An apparatus comprising a transceiver and a protective shell

Abstract

An apparatus comprising: a transceiver configured to receive signals in a first set of time slots of a plurality of time slots and further configured to transmit signals in a second set of time slots of the plurality of time slots; a protective structure at least partially surrounding the transceiver; and a first transmissive reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) at least partially supported by the protective structure and configured to reconfigure signals passing through the first transmissive RIS with the transceiver, wherein the first transmissive RIS is configured to apply a first configuration in the first set of time slots of the plurality of time slots to reconfigure signals passing through the first transmissive RIS and further configured to apply a second configuration in the second set of time slots of the plurality of time slots to reconfigure signals passing through the first transmissive RIS.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a device comprising a transceiver and a protective housing. Background Technology

[0002] A radar dome (often called a radome) is a structure used to enclose an antenna. The primary purpose of a radome is to shield the antenna from external factors such as the environment. This improves system availability because the antenna is unaffected by wind, rain, or ice. It also improves antenna performance, as strong winds or temperature changes can distort the antenna's shape and pointing direction.

[0003] The shell is typically electromagnetically transparent, so that the electromagnetic signal passing through it remains unchanged (or, as a design objective of the radome, minimizes any such changes). However, another part of the shell or radome can be an electromagnetically active component to impart desired variations in the electromagnetic signal. These desired variations can be, for example, changes in phase, amplitude, and / or polarization. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising: a transceiver configured to receive signals in a first set of time slots among a plurality of time slots, and further configured to transmit signals in a second set of time slots among the plurality of time slots; a protective structure at least partially surrounding the transceiver; and a first transmissive reconfigurable smart surface RIS, the first transmissive RIS being at least partially supported by the protective structure and configured to reconstruct signals transmitted through the first transmissive RIS and the transceiver, wherein the first transmissive RIS is configured to apply a first configuration in the first set of time slots among the plurality of time slots to reconstruct signals transmitted through the first transmissive RIS, and further configured to apply a second configuration in the second set of time slots among the plurality of time slots to reconstruct signals transmitted through the first transmissive RIS.

[0005] The apparatus may further include a first reflective RIS for reconstructing reflected signals transmitted with the transceiver, wherein the first reflective RIS may have a first configuration for reconstructing reflected signals in a first set of time slots in the plurality of time slots and a second configuration for reconstructing reflected signals in a second set of time slots in the plurality of time slots.

[0006] The protective structure may include a support frame, wherein the first transmissive RIS is connected to the support frame.

[0007] The first transmissive RIS can be positioned inside the protective structure.

[0008] The protective structure can be electromagnetically transparent.

[0009] The apparatus may further include at least one controller configured to determine the first configuration of the first transmissive RIS and the second configuration of the first transmissive RIS.

[0010] The controller or individual controllers may also be configured to determine the first configuration of the first reflective RIS and the second configuration of the first reflective RIS.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a system is provided, the system comprising: the apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention; and at least one controller configured to determine a first configuration of a first transmissive RIS and a second configuration of the first transmissive RIS, and to cause the first transmissive RIS to apply the first configuration in a first set of time slots in a plurality of time slots and to apply the second configuration in a second set of time slots in the plurality of time slots.

[0012] The at least one controller may also be configured to determine the first configuration of the first reflective RIS and the second configuration of the first reflective RIS, and to enable the first reflective RIS to apply the first configuration in the first set of time slots in the plurality of time slots and to apply the second configuration in the second set of time slots in the plurality of time slots.

[0013] The at least one controller may also be configured to determine a first configuration of the transceiver for receiving signals in the first set of time slots of the plurality of time slots, and a second configuration of the transceiver for transmitting signals in the second set of time slots of the plurality of time slots.

[0014] The at least one controller may be configured to jointly determine at least one of the following: the first configuration of the transceiver and the first configuration of the first transceiver RIS, and the second configuration of the transceiver and the second configuration of the first transceiver RIS.

[0015] The at least one controller may be configured to jointly determine at least one of the following: at least one of the first configuration of the transceiver and the first configuration of the first transmissive RIS together with the first configuration of the first reflective RIS, and at least one of the second configuration of the transceiver and the second configuration of the first transmissive RIS together with the second configuration of the first reflective RIS. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To better understand the present invention, embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a radar dome; Figure 2a This is a schematic diagram illustrating a flexible, conformal, reconfigurable smart surface (RIS); Figure 2b This is an example Figure 2a A schematic diagram of reflective cells within the cell shell of the RIS; Figure 2c This is an example Figure 2a A schematic diagram of the transmissive cells in the cell shell of the RIS; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first communication device; Figure 4 It is a method for controlling the first communication device; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second communication device; Figure 6 It is a method for controlling a second communication device; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the third communication device; Figure 8 It is a method for controlling a third communication device; Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of a third communication device that also includes the first transmissive RIS; Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of a third communication device that also includes a first transmissive RIS and a second transmissive RIS; and Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of a third communication device that also includes the first transmissive RIS. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a radome 100, which includes a protective shell 110 and a transceiver 120 positioned within the protective shell 110. The protective shell 110 protects the transceiver 120 by minimizing (or at least reducing) the influence of any external factors. These external factors can be environmental, such as wind, temperature, or precipitation, or physical, such as moving foreign objects. The protective shell 110 is formed as a self-supporting geodesic polyhedral structure, comprising a plurality of structural members 111 forming the edges of the geodesic polyhedral structure. The plurality of structural members 111 define a plurality of faces of the geodesic polyhedral structure. The protective shell 110 includes a plurality of panels 113, wherein each panel is shaped and positioned as one of the plurality of faces defined by the plurality of structural members 111. The plurality of panels 113 are fastened to a subset of the plurality of structural members 111.

