reconfigurable smart surface, further improving power supply reliability and being energy-saving and environmentally friendly.

[0045] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 As shown, the reconfigurable smart surface 200 includes, in addition to the smart reflection module 210 (including multiple reflective elements 211 and a RIS controller 212), the first power supply module 220 (including a solar cell module 221 and a first energy storage module 222), and the second power supply module 230 (including an energy receiving module 231 and a second energy storage module 232), the following:

[0046] The first detection module 240 is used to detect the power level of the first energy storage module so that the RIS controller can determine the power supply status of the first energy storage module based on the power level of the first energy storage module.

[0047] In this example implementation, the first detection module 240 can be an existing power detection method, such as accurately monitoring battery power through hardware circuitry combined with software algorithms. The power supply status of the first energy storage module can include normal and abnormal. When the power of the first energy storage module is not less than a first threshold, the RIS controller determines that its power supply status is normal; otherwise, it determines that the power supply status is abnormal. In this example, the first threshold can be preset or determined based on the current communication conditions. For example, the first threshold can be the product of the energy P consumed per unit time (e.g., per second) of the reconfigurable smart surface and the data transmission duration T.

[0048] The second detection module 250 is used to detect the power level of the second energy storage module so that the RIS controller can determine the power supply status of the second energy storage module based on the power level of the second energy storage module.

[0049] In this example implementation, the second detection module 250 can be an existing power detection method, such as accurately monitoring battery power through hardware circuitry combined with software algorithms. When the power of the second energy storage module is not less than a second threshold, the RIS controller determines that its power supply status is normal; otherwise, it determines that the power supply status is abnormal. In this example, the second threshold can be preset or determined based on the current communication conditions. For example, the second threshold can be the product of the energy P consumed per unit time (e.g., per second) of the reconfigurable smart surface and the data transmission duration T.

[0050] In the above embodiments, the first threshold and the second threshold may be the same or different, and this example does not limit this.

[0051] In some embodiments, reference Figure 2 As shown, the reconfigurable smart surface 200 also includes:

[0052] The third detection module 260 is used to detect the working status of the solar cell module so that the RIS controller can control the solar cell module to charge the first energy storage module based on the working status of the solar cell module.

[0053] In this example implementation, the third detection module 260 may include an ambient light sensor or other photosensitive element to sense ambient light information. The third detection module 260 may also include fault detection for the solar cell module, i.e., detecting whether the circuitry of the solar cell module is functioning correctly. For example, a voltage or current meter can be placed at the two electrodes of the solar cell module. The operating state of the solar cell module can include normal and abnormal. In this example, the solar cell module can be configured to operate normally if the ambient light information exceeds a third threshold and the circuitry is normal.

[0054] The fourth detection module 270 is used to detect the working status of the energy receiving module so that the RIS controller can control the energy receiving module to charge the second energy storage module based on the working status of the energy receiving module.

[0055] In this example embodiment, the fourth detection module 270 may include a current or voltage meter connected to the energy receiving module to determine whether the energy receiving module can collect electrical energy. The operating state of the energy receiving module may include normal and abnormal. When the energy receiving module is operating normally, it controls the energy receiving module to charge the second energy storage module.

[0056] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 As shown, the reconfigurable smart surface 300 includes, in addition to the smart reflection module 310, the first power supply module 320, and the second power supply module 330, the following:

[0057] The signal processing module 340 is used to receive first configuration information so that the RIS controller can determine the power supply status of the first energy storage module and the second energy storage module based on the first configuration information.

[0058] In this example implementation, the first configuration information is used to indicate data transmission duration information. The first configuration information may include data transmission duration information, which can be configured and transmitted by the base station. The signal processing module can be located on the back of the reconfigurable smart surface, or it can be located on the back of the surface; this example does not limit this.

[0059] In some embodiments, the signal processing module is further configured to receive second configuration information so that the RIS controller can adjust the reflected beam energy of the smart reflection module based on the second configuration information.

