Continuous phase adjustable interconnection reconfigurable intelligent surface unit structure based on pairwise grouping

Abstract

The invention discloses a continuous phase adjustable interconnection reconfigurable intelligent surface unit structure based on pairwise grouping, and further discloses a reconfigurable intelligent surface array and an array system adopting the unit structure. The unit structure comprises a radiation unit group and a power distribution and interconnection network module, the radiation unit group at least comprises two radiation units, each radiation unit is connected with a corresponding phase regulation and control branch, and each phase regulation and control branch is provided with at least two cascaded phase shifter modules. The phase shifter module comprises a radio frequency transmission part and a grounding branch with an equivalent control switch, and the power distribution and interconnection network module is connected with each phase regulation and control branch and establishes a determined amplitude and phase coupling relation, so that the equivalent reflection phase of the radiation unit group is continuously adjustable. The phase resolution is effectively improved, the regulation freedom degree is enhanced, the unit structure is easy to expand, the engineering realizability is high, and the unit response consistency of a large-scale array can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of wireless communication and electromagnetic wave manipulation technology. More specifically, this invention relates to a continuously phase-tunable interconnected reconfigurable smart surface unit structure based on paired grouping. Background Technology

[0002] Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) is a core product combining electromagnetic metasurface technology and wireless communication technology. It consists of a large number of periodically arranged unit structures. This technology can form a desired spatial phase distribution by precisely controlling the reflection phase of each unit, thereby achieving flexible control over the electromagnetic wave reflection direction, beam shape and sidelobe level.

[0003] Current RIS (Relational Array Components) units generally employ switching devices, switchable branches, or discrete multi-state networks to achieve phase modulation. While these methods fulfill basic phase control requirements, they still suffer from numerous technical shortcomings in practical applications. Most existing structures rely on a small number of discrete phase states for modulation, resulting in limited phase resolution and significant phase quantization errors during beamforming, severely impacting beam gain, sidelobe suppression, and signal coverage. Common reconfigurable smart surface units primarily operate independently, lacking circuit-level interconnects and power coordination mechanisms, thus limiting the overall controllability and hindering finer-grained phase synthesis at the hardware level. Furthermore, some solutions increase the number of phase bits to enhance phase states, often requiring additional branches, devices, and bias network complexity. This not only introduces additional transmission losses but also causes device consistency issues. Simultaneously, the inherent discreteness of devices, manufacturing deviations, and parasitic effects introduced by the bias network can lead to inconsistent electromagnetic responses among units in large-scale RIS arrays, significantly reducing system-level performance controllability and limiting the engineering-scale expansion of RIS arrays.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new RIS cell structure that can improve phase resolution and enhance inter-cell collaborative control capabilities in terms of hardware structure, and is easy to implement in engineering and scale up, in order to solve the technical problems of existing RIS cell structures, such as obvious phase quantization errors, insufficient control freedom, complex structure and high loss, and poor consistency and controllability in large-scale array applications. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on existing technologies, the objective of this invention is to provide a continuously phase-tunable interconnected reconfigurable smart surface unit structure based on paired grouping. This structure can effectively solve the technical problems of significant phase quantization error, insufficient collaborative control capability, complex structure and high loss, and poor consistency in large-scale array applications of existing RIS unit structures, thereby improving the overall performance of RIS unit structures.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a continuously phase-tunable interconnected reconfigurable smart surface cell structure based on paired grouping, comprising: A radiating element group, comprising at least two radiating elements, each radiating element connected to a corresponding phase control branch, and each phase control branch having at least two phase shifter modules; and A power distribution and interconnection network module is configured to connect the phase modulation branches corresponding to each radiating unit in the radiating unit group, and is configured to establish a defined amplitude and phase coupling relationship between the radiating units, so that the equivalent reflection phase of the radiating unit group is continuously adjustable.