[0018] Multiple structural members 111 and multiple panels 113 are constructed of electromagnetically transparent materials, such as glass fiber or fabric coated with polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0019] The base 115 of the radome 110 (i.e., the generally hemispherical base of the geodesic polyhedral structure) is fastened to the surface. The base 115 of the radome 110 may be a component of the radome 110 (e.g., an extension of the protective shell 110) or may be part of the surface itself. The transceiver 120 is positioned inside the radome 110.

[0020] Figure 2a An example is the Reconfigurable Smart Surface (RIS) 200. The RIS 200 is an inexpensive, adaptive thin composite material sheet capable of modifying radio waves impacting or passing through it in a way that can be programmed and controlled using external stimuli. This technology has been described under various names, including: large smart surface, reconfigurable reflective array, reconfigurable smart surface, smart reflective surface, software-controlled metasurface, and programmable surface. The RIS 200 can operate reflectively and can comprise an array of diode-controlled cells mounted on a printed circuit board connected to a separate controller. The cell spacing determines the electromagnetic frequency of operation, and the controller determines the reflective characteristics of the surface. The RIS 200 can also operate transmissively using transparent cells, and the cells themselves do not need to be diode-based; a wide range of metasurfaces can be used. Therefore, typically, the RIS 200 operates to produce variations in electromagnetic waves incident on the RIS cells, or electromagnetic waves can pass through the RIS 200 and be altered as they pass through it.

[0021] Figure 2a An example of a flexible conformal RIS 200 is illustrated, which has an adaptable shape conforming to the shape of any surface on which the RIS 200 is placed or attached. The RIS 200 thus includes a flexible frame defining a plurality of cell housings 210, wherein each cell housing in the plurality of cell housings 210 is connected to its adjacent cell housing via integral (“live”) hinges. Each cell housing in the plurality of cell housings 210 may have a hexagonal shape, allowing the frame sufficient degrees of freedom to conform to any smooth surface. The RIS 200 also includes an internal wiring pattern 220 (e.g., extending concentrically from the center of the frame, or in other words, spirally extending out) providing power and communication interfaces for each cell housing in the plurality of cell housings 210. The communication interfaces are capable of applying customized bias voltages (or other excitations) to the cells housed within the individual cell housings.

[0022] The RIS 200 can be a reflective conformal RIS or a transmissive conformal RIS. Figure 2b This is a cross-sectional view of the RIS 200, and the RIS 200 is illustrated as a reflective conformal RIS, wherein a flexible frame defines a cell housing having a single open side for receiving reflective cells (e.g., Figure 2b (As shown on the upper side). Each cell housing is connected to its adjacent cell housing via hinge 230 on its upper side. An internal wiring pattern 220 extends on the lower side of the frame to connect to the cell via the lower edge of the cell housing.

[0023] Figure 2c (A cross-sectional view of the RIS 200 again) The RIS 200 is illustrated as a transmissive conformal RIS, where a flexible frame defines a cell housing with two open sides for receiving transmissive cells. In this example, the transmissive cell is a transmissive cell based on a receiver-transmitter (Rx-Tx) structure, as described in “Recent developments of transmissive reconfigurable intelligent surfaces: a review”, JW Tang, SH Xu, F. Yang, et al, ZTE Communications, vol. 20, no. 1, pp.21–27, Mar. 2022, and therefore includes receiver cells and transmitter cells separated by a ground plane (as shown, the frame can form the ground plane). The receiver cells and transmitter cells are connected by a metal via extending through the ground plane. The receiver and transmitter cells function reversibly (i.e., the cell units are symmetrical), such that in a first state, the cells on the first side of the transmissive conformal RIS act as receiver cells, while the cells on the second side of the transmissive conformal RIS act as transmitter cells; and in a second state, the cells on the first side of the transmissive conformal RIS act as transmitter cells, while the cells on the second side of the transmissive conformal RIS act as receiver cells. The cell housing is connected to its adjacent cell housing via hinge 230 at the central portion of the frame. An internal wiring pattern 220 extends along the central portion of the frame (and thus can extend through hinge 230), forming a first connection with the receiver cells of the transmissive cells and a second connection with the transmitter cells of the transmissive cells.