[0060] In this example implementation, the second configuration information is used to indicate the energy percentage of each reflected beam of the intelligent reflection module. This information can be configured and distributed by the base station to achieve on-demand energy allocation, which is beneficial for promoting the application of RIS technology.

[0061] In some embodiments, the signal processing module is further configured to send one of an energy request signal, an energy sufficient feedback signal, and a fault signal.

[0062] In this example implementation, the energy request signal is used to request energy from the signal transmitter (e.g., a base station), so that the energy transmitting module of the signal transmitter (e.g., the base station) sends a wireless signal carrying energy to the energy receiving module of the RIS. The energy sufficient feedback signal is used to send a sufficient energy signal back to the signal transmitter to stop the energy transmitting process. The fault signal is used to send a fault signal to the signal transmitter when the energy receiving module malfunctions.

[0063] Furthermore, in this example embodiment, the reconfigurable smart surface 300 may also include a first detection module, a second detection module, and / or a third detection module and a fourth detection module.

[0064] It should be noted that the structure and purpose of the first detection module, the second detection module, and / or the third and fourth detection modules are the same as those of the fourth detection module. Figure 2 The same applies to the above, so I will not repeat it here.

[0065] The reconfigurable smart surface disclosed herein includes a first power supply module and a second power supply module, overcoming the limitations of traditional wired power supply methods on RIS deployment. Furthermore, by prioritizing the first and second power supply modules, the operational reliability of the reconfigurable smart surface is improved.

[0066] See Figure 4 This example embodiment also provides a communication system 400, which may include: a base station 410, a reconfigurable smart surface 420, and a terminal device 430. The base station 410 can be used to transmit electromagnetic wave signals. The reconfigurable smart surface 420 can be any of the reconfigurable smart surfaces described in the above embodiments. The reconfigurable smart surface can be used for coverage blind spot elimination, physical layer-assisted secure communication, multi-stream transmission rank enhancement, edge coverage enhancement, large-scale D2D communication, wireless power and information transmission in the Internet of Things, indoor coverage, etc. For example, when there is an insurmountable obstacle between the base station and the terminal, the channel between them is a non-line-of-sight channel. If the signal propagation environment is singular and lacks a reflection path, the signal received by the terminal will be very weak. In this scenario, a reconfigurable smart surface can be set up in the wireless channel to adjust the reflected beam, aim at the terminal located in the blind spot, and dynamically track it, which is equivalent to creating a virtual line-of-sight path and extending the coverage of the cell. For indoor coverage scenarios, this can be achieved by allowing outdoor base station signals to penetrate building exterior walls or windows. For example, a transparent, reconfigurable smart surface 420 can be deployed on the glass surface of building windows to control signal entry into the room and achieve a certain gain. When the reconfigurable smart surface 420 is deployed on the exterior surface of high-rise buildings or other situations where wired connections are difficult, self-powered or wireless power supply methods can be used.

[0067] Terminal device 430 can be any terminal device that communicates with the base station. In this embodiment, the terminal device can be a consumer electronic device used for entertainment, such as a music player, camera, etc., or it can be a mobile phone, laptop, home monitoring device, etc. This example does not limit it.

[0068] The specific details of the reconfigurable smart surface 420 in the above communication system have been described in detail in the corresponding reconfigurable smart surface, so they will not be repeated here.

[0069] Further reference Figure 5 This example embodiment also provides a power supply method applied to a reconfigurable smart surface. The reconfigurable smart surface includes a smart reflection module, a first power supply module, and a second power supply module. The method includes:

[0070] Step S510: Determine the power supply status of the first power supply module.

[0071] In this example implementation, the power supply status includes normal and abnormal. The power supply status can be set to normal when the power of the first power supply module is greater than a first threshold and the power supply circuit is normal.

[0072] Step S520: When the power supply status of the first power supply module is normal, the first power supply module uses light energy to power the intelligent reflection module.

[0073] Step S530: When the power supply status of the first power supply module is abnormal, the second power supply module is used to supply power to the intelligent reflection module by wirelessly receiving energy.