[0007] Furthermore, the unit structure includes: A first radiating unit and a second radiating unit are respectively connected to a first phase control branch and a second phase control branch, wherein the first phase control branch is provided with a first phase shifter module and a second phase shifter module, and the second phase control branch is provided with a third phase shifter module and a fourth phase shifter module; and The power distribution and interconnection network module is connected to the first phase control branch and the second phase control branch, respectively.

[0008] Furthermore, the phase shifter module includes: Radio frequency transmission components, configured to transmit radio frequency signals; and At least two ground branches are configured to introduce a phase shift in the phase shifter module.

[0009] Furthermore, each of the grounding branches is provided with an equivalent control switch for controlling the grounding state of the grounding branch.

[0010] Furthermore, the equivalent control switch controls the equivalent loading state of the grounding branch by turning it on and / or off, so as to introduce a corresponding phase shift at the phase shifter module.

[0011] Furthermore, the at least two phase shifter modules are cascaded on the phase control branch.

[0012] Furthermore, the power distribution and interconnection network module includes: A power distribution network module, configured to distribute the radio frequency power of the phase-modulated branch corresponding to any radiating unit in the radiating unit group to the phase-modulated branches corresponding to the other radiating units according to a preset ratio; and A power combining network module is configured to combine and transmit the radio frequency power of each phase-controlled branch in the radiation unit group according to a preset rule.

[0013] Furthermore, the power distribution and interconnection network module, through the cooperation of the power distribution network module and the power combining network module, establishes a defined amplitude and phase coupling relationship for each phase control branch.

[0014] A second aspect of the present invention also provides a reconfigurable smart surface array, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of unit structures arranged in an array according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0015] A third aspect of the present invention also provides a reconfigurable smart surface array system, characterized in that it comprises: The reconfigurable smart surface array described in the second aspect of the present invention; and A control module is configured to control the operating state of each phase shifter module in the unit structure at different locations in the reconfigurable smart surface array, thereby adjusting the equivalent phase of each phase control branch.

[0016] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: (1) The phase resolution of the RIS unit structure provided by the present invention is significantly improved. By combining and controlling multiple phase shifter modules to form a large number of phase superposition results, the overall equivalent phase of the phase control branch can be adjusted in smaller steps, which effectively reduces the phase quantization error generated by the traditional low-bit discrete phase adjustment method and improves the control accuracy of the RIS unit for electromagnetic wave phase.

[0017] (2) This invention realizes the paired / grouped coordinated control of RIS units, greatly improving the overall control freedom. Through the paired / grouped structural design and the setting of power distribution and interconnection network modules, a circuit-level coupling relationship is established between each phase control branch, so that the equivalent reflection phase of the RIS unit is jointly determined by the joint response of multiple phase control branches. This breaks through the limitations of the traditional independent control mode of RIS units and improves the phase synthesis capability and control freedom at the hardware level.

[0018] (3) The RIS cell structure provided by the present invention has excellent scalability and strong engineering feasibility. It does not rely on a single continuously adjustable device. It can achieve continuous or quasi-continuous phase adjustment by simply setting up cascaded phase shifter modules and matching interconnection structures. This design will not significantly increase the complexity of the cell and transmission loss. At the same time, it can effectively improve the problem of inconsistent cell response caused by device discreteness and process deviation in large-scale array applications, and adapt to the application requirements of reconfigurable smart surface large-scale arrays.