[0024] Figure 3 An example is shown: a first communication device 300 (hereinafter, a first radome 300), which includes a protective housing 310, a transceiver 320, a first transmissive RIS 330, and a controller 340. The first radome 300 is essentially as described above. Figure 1 As described. Figure 3 A cross-section of the first radome 300 is illustrated, showing the protective shell 310, multiple structural members 311, base 315, and multiple fixing points 317 of the first radome 300. The transceiver 320 is positioned within the interior portion of the protective shell 310.

[0025] The first transmissive RIS 330 is basically as described above. Figure 2a and Figure 2c As described, the first transmissive RIS 330 is a flexible conformal RIS comprising multiple transmissive cells. The first transmissive RIS 330 is positioned on the inner surface of the protective shell 310 of the first radome 300. The first transmissive RIS 330 is fastened to the inner surface of the protective shell 310, for example by fastening the first transmissive RIS 330 to multiple structural members 311 at one or more fixing points 317.

[0026] The first transmissive RIS 330 forms part of the communication channel with transceiver 320. That is, transceiver 320 can communicate with other nodes in the communication network, for example, by sending uplink signals to other nodes and / or by receiving downlink signals sent by other nodes. The communication network operates according to Time Division Duplex (TDD) technology, where communication occurs during a time frame divided into multiple time slots, where a first set of time slots is designated for downlink communication and a second set of time slots is designated for uplink communication. The time frame also includes at least one guard interval, which is the time interval between the time slots of the first set of time slots and the time slots of the second set of time slots. The guard interval is long enough to allow the various components of the communication network to switch between downlink and uplink configurations.

[0027] The controller 340 includes at least one controller module for controlling the transceiver 320 and controlling the first transmissive RIS 330. The controller 340 controls the transceiver 320 to use a downlink configuration during a first set of time slots of a time frame (specified for downlink communication) and an uplink configuration during a second set of time slots of a time frame (specified for uplink communication).

[0028] The controller 340 also controls the first transmissive RIS 330 to use a downlink configuration during the first set of time slots of a time frame (specified for downlink communication) and an uplink configuration during the second set of time slots of a time frame (specified for uplink communication). The downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 330 is determined to optimize (or at least improve) the reception of signals transmitted by other nodes and received at transceiver 320, and the uplink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 330 is determined to optimize (or at least improve) the transmission of signals transmitted by transceiver 320 and received at other nodes.

[0029] The downlink configuration includes configuring a plurality of transmissive cells of the first transmissive RIS 330 such that the cell facing away from the transceiver 320 is a receiver cell, and the cell facing the transceiver 320 is a transmitter cell. The uplink configuration includes configuring a plurality of transmissive cells of the first transmissive RIS 330 such that the cell facing away from the transceiver 320 is a transmitter cell, and the cell facing the transceiver 320 is a receiver cell.

[0030] The downlink configuration also defines a set of bias voltages, wherein each bias voltage will be applied (through a wiring pattern) to a specific transmissive cell among the plurality of transmissive cells of the first transmissive RIS 330. When configured according to the downlink configuration, the plurality of transmissive cells of the first transmissive RIS 330 will impart variations, such as phase, polarization, amplitude, and / or frequency, to signals transmitted by other nodes and passing through the plurality of transmissive cells. Therefore, this set of bias voltages is determined such that a target variation is imparted to the signal, such as a target variation in one or more of phase, polarization, amplitude, and frequency, wherein the purpose of the target variation is to improve communication performance measurements (e.g., in terms of bit rate or error rate). The controller 340 can explicitly calculate this set of bias voltages for the downlink configuration based on the calculated and / or measured downlink channel between the transceiver 320, the first transmissive RIS 330, and other nodes. Alternatively, the downlink configuration can be determined through a calibration phase, in which candidate configurations of the first transmissive RIS 330 are used, and the corresponding performance of the communication channel (e.g., in terms of bit rate or error rate) is measured for each candidate configuration. The downlink configuration can then be selected based on the candidate configuration with the best performance.

[0031] The downlink configurations of transceiver 320 and the first transmissive RIS 330 can be jointly determined, for example, by evaluating the performance of multiple corresponding candidate configurations of transceiver 320 and the first transmissive RIS 330, and selecting the corresponding candidate configuration with the best performance for transceiver 320 and the first transmissive RIS 330.

[0032] A set of bias voltages for uplink configuration can also be calculated by controller 340. This uplink configuration can be explicitly calculated based on the uplink channel calculated and / or measured between transceiver 320, the first transmissive RIS 330, and other nodes (which can be the inverse of the downlink channel), and can also be determined through a calibration phase in which multiple candidate configurations are tested and their corresponding performance is measured (in which case controller 340 can have a feedback loop to determine the channel performance measured by other nodes).