[0074] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the first power supply module includes a solar cell module and a first energy storage module. The solar cell module is used to convert light energy into electrical energy and store it in the first energy storage module. Determining the power supply state of the first power supply module includes:

[0075] The power level of the first energy storage module is detected so that the RIS controller can determine the power supply status of the first energy storage module based on its power level.

[0076] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: detecting the operating state of the solar cell module, so that the RIS controller controls the solar cell module to charge the first energy storage module based on the operating state of the solar cell module; or / and detecting the operating state of the energy receiving module, so that the RIS controller controls the energy receiving module to charge the second energy storage module based on the operating state of the energy receiving module.

[0077] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: detecting the power level of the second energy storage module so that the RIS controller determines the power supply status of the second energy storage module based on the power level of the second energy storage module.

[0078] Further reference Figure 6This example embodiment also provides a communication method applied to a reconfigurable smart surface. The reconfigurable smart surface includes a smart reflection module, a first power supply module, and a second power supply module. The method includes: step S610, receiving first configuration information, the first configuration information being used to indicate data transmission duration information; step S620, determining the power supply status of the first power supply module based on the first configuration information; step S630, when the power supply status of the first power supply module is normal, using the first power supply module to power the smart reflection module using light energy; step S640, when the power supply status of the first power supply module is abnormal, using the second power supply module to power the smart reflection module using wirelessly received energy; step S650, using the normally powered smart reflection module to adjust the phase and / or amplitude of the incident signal to form a reflected signal and send it to the terminal device.

[0079] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the method further includes: receiving second configuration information, the second configuration information being used to indicate the energy ratio information of each reflected beam of the intelligent reflection module; and adjusting the reflected beam energy of the intelligent reflection module based on the second configuration information.

[0080] For example, such as Figure 7 As shown, a communication method according to a specific embodiment of this disclosure includes the following steps.

[0081] Step S701: The base station sends the first configuration information to the reconfigurable smart surface.

[0082] Step S702: The power of the first energy storage module for intelligent surface detection can be reconfigured.

[0083] Step S703: Based on the first configuration information and the power of the first energy storage module, the reconfigurable smart surface determines whether the first energy storage module can supply power. If it can, proceed to step S704; otherwise, proceed to step S705.

[0084] Step S704: Power the reconfigurable smart surface using the first energy storage module, then proceed to step S715;

[0085] Step S705: The power of the second energy storage module can be reconfigured for intelligent surface detection.

[0086] Step S706: The reconfigurable smart surface determines whether the second energy storage module can supply power based on the first configuration information and the power of the second energy storage module; if it can, proceed to step S707; otherwise, proceed to step S708.

[0087] Step S707: Power the reconfigurable smart surface using the second energy storage module, then proceed to step S715;

[0088] Step S708: The working state of the reconfigurable smart surface detection solar cell module can be changed. If it is normal, proceed to step S709; otherwise, proceed to step S710.

[0089] In step S709, the reconfigurable smart surface uses the solar cell module to charge the first energy storage module until the energy of the first energy storage module is not less than the first threshold. Then, the first energy storage module is used to power the reconfigurable smart surface, and the process proceeds to step S715.

[0090] Step S710: The working state of the intelligent surface detection energy receiving module can be reconfigured. If it is normal, proceed to step S711; otherwise, proceed to step S712.

[0091] In step S711, the reconfigurable smart surface sends an energy request signal to the base station and proceeds to step S713.

[0092] Step S712: Send a fault signal to the base station.

[0093] In step S713, the base station sends an energy-carrying signal to the reconfigurable smart surface.

[0094] In step S714, the reconfigurable smart surface receives the energy-carrying signal and charges the second energy storage module until the power of the second energy storage module is greater than the second threshold; the second energy storage module is used to power the reconfigurable smart surface, and then the process proceeds to step S715.

[0095] The above process can serve as the activation process for the reconfigurable smart surface disclosed herein. The activation process can be initiated by the base station sending a RIS activation request. After RIS activation is completed, the following data transmission process will proceed.