[0019] In summary, this invention comprehensively achieves the technical effects of improved phase control accuracy, enhanced control freedom, easy structural expansion, and strong engineering feasibility. This continuously phase-tunable interconnected reconfigurable smart surface unit structure based on paired grouping can be widely used in millimeter-wave communication, terahertz communication, smart reflection, beamforming, electromagnetic environment reconstruction, and other fields. It has important engineering application value in the fields of wireless communication and electromagnetic metasurface technology, and provides reliable hardware structure support for the technological development and product implementation in related fields. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To further illustrate the advantages and other features of the various embodiments of the present invention, a more specific description of the embodiments of the present invention will be presented with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not intended to limit its scope. In the drawings, identical or corresponding parts will be indicated by the same or similar reference numerals for clarity.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the RIS unit structure in one embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a specific radio frequency circuit implementation of the RIS unit structure in one embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0023] List of reference numerals 100 RIS unit structure 101 First Radiation Unit 102 Second Radiation Unit 103 Power Distribution and Interconnection Network Module 104 First Phase Modulation Branch 105 Second Phase Modulation Branch 106 First Phase Shifter Module 107 Second Phase Shifter Module 108 Third Phase Shifter Module 109 Fourth Phase Shifter Module Detailed Implementation It should be noted that the components in the various figures may be shown exaggeratedly for illustrative purposes and are not necessarily to scale. In each figure, the same reference numerals are used for components that are identical or have the same function.

[0024] In this invention, the various embodiments are merely intended to illustrate the solutions of the invention and should not be construed as limiting.

[0025] In this invention, unless otherwise specified, the quantifiers “a” and “one” do not exclude scenarios involving multiple elements.

[0026] It should also be noted that, in the embodiments of the present invention, only a portion of the components or parts may be shown for clarity and simplicity. However, those skilled in the art will understand that, under the teachings of the present invention, necessary components or parts can be added as needed for specific scenarios. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, features in different embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other. For example, a feature in the second embodiment can replace a corresponding or functionally identical or similar feature in the first embodiment, and the resulting embodiment will also fall within the scope of disclosure or description of this application.

[0027] It should also be noted that within the scope of this invention, the terms "same", "equal", and "equal to" do not mean that the two values ​​are absolutely equal, but allow for a certain reasonable error. In other words, the terms also cover "substantially the same", "substantially equal", and "substantially equal to".

[0028] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, a continuously phase-adjustable interconnected reconfigurable smart surface unit structure (hereinafter referred to as RIS unit structure) 100 based on paired grouping is provided. The RIS unit structure adopts a network form of paired / grouped grouping. Through the corresponding connection of radiating units and phase control branches, and the coupling and coordination of power distribution and interconnection network modules, the equivalent reflection phase of the radiating unit group is continuously adjustable, which effectively improves the phase control resolution and the control freedom at the hardware level.

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the RIS unit structure in one embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the RIS unit structure 100 includes a radiating unit group and a power distribution and interconnection network module 103. The radiating unit group includes at least two radiating units, specifically a first radiating unit 101 and a second radiating unit 102 in this embodiment, forming a basic paired grouping structure. The first radiating unit 101 is connected to a first phase control branch 104, and the second radiating unit 102 is connected to a second phase control branch 105. The first phase control branch 104 is provided with a first phase shifter module 106 and a second phase shifter module 107, and the second phase control branch 105 is correspondingly provided with a third phase shifter module 108 and a fourth phase shifter module 109.

[0032] The first phase shifter module 106 and the second phase shifter module 107 in the first phase control branch 104 are cascaded, and the third phase shifter module 108 and the fourth phase shifter module 109 in the second phase control branch 105 are also cascaded. The phase shifter modules in each phase control branch form a combined control structure through the cascaded arrangement, providing structural support for subsequent fine-grained phase adjustment.

[0033] The power distribution and interconnection network module 103 is connected to the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105 respectively. It is configured to establish a defined amplitude and phase coupling relationship between the first radiation unit 101 and the second radiation unit 102, realize circuit-level energy coupling between the two phase control branches, and thus make the equivalent reflection phase of the radiation unit group composed of the first radiation unit 101 and the second radiation unit 102 continuously adjustable.