[0033] The uplink configuration of both transceiver 320 and the first transmissive RIS 330 can also be jointly determined.

[0034] The downlink and uplink configurations of transceiver 320 and the first transmissive RIS 330 can be stored in memory at controller 340. The determination of the downlink and uplink configurations of transceiver 320 and / or the first transmissive RIS 330 can be repeated periodically or in response to the performance of the communication channel meeting a threshold (e.g., the bit rate drops below a bit rate threshold, or the error rate exceeds an error rate threshold). Therefore, the downlink and uplink configurations are dynamic to adapt to any changes in the communication channel caused by, for example, changes in the relative positions of transceiver 320, the first transmissive RIS 330, and other nodes.

[0035] Figure 4 A method for controlling the first radome 300 is illustrated. In the first step S101, the controller 340 determines the downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 330, the downlink configuration of the transceiver 320, the uplink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 330, and the uplink configuration of the transceiver 320.

[0036] In step S103, the controller 340 determines whether the first time slot in the time frame (or the next time slot in a subsequent iteration of the time frame) is a member of the first group of time slots (for downlink communication) or a member of the second group of time slots (for uplink communication). In step S105, the controller 340 configures the first transmissive RIS 330 and the transceiver 320 according to the determined membership relationship of the first time slot / next time slot, such that if the first time slot / next time slot is a member of the first group of time slots (for downlink communication), the controller 340 configures the first transmissive RIS 330 according to the downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 330 and the transceiver 320 according to the downlink configuration of the transceiver 320; and if the first time slot / next time slot is a member of the second group of time slots (for uplink communication), the controller 340 configures the first transmissive RIS 330 according to the uplink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 330 and the transceiver 320 according to the uplink configuration of the transceiver 320.

[0037] In step S107, controller 340 determines whether the performance of the communication channel meets a performance threshold (e.g., a bit rate higher than a bit rate threshold or an error rate lower than an error rate threshold). If so, the method loops back to step S103 to reconstruct the first transmissive RIS 330 and transceiver 320 for downlink or uplink communication based on whether the next time slot of the time frame is a member of the first or second time slot group. If controller 340 determines that the performance of the communication channel does not meet the performance threshold, the method loops back to step S101, such that transceiver 320 and / or the first transmissive RIS 330 are reconstructed to optimize (or at least improve) communication.

[0038] The aforementioned first radome 300 thus provides a half-duplex TDD communication system with different configurations for optimizing uplink and downlink communication respectively, including separate optimizations for the first transmissive RIS. The first radome 300 therefore provides improved half-duplex TDD performance compared to an alternative communication device with a single configuration of transmissive RIS, which would suboptimally perform at least one of downlink and uplink communication.

[0039] In addition, the protective shell 310 serves the dual purpose of protecting and supporting the first transmissive RIS 330. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the first transmissive RIS 330 may alternatively be positioned and fixed to the outer surface of the protective shell 310 of the first radome 300.

[0040] Those skilled in the art will understand that transceiver 320 can communicate with multiple other nodes in the first communication system. In this case, the corresponding configurations of the first transmissive RIS 330 and transceiver 320 for downlink and uplink communication may or may not cause the communication system to operate at the desired performance level for all other nodes. If not, separate configurations can be determined for each of the other nodes (or subsets of other nodes), and time frames can be divided into corresponding sets of uplink and downlink time slots for each of the other nodes or subsets of other nodes. Alternatively, the first radome 300 may include multiple transmissive RISs, each implemented and configured in the same manner as the first transmissive RIS described above, wherein each of the multiple transmissive RISs is used to communicate with a specific other node or subset of other nodes.

[0041] Figure 5 A second communication device 400 (hereinafter referred to as the second radome 400) is illustrated, which includes a protective housing 410, a transceiver 420, a first transmissive RIS 430, a second transmissive RIS 440, and a controller 440. The second radome 400 is essentially as described above. Figure 1 As described. Figure 5 A cross-section of the second radome 400 is illustrated, showing a protective housing 410, multiple structural members 411, a base 415, and multiple mounting points 417. A transceiver 420 is positioned within the interior portion of the protective housing 410.

[0042] Each of the first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 is essentially as described above regarding... Figure 2a and Figure 2c As described, the first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 are flexible conformal RISs, each comprising a plurality of transmissive cells. The first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 are positioned on the inner surface of the protective shell 410 of the second radome 400. The first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 are fastened to the inner surface of the protective shell 410, for example, by fastening the first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 to a plurality of structural members 411 at one or more fixing points 417. Alternatively, the first transmissive RIS 430 may be fastened to one or more fixing points 417 of the plurality of structural members 411, and the second transmissive RIS 440 may be fastened to one or more fixing points of the first transmissive RIS 430 (i.e., the first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 are fastened in series).