[0096] In step S715, the base station sends the second configuration information to the reconfigurable smart surface.

[0097] In this example implementation, the second configuration information can be {a,b,…}, where a represents the energy percentage allocated to the first beam of the RIS reflection, b represents the energy percentage allocated to the second beam of the RIS reflection, and so on.

[0098] Step S716: The reconfigurable smart surface adjusts the phase and / or amplitude of the incident signal based on the second configuration information to obtain a reflected signal.

[0099] Step S717: The terminal device receives the reflected signal.

[0100] The specific details of each step in the communication method in the above embodiments have been described in detail in the corresponding reconfigurable smart surface, so they will not be repeated here.

[0101] On the other hand, this application also provides a computer-readable medium, which may be included in the electronic device described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the electronic device. The computer-readable medium carries one or more programs that, when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the methods as described in the following embodiments. For example, the electronic device may perform... Figures 5-7 The various steps shown are as follows.

[0102] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium disclosed herein may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In this disclosure, a computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media can also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wire, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0103] Furthermore, in exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, an electronic device capable of implementing the above-described methods is also provided. Those skilled in the art will understand that various aspects of this disclosure can be implemented as systems, methods, or program products. Therefore, various aspects of this disclosure can be specifically implemented as entirely hardware embodiments, entirely software embodiments (including firmware, microcode, etc.), or embodiments combining hardware and software aspects, collectively referred to herein as "circuit," "module," or "system."

[0104] The following reference Figure 8 To describe an electronic device 800 according to such an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 The electronic device 800 shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0105] like Figure 8 As shown, the electronic device 800 is presented in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of the electronic device 800 may include, but are not limited to: at least one processing unit 810, at least one storage unit 820, a bus 830 connecting different system components (including storage unit 820 and processing unit 810), and a display unit 840.

[0106] The storage unit stores program code, which can be executed by the processing unit 810, causing the processing unit 810 to perform the steps described in the "Exemplary Methods" section above according to various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure.

[0107] Storage unit 820 may include a readable medium in the form of a volatile storage unit, such as random access memory (RAM) 8201 and / or cache memory 8202, and may further include a read-only memory (ROM) 8203.

[0108] The storage unit 820 may also include a program / utility 8204 having a set (at least one) of program modules 8205, including but not limited to: an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, each or some combination of these examples may include an implementation of a network environment.

[0109] Bus 830 can represent one or more of several types of bus structures, including a memory cell bus or memory cell controller, a peripheral bus, a graphics acceleration port, a processing unit, or a local bus using any of the various bus structures.

[0110] Electronic device 800 can also communicate with one or more external devices 870 (e.g., keyboard, pointing device, Bluetooth device, etc.), and with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with electronic device 800, and / or with any device that enables electronic device 800 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., router, modem, etc.). This communication can be performed via input / output (I / O) interface 850. Furthermore, electronic device 800 can also communicate with one or more networks (e.g., local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), and / or public networks, such as the Internet) via network adapter 860. As shown, network adapter 860 communicates with other modules of electronic device 800 via bus 830. It should be understood that, although not shown in the figures, other hardware and / or software modules can be used in conjunction with electronic device 800, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RA identification systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems.

[0111] From the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, and includes several instructions to cause an electronic device to execute the method according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0112] Furthermore, the above figures are merely illustrative of the processes included in the method according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to be limiting. It is readily understood that the processes shown in the above figures do not indicate or limit the temporal order of these processes. Additionally, it is readily understood that these processes may be executed synchronously or asynchronously, for example, in multiple modules.

[0113] It should be noted that although the steps of the method in this disclosure are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additional or alternative steps, such as omitting certain steps, combining multiple steps into one step, and / or breaking down one step into multiple steps, should all be considered part of this disclosure.