[0034] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a specific radio frequency circuit implementation of the RIS unit structure in one embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0035] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105 of the RIS unit structure 100 are respectively provided with first to fourth phase shifter modules 106 to 109 (e.g., ...). Figure 2(As shown in the dashed box). The first to fourth phase shifter modules 106 to 109 have the same structure, and each phase shifter module includes an RF transmission component and two ground branches. In this embodiment, the RF transmission component is an RF transmission line, which is configured to transmit RF signals and is the core carrier for RF signal propagation in the phase shifter module. Each ground branch is configured to introduce a phase shift in the phase shifter module, providing a hardware basis for phase control. Each ground branch is equipped with an equivalent control switch, which is configured to independently control the grounding state of the corresponding ground branch. By switching the working state between on and / or off, the equivalent loading state of the ground branch is controlled, thereby introducing a corresponding phase shift at the phase shifter module.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, the equivalent control switch is an equivalent PIN switch. The grounding branch is connected to ground through the equivalent PIN switch. When the equivalent PIN switch is in the on state, an equivalent ground loading state is formed at the location of the grounding branch; when the equivalent PIN switch is in the off state, another equivalent loading state is formed at the location of the grounding branch, thereby introducing a corresponding phase shift at the phase shifter module. Different phase shifter modules have different phase shift contributions due to differences in their positions and parameters in the phase control branch. Under the coupling effect of the power distribution and interconnection network module 103, the phase shifter module combination configuration of the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105 jointly determine the equivalent reflection response of the paired group structure. By configuring different phase shifter module combination states for the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105 respectively, the resolution of phase adjustment can be further refined, enabling the RIS unit structure 100 to achieve high-precision control of the equivalent reflection phase in the target frequency band.

[0037] In one embodiment of the present invention, the power distribution and interconnection network module 103 in the RIS unit structure 100 includes a power distribution network module and a power combining network module. The power distribution network module is configured to distribute the RF power of the phase modulation branch corresponding to any radiating unit in the radiating unit group to the phase modulation branches corresponding to the other radiating units according to a preset ratio. Specifically, in this embodiment, the module can distribute the RF power of the first phase modulation branch 104 to the second phase modulation branch 105 according to a preset ratio, and can also distribute the RF power of the second phase modulation branch 105 to the first phase modulation branch 104 according to a preset ratio. The power combining network module is configured to combine and transmit the RF power of the phase modulation branches connected to each radiating unit in the radiating unit group according to a preset rule, that is, to combine the RF power of the first phase modulation branch 104 and the second phase modulation branch 105 according to a preset rule. The power distribution and interconnection network module 103, through the cooperation of the power distribution network module and the power combining network module, further establishes a defined amplitude and phase coupling relationship for the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105, ensuring the stability of energy coupling and coordinated reflection between the two phase control branches. Simultaneously, through this amplitude and phase coupling relationship, the phase shifter module combination configuration of the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105 can jointly determine the equivalent reflection phase, further refining the phase adjustment resolution.

[0038] The working principle of the RIS unit structure 100 is further explained below.

[0039] The RIS unit structure 100 of this invention achieves continuous adjustment of the equivalent reflection phase through cascaded combination control of phase shifter modules and paired / group cooperative coupling of phase modulation branches. Its core working mechanism consists of three levels: single-module phase offset control of the phase shifter module, combined phase synthesis of phase modulation branches, and cooperative phase coupling of paired branches. Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment provides a paired-group RIS unit structure 100 as an example. First, for a single phase shifter module, the equivalent control switches on each ground branch can independently switch between on and off states. Different switch states change the equivalent loading conditions of the corresponding ground branch, thereby introducing different phase offsets at the phase shifter module. The independent control of each ground branch provides the phase shifter module with basic phase offset adjustment capability. Second, at least two phase shifter modules on each phase control branch are cascaded. The control terminal applies control signals to each phase shifter module on the phase control branch to realize the combined state configuration of the equivalent control switches of each phase shifter module. Since each phase shifter module can introduce different phase offsets, the phase offsets of multiple phase shifter modules are superimposed, allowing the overall equivalent phase of the entire phase control branch to be adjusted in smaller steps, forming a fine-grained phase adjustment effect. For example, in the present invention... Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the first phase control branch 104 achieves fine-grained phase adjustment through the combined control of the first phase shifter module 106 and the second phase shifter module 107. The second phase control branch 105 achieves fine-grained phase adjustment through the combined control of the third phase shifter module 108 and the fourth phase shifter module 109. Finally, the power distribution and interconnection network module 103 establishes a defined amplitude and phase coupling relationship for the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105, realizing circuit-level energy coupling between the two branches. This ensures that the equivalent reflection phase of the radiating unit group is not determined solely by the phase state of a single phase control branch, but rather by the combined phase response of the first phase control branch 104 and the second phase control branch 105. By configuring the phase shifter modules of the two phase control branches in different combinations, the resolution of phase adjustment can be further refined, ultimately achieving continuous adjustability of the equivalent reflection phase of the radiating unit group under the grouped structure.