[0043] Transceiver 420 can communicate with other nodes in the communication network, for example, by sending uplink signals to other nodes and / or by receiving downlink signals sent by other nodes. The communication network operates according to full-duplex frequency division multiplexing (FDDM) technology, enabling transceiver 420 and other nodes to simultaneously send and receive signals from each other. Downlink communication (from other nodes to transceiver 420) uses a first frequency, and uplink communication (from transceiver 420 to other nodes) uses a second (i.e., different) frequency. Downlink communication can be on frequencies from the first frequency range, and uplink communication can be on frequencies from the second (different) frequency range.

[0044] Transceiver 420 may therefore include a first antenna for receiving signals at a first frequency and a second antenna for transmitting signals at a second frequency. When transceiver 420 transmits signals to other nodes at the second frequency and simultaneously receives signals from other nodes at the first frequency, transceiver 420 may apply a filter at the second frequency to the received signals to improve reception of signals from other nodes. By using different frequencies, transceiver 420 does not need to apply self-interference cancellation techniques to establish full-duplex communication with other nodes.

[0045] The controller 450 includes at least one controller module for controlling the transceiver 420, controlling the first transmissive RIS 430, and controlling the second transmissive RIS 440. The controller 450 controls the transceiver 420 to use a downlink configuration (e.g., for application to a receiving antenna and associated components) and an uplink configuration (e.g., for application to a transmitting antenna and associated components).

[0046] Controller 450 also controls the first transmissive RIS 430 to use a downlink configuration. The downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 430 is determined to optimize (or at least improve) the reception of signals transmitted by other nodes and received at transceiver 420. Similarly, controller 450 controls the second transmissive RIS 440 to use an uplink configuration. The uplink configuration of the second transmissive RIS 440 is determined to optimize (or at least improve) the transmission of signals transmitted by transceiver 420 and received at other nodes.

[0047] The downlink configuration defines a set of bias voltages, each of which is applied by a specific cell among a plurality of transmissive cells of the first transmissive RIS 430. When configured according to the downlink configuration, the plurality of transmissive cells of the first transmissive RIS 430 will impart variations, such as phase, polarization, amplitude, and / or frequency, to signals transmitted by other nodes and passing through the plurality of transmissive cells. Therefore, this set of bias voltages is determined such that a target variation is imparted to the signal, such as a target variation in one or more of phase, polarization, amplitude, and frequency, where the purpose of the target variation is to improve communication performance measurements (e.g., in terms of bit rate or error rate). The controller 450 can explicitly calculate this set of bias voltages for the downlink configuration based on the calculated and / or measured downlink channel between the transceiver 420, the first transmissive RIS 430, and other nodes (as described in more detail below, the second transmissive RIS 440 does not impart any variations to the downlink signal from other nodes to the transceiver 420 and is therefore not part of the downlink channel). Alternatively, the downlink configuration can be determined through a calibration phase, in which candidate configurations of the first transmissive RIS430 are used, and the corresponding performance of the downlink channel (e.g., in terms of bit rate or error rate) is measured for each candidate configuration. The downlink configuration can then be selected based on the candidate configuration with the best performance.

[0048] The downlink configuration of transceiver 420 and first transmissive RIS 430 can be jointly determined, for example, by evaluating the performance of multiple corresponding candidate configurations of transceiver 420 and first transmissive RIS 430, and selecting the corresponding candidate configuration with the best performance for transceiver 420 and first transmissive RIS 430.

[0049] A set of bias voltages used for uplink configuration can also be calculated by controller 450. Similarly, this uplink configuration can be explicitly calculated based on the calculated and / or measured uplink channel between transceiver 420, the second transmissive RIS 440, and other nodes (as described in more detail below, the first transmissive RIS 430 does not impart any changes to the uplink signal from transceiver 420 to other nodes, and is therefore not part of the uplink channel), and can also be determined through a calibration phase in which multiple candidate configurations are tested and their corresponding performance is measured (in which case controller 450 can use a feedback loop to determine the uplink channel performance measured by other nodes).

[0050] The uplink configurations of transceiver 420 and the second transmissive RIS 440 can be jointly determined, for example, by evaluating the performance of multiple corresponding candidate configurations of transceiver 420 and the second transmissive RIS 440, and selecting the corresponding candidate configuration with the best performance for transceiver 420 and the second transmissive RIS 440.

[0051] The downlink and uplink configurations of transceiver 420, the first transmissive RIS 430, and the second transmissive RIS 440 can be stored in the memory of controller 450. The determination of the downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 430 can be repeated periodically or in response to downlink channel performance meeting a threshold (e.g., the bit rate drops below a bit rate threshold, or the error rate exceeds an error rate threshold). Similarly, the determination of the uplink configuration of the second transmissive RIS 440 can be repeated periodically or in response to uplink channel performance meeting a threshold (e.g., the bit rate drops below a bit rate threshold, or the error rate exceeds an error rate threshold). Therefore, the downlink and uplink configurations are dynamic to adapt to any changes in the downlink and uplink communication channels caused by, for example, changes in the relative positions of transceiver 420, the first transmissive RIS 430, the second transmissive RIS 440, and other nodes.