[0114] It should be understood that this disclosure, as disclosed and defined herein, extends to all alternative combinations of two or more individual features mentioned or apparent in the text and / or figures. All these different combinations constitute multiple alternative aspects of this disclosure. The embodiments described in this specification illustrate the best known mode for implementing this disclosure and will enable those skilled in the art to utilize it.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable smart surface, characterized in that, include: Intelligent reflection module, used to adjust the phase and / or amplitude of incident signal; The first power supply module is used to power the intelligent reflection module using light energy; the first power supply module includes a solar cell module and a first energy storage module; the power supply status of the first energy storage module includes normal and abnormal. When the power of the first energy storage module is not less than a first threshold, the RIS controller determines that the power supply status is normal; otherwise, it determines that the power supply status is abnormal; the first threshold is the product of the energy consumed by the reconfigurable intelligent surface per unit time and the data transmission duration. The second power supply module is used to power the intelligent reflection module by wirelessly receiving energy; the second power supply module includes an energy receiving module and a second energy storage module. A signal processing module is used to receive first configuration information so that the RIS controller can determine the power supply status of the first energy storage module and the second energy storage module based on the first configuration information. The first configuration information is used to indicate data transmission duration information; The first power supply module has a higher power supply priority than the second power supply module.

2. The reconfigurable smart surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first power supply module includes a solar cell module and a first energy storage module. The solar cell module is used to convert light energy into electrical energy and store it in the first energy storage module. The second power supply module includes an energy receiving module and a second energy storage module. The energy receiving module is used to receive energy signals and convert the energy signals into electrical energy and store them in the second energy storage module. The first energy storage module and the second energy storage module are respectively used to power the intelligent reflection module.

3. The reconfigurable smart surface according to claim 2, characterized in that, The intelligent reflection module includes multiple reflective elements and a reconfigurable intelligent surface RIS controller, wherein the reconfigurable intelligent surface further includes: The first detection module is used to detect the power of the first energy storage module so that the RIS controller can determine the power supply status of the first energy storage module based on the power of the first energy storage module. The second detection module is used to detect the power level of the second energy storage module, so that the RIS controller can determine the power supply status of the second energy storage module based on the power level of the second energy storage module.

4. The reconfigurable smart surface according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reconfigurable smart surface also includes: The third detection module is used to detect the working status of the solar cell module, so that the RIS controller controls the solar cell module to charge the first energy storage module based on the working status of the solar cell module. The fourth detection module is used to detect the working status of the energy receiving module, so that the RIS controller can control the energy receiving module to charge the second energy storage module based on the working status of the energy receiving module.

5. The reconfigurable smart surface according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal processing module is further configured to receive second configuration information so that the RIS controller can adjust the reflected beam energy of the intelligent reflection module based on the second configuration information; the second configuration information is used to indicate the energy ratio information of each reflected beam of the intelligent reflection module.

6. The reconfigurable smart surface according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, The signal processing module is also used to send one of the following: an energy request signal, an energy sufficient feedback signal, and a fault signal.

7. A communication system, characterized in that, The system is configured with a reconfigurable smart surface as described in any one of claims 1-6, for controlling the phase and / or amplitude of incident signals during communication.

8. A power supply method applied to the reconfigurable smart surface of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable smart surface comprises a smart reflection module, a first power supply module, and a second power supply module, characterized in that, The method includes: Determine the power supply status of the first power supply module; When the power supply status of the first power supply module is normal, the first power supply module uses light energy to power the intelligent reflection module. When the power supply status of the first power supply module is abnormal, the second power supply module is used to supply power to the intelligent reflection module by wirelessly receiving energy.

9. A communication method applied to the reconfigurable smart surface of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable smart surface comprises a smart reflection module, a first power supply module, and a second power supply module, characterized in that, The method includes: Receive first configuration information, which is used to indicate data transmission duration information; Based on the first configuration information, the power supply status of the first power supply module is determined; When the power supply status of the first power supply module is normal, the first power supply module uses light energy to power the intelligent reflection module. When the power supply status of the first power supply module is abnormal, the second power supply module is used to supply power to the intelligent reflection module by wirelessly receiving energy. The intelligent reflection module, powered by normal operation, modulates the phase and / or amplitude of the incident signal to form a reflected signal that is sent to the terminal device.

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