[0040] In other embodiments of the present invention, the number and position of the phase shifter modules in the phase control branch can be flexibly configured. The number of phase shifter modules set in each phase control branch can be selected as 2, 3, 4 or more according to the actual phase control requirements. At the same time, the grounding position and transmission line length of the phase shifter modules can be specifically optimized in combination with the target application frequency band and phase step requirements. Without changing the core design of the cascaded combination control and pair interconnection of phase shifter modules, it can adapt to the phase control accuracy and frequency band requirements in different scenarios.

[0041] In other embodiments of the present invention, the implementation of the power distribution and interconnection network module 103 can be flexibly adjusted. According to the actual electromagnetic control and beamforming requirements, an equal power interconnection form or a non-equal power interconnection form can be selected. Its physical structure can also adopt a centralized network structure or a distributed transmission line interconnection structure. Different forms and structural configurations can enable different amplitude and phase coupling characteristics between each phase control branch, thereby meeting the differentiated requirements for energy coupling ratio and phase coordination effect under different application scenarios.

[0042] In other embodiments of the present invention, the present invention may be modified as described herein. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the basic paired grouping structure within the radiating unit group is extended, expanding the original paired interconnection structure of the dual radiating units into a multi-unit grouping interconnection form. It can be configured as a collaborative network composed of three or more radiating units. Each radiating unit is connected to a corresponding phase control branch, and the phase control branch is connected to the power distribution and interconnection network module at the circuit level. The equivalent reflection phase of the multi-unit grouping structure is determined by the joint phase response of the multiple branches, thereby further improving the overall phase synthesis degree of freedom and adapting to the requirements of higher precision electromagnetic environment reconstruction and beamforming.

[0043] In other embodiments of the present invention, the equivalent PIN switch provided on the grounding branch of the phase shifter module can be replaced by a radio frequency switch device with equivalent on and off electrical characteristics. Such a replacement device can achieve the same functional effect as the equivalent PIN switch, that is, by changing the equivalent loading condition of the grounding branch through the switching of the working state, a corresponding phase shift is introduced at the phase shifter module. Moreover, the replacement of the device will not change the combined control mechanism of the phase shifter module, nor will it affect the overall working logic of the phase control branch and the entire unit structure.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, a reconfigurable smart surface array is provided, comprising multiple RIS unit structures 100 as described in the preceding embodiments of the present invention arranged in an array. The RIS unit structures 100 are arranged periodically in the array, and each RIS unit structure maintains independent phase modulation capability and paired / group interconnection structural characteristics, without interfering with each other. Unit structures at different positions in the array can be individually configured with their own phase shifter module combinations according to actual electromagnetic modulation requirements, thereby enabling each unit structure to exhibit different equivalent reflection phases. The equivalent reflection phases of multiple unit structures cooperate in space to form a spatial phase distribution that meets preset requirements. This reconfigurable smart surface array inherits the technical characteristics of high phase resolution and large degree of control freedom of a single unit structure. Simultaneously, due to the good engineering scalability of a single unit structure, the array size can be flexibly adjusted according to the application scenario, effectively improving the problem of inconsistent unit responses in traditional reconfigurable smart surface arrays and enhancing the controllability and stability of the array system-level performance.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, a reconfigurable smart surface array system is also provided, including the reconfigurable smart surface array of the foregoing embodiments of the present invention and a control module therewith. The control module establishes a control connection with all unit structures in the reconfigurable smart surface array and is configured to output control signals to unit structures at different positions in the array, controlling the operating state of each phase shifter module in each unit structure. Specifically, the control module adjusts the on or off state of the equivalent PIN switch in the phase shifter module through control signals, thereby changing the equivalent loading condition of the phase shifter module and realizing flexible adjustment of the equivalent phase of each phase control branch in each unit structure, thus changing the equivalent reflection phase of each unit structure. By differentially adjusting the equivalent phase of the phase control branches of unit structures at different positions in the reconfigurable smart surface array, the spatial phase distribution of the entire array can be changed in real time, enabling the array system to dynamically realize functions such as beamforming, beam scanning, smart reflection, or signal enhancement in millimeter-wave / terahertz communication according to actual application requirements, improving the electromagnetic control flexibility and accuracy of the reconfigurable smart surface array system.