[0052] As described above, when configured according to the downlink configuration, the first transmissive RIS 430 imparts a change to the downlink signal from other nodes to transceiver 420, but does not impart a change to the uplink signal from transceiver 420 to other nodes. When configured according to the uplink configuration, the second transmissive RIS 440 does not impart a change to the downlink signal from other nodes to transceiver 420, but instead imparts a change to the uplink signal from transceiver 420 to other nodes. This is because the effects of the first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 on the signals passing through them are frequency-dependent, allowing the selection of a first frequency that will not be affected by the second transmissive RIS 440 (or any effect will be below a threshold), and a second frequency that will not be affected by the first transmissive RIS 430 (or any effect will be below a threshold).

[0053] Alternatively or additionally, the downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 430 may be determined as described above, but with additional constraints that minimize (or at least below a threshold) any impact on performance on the uplink channel, and the uplink configuration of the second transmissive RIS 440 may be determined as described above, but with additional constraints that minimize (or at least below a threshold) any impact on performance on the downlink channel.

[0054] Figure 6 A method for controlling the second radome 400 is illustrated. In the first step S201, the controller 450 determines the downlink configuration of the transceiver 420, the downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 430, the uplink configuration of the transceiver 420, and the uplink configuration of the second transmissive RIS 440.

[0055] In step S203, the controller 450 configures the first transmissive RIS 430 according to the downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 430, configures the second transmissive RIS 440 according to the uplink configuration of the second transmissive RIS 440, and configures the transceiver 420 according to the uplink and downlink configurations of the transceiver 420 (e.g., configures the downlink antenna according to its downlink configuration and configures the uplink antenna according to its uplink configuration).

[0056] In step S205, controller 450 determines whether the performance of the communication channel meets a performance threshold (e.g., a bit rate higher than a bit rate threshold or an error rate lower than an error rate threshold). If yes, the method loops back to step S203 and communication continues according to the current configuration. If controller 450 determines that the performance of the communication channel does not meet the performance threshold, the method loops back to step S201, causing transceiver 420, the first transmissive RIS 430, and / or the second transmissive RIS 440 to be reconfigured to optimize (or at least improve) communication.

[0057] The aforementioned second radome 400 thus provides the first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440 with corresponding configurations for optimizing uplink and downlink communication in a full-duplex communication network, respectively. Therefore, the second radome 400 can provide improved performance (e.g., in terms of capacity) compared to the first radome 300 which implements half-duplex communication. Furthermore, the second communication device provides improved performance compared to an alternative communication device with a single configuration of transmissive RIS, which would suboptimally perform at least one of downlink and uplink communication.

[0058] In addition, the protective housing 410 serves the dual purpose of protecting and supporting the first transmissive RIS 430 and the second transmissive RIS 440. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the first transmissive RIS 430 and / or the second transmissive RIS 440 may alternatively be positioned and secured to the outer surface of the protective housing 410.

[0059] Those skilled in the art will understand that transceiver 420 can communicate with multiple other nodes in the first communication system. In this case, controller 450 can determine the downlink configuration of the first transmissive RIS 430 for each of the other nodes, and can also determine the uplink configuration of the second transmissive RIS 440 for each of the other nodes. Controller 450 can cause transceiver 420, the first transmissive RIS 430, and the second transmissive RIS 440 to use their respective configurations for each of the other nodes in different time slots (i.e., communication with multiple other nodes can use TDD technology). Alternatively, the second communication device 400 may include a pair of transmissive RISs for each of the other nodes or a set of other nodes, wherein the first transmissive RIS in the pair is used for downlink communication to a particular set of other nodes or a specific set of other nodes, and the second transmissive RIS in the pair is used for uplink communication to a particular set of other nodes or a specific set of other nodes.

[0060] Figure 7 A third communication device 500 (hereinafter, third radome 500) is illustrated, which includes a protective housing 510, a transceiver 520 (which may alternatively be an antenna used as a transmitter-only or as a receiver-only), a first reflective RIS 530, and a controller 540. The third radome 500 is essentially as described above. Figure 1 As described. Figure 7 A cross-section of the third radome 500 is illustrated, showing multiple structural members 511, a base 515, and multiple mounting points 517 of the radome 510. A transceiver 520 is positioned within the interior portion of the radome 510.

[0061] The first reflective RIS 530 is positioned on the base 515 of the third radome 500. Figure 7 A first reflective RIS 530 is also illustrated, positioned on the inner surface of the protective housing 510 of the third radome 500. The first reflective RIS 530 is essentially as described above regarding... Figure 2a and Figure 2b As described, the first reflective RIS 530 is a flexible conformal RIS comprising a plurality of reflective cells. The first reflective RIS 530 can therefore conform to the base 515 and protective shell 510 of the third radome 500, such that the plurality of reflective cells of the first reflective RIS 530 face the interior portion of the third radome 500. In the case where the base 515 of the third radome 500 is flat, the portion of the first reflective RIS 530 positioned at the base 515 of the third radome 500 can therefore be a planar reflective RIS.