[0046] Although various embodiments of the invention have been described above, it should be understood that they are presented by way of example only and not as limitations. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various combinations, modifications, and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the invention disclosed herein should not be limited by the exemplary embodiments disclosed above, but should be defined solely by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A continuously phase-tunable interconnected reconfigurable smart surface unit structure based on paired grouping, characterized in that, include: A radiation unit group, comprising at least two radiation units, each radiation unit being connected to a corresponding phase control branch, and each phase control branch being provided with at least two phase shifter modules; as well as A power distribution and interconnection network module is configured to connect the phase modulation branches corresponding to each radiating unit in the radiating unit group, and is configured to establish a defined amplitude and phase coupling relationship between the radiating units, so that the equivalent reflection phase of the radiating unit group is continuously adjustable.

2. The unit structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unit structure includes: A first radiating unit and a second radiating unit are respectively connected to a first phase control branch and a second phase control branch, wherein the first phase control branch is provided with a first phase shifter module and a second phase shifter module, and the second phase control branch is provided with a third phase shifter module and a fourth phase shifter module; and The power distribution and interconnection network module is connected to the first phase control branch and the second phase control branch, respectively.

3. The unit structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The phase shifter module includes: Radio frequency transmission components, configured to transmit radio frequency signals; and At least two ground branches are configured to introduce a phase shift in the phase shifter module.

4. The unit structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the grounding branches is provided with an equivalent control switch for controlling the grounding status of the grounding branch.

5. The unit structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The equivalent control switch controls the equivalent loading state of the grounding branch by turning it on and / or off, so as to introduce a corresponding phase shift at the phase shifter module.

6. The unit structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least two phase shifter modules are cascaded on the phase control branch.

7. The unit structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power distribution and interconnection network module includes: A power distribution network module, configured to distribute the radio frequency power of the phase-modulated branch corresponding to any radiating unit in the radiating unit group to the phase-modulated branches corresponding to the other radiating units according to a preset ratio; and A power combining network module is configured to combine and transmit the radio frequency power of each phase-controlled branch in the radiation unit group according to a preset rule.

8. The unit structure according to claim 7, characterized in that, The power distribution and interconnection network module, through the cooperation of the power distribution network module and the power combining network module, establishes a defined amplitude and phase coupling relationship for each phase control branch.

9. A reconfigurable smart surface array, characterized in that, It includes multiple unit structures arranged in an array according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. A reconfigurable smart surface array system, characterized in that, include: The reconfigurable smart surface array according to claim 9; as well as A control module is configured to control the operating state of each phase shifter module in the unit structure at different locations in the reconfigurable smart surface array, thereby adjusting the equivalent phase of each phase control branch.

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