[0062] The first reflective RIS 530 forms part of the communication channel with transceiver 520. That is, transceiver 520 can communicate with other nodes in the communication network, for example, by transmitting uplink signals to other nodes using TDD or Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and / or by receiving downlink signals transmitted by other nodes. In this example, transceiver 520 uses TDD, where communication occurs during a time frame divided into multiple time slots, where a first set of time slots is designated for downlink communication and a second set of time slots is designated for uplink communication. The time frame also includes at least one guard interval, which is the time interval between the time slots of the first set of time slots and the time slots of the second set of time slots. The guard interval is long enough to allow the communication system to switch between downlink and uplink configurations.

[0063] The controller 540 includes at least one controller module for controlling the transceiver 520 and controlling the first reflective RIS 530. The controller 540 controls the transceiver 520 to use a downlink configuration during a first set of time slots of a time frame (specified for downlink communication) and an uplink configuration during a second set of time slots of a time frame (specified for uplink communication).

[0064] Controller 540 also controls the first reflective RIS 530 to use a downlink configuration during the first set of time slots of a time frame (specified for downlink communication) and an uplink configuration during the second set of time slots of a time frame (specified for uplink communication). The downlink configuration of the first reflective RIS 530 is determined to optimize (or at least improve) the reception of signals transmitted by other nodes and received at transceiver 520, and the uplink configuration of the first reflective RIS 530 is determined to optimize (or at least improve) the transmission of signals transmitted by transceiver 520 and received at other nodes.

[0065] The downlink configuration defines a set of bias voltages, each of which is applied by a specific cell among a plurality of reflective cells of the first reflective RIS 530. When configured according to the downlink configuration, the plurality of reflective cells of the first reflective RIS 530 impart variations, such as changes in phase, polarization, amplitude, and / or frequency, to signals transmitted by other nodes and reflected by the plurality of reflective cells. Therefore, this set of bias voltages is determined to impart targeted variations to the signal, such as targeted variations in one or more of phase, polarization, amplitude, and frequency, where the purpose of the targeted variations is to improve communication performance measurements (e.g., in terms of bit rate or error rate). The controller 540 can explicitly calculate this set of bias voltages for the downlink configuration based on the calculated and / or measured downlink channel between the transceiver 520, the first reflective RIS 530, and other nodes. Alternatively, the downlink configuration can be determined through a calibration phase, in which candidate configurations of the first reflective RIS 530 are used, and the corresponding performance of the communication channel (e.g., in terms of bit rate or error rate) is measured for each candidate configuration. The downlink configuration can then be selected based on the candidate configuration with the best performance.

[0066] The downlink configurations of transceiver 520 and first reflective RIS 530 can be jointly determined, for example, by evaluating the performance of multiple corresponding candidate configurations of transceiver 520 and first reflective RIS 530, and selecting the corresponding candidate configuration with the best performance for transceiver 520 and first reflective RIS 530.

[0067] A set of bias voltages for uplink configuration can also be calculated by controller 540. This uplink configuration can be explicitly calculated based on the uplink channel calculated and / or measured between transceiver 520, the first reflective RIS 530, and other nodes (which can be the inverse of the downlink channel), and can also be determined through a calibration phase in which multiple candidate configurations are tested and their corresponding performance is measured (in which case controller 540 can use a feedback loop to determine the channel performance measured by other nodes).

[0068] The uplink configurations of transceiver 520 and first reflective RIS 530 can be jointly determined, for example, by evaluating the performance of multiple corresponding candidate configurations of transceiver 520 and first reflective RIS 530, and selecting the corresponding candidate configuration with the best performance for transceiver 520 and first reflective RIS 530.

[0069] The downlink and uplink configurations of transceiver 520 and the first reflective RIS 530 can be stored in the memory of controller 540. The determination of the downlink and uplink configurations can be repeated periodically or in response to the performance of the communication channel meeting thresholds (e.g., the bit rate drops below a bit rate threshold or the error rate exceeds an error rate threshold). Therefore, the downlink and uplink configurations are dynamic to adapt to any changes in the communication channel caused by, for example, changes in the relative positions of transceiver 520, the first reflective RIS 530, and other nodes.

[0070] Figure 8 A method for controlling the third radome 500 is illustrated. In the first step S301, the controller 540 determines the downlink configuration of the first reflective RIS 530, the downlink configuration of the transceiver 520, the uplink configuration of the first reflective RIS 530, and the uplink configuration of the transceiver 520.

[0071] In step S303, controller 540 determines whether a first time slot in a time frame (or a next time slot in a subsequent iteration of a time frame) is a member of a first set of time slots (for downlink communication) or a member of a second set of time slots (for uplink communication). In step S305, controller 540 configures the first reflective RIS 540 and transceiver 520 according to the determined membership relationship of the first time slot / next time slot, such that if the first time slot / next time slot is a member of the first set of time slots (for downlink communication), controller 540 configures the first reflective RIS 530 according to its downlink configuration and transceiver 520 according to its downlink configuration; if the first time slot / next time slot is a member of the second set of time slots (for uplink communication), controller 540 configures the first reflective RIS 530 according to its uplink configuration and transceiver 520 according to its uplink configuration.

[0072] In step S307, controller 540 determines whether the performance of the communication system meets a performance threshold. If so, the method loops back to step S305 to reconfigure the first reflective RIS 530 and transceiver 520 for downlink or uplink communication based on whether the next time slot of the time frame is a member of the first group of time slots or the second group of time slots (in the next guard interval). If controller 540 determines that the performance of the communication system does not meet the performance threshold, the method loops back to step S301, such that transceiver 520 and / or the first reflective RIS 530 are reconfigured to optimize (or at least improve) communication.

[0073] Therefore, the aforementioned third radome 500 provides a first reflective RIS 530, which is configured to improve communication between the transceiver 520 and other nodes. Specifically, the first transmissive RIS 530 reflects signals that would otherwise not be successfully received (or could not be received with acceptable performance) by the transceiver 520 or other nodes by imparting variations to the reflected signal, such as changes in phase, amplitude, and / or polarization, to improve signal reception. Furthermore, the protective housing 510 serves to protect both the transceiver 520 and the first transmissive RIS 530.

[0074] Those skilled in the art will understand that transceiver 520 can communicate with multiple other nodes in the first communication system. In this case, controller 540 can determine the downlink configuration of the first reflective RIS 530 for each of the other nodes. Controller 450 can enable transceiver 520 and the first reflective RIS 530 to use their respective configurations for each of the other nodes in different time slots (i.e., communication with multiple other nodes can use TDD technology).

[0075] like Figure 9 As shown, the third radome 500 may further include a first transmissive RIS 550 (which operates in a similar manner to the first transmissive RIS of the first radome described above, and is connected to the controller 540 in this example), such that the third radome 500 includes both the first reflective RIS 530 and the first transmissive RIS 550. The first transmissive RIS 550 may be supported (e.g., by fastening) to the inner surface of the protective shell 510 of the third radome 500. The controller 540 may then determine another downlink configuration for the first transmissive RIS 550 and an uplink configuration for the first transmissive RIS 550 for application during the corresponding downlink and uplink time slots of a time frame. Since the communication channel between the transceiver 520 and other nodes includes both the first reflective RIS 520 and the first transmissive RIS 550, the downlink and uplink configurations of the transceiver 520, the first reflective RIS 530, and the first transmissive RIS 550 may be jointly determined (or a subset thereof). This can again include performance evaluation of candidate configurations for each component and selection of the candidate configuration that corresponds to the best performance.

[0076] As described above, transceiver 520 and other nodes can communicate using FDD, such that transceiver 520 receives downlink signals from other nodes at a first frequency and transmits uplink signals to other nodes at a second frequency. In this case, the first reflective RIS 530 can use multiple dual-band reflective cells, and controller 540 configures the first reflective RIS 530 to cause a target change in the reflected downlink signal at the first frequency and a target change in the reflected uplink signal at the second frequency.

[0077] like Figure 10 As shown, when operating according to the FDD described in the preceding paragraph, the third radome 500 can also be combined with the first transmissive RIS 560 and the second transmissive RIS 570 (which operate in a similar manner to the first and second transmissive RIS of the second radome described above, and both can be connected to the controller 540), such that the third radome 500 includes the first reflective RIS 530, the first transmissive RIS 560, and the second transmissive RIS 570. The transceiver 520 can communicate with other nodes according to full-duplex dual-band communication technology, enabling the transceiver 520 and other nodes to simultaneously send signals to and receive signals from each other, wherein downlink communication (from other nodes to transceiver 520) uses a first frequency, and uplink communication (from transceiver 520 to other nodes) uses a second (i.e., different) frequency. In this configuration, controller 540 can jointly determine appropriate downlink configurations for transceiver 520, the first reflective RIS 530, and the first transmissive RIS 560 (or subsets thereof), and appropriate uplink configurations for transceiver 520, the first reflective RIS 530, and the second transmissive RIS 570 (or subsets thereof), such that the first transmissive RIS 560 and the first reflective RIS 530 jointly optimize (or at least improve) the reception of downlink signals at transceiver 520, and the second transmissive RIS 570 and the first reflective RIS 530 jointly optimize (or at least improve) the reception of uplink signals at other nodes. Controller 540 can determine these configurations by evaluating the performance of multiple candidate configurations for transceiver 520, the first reflective RIS 530, the first transmissive RIS 560, and the second transmissive RIS 570, and selecting the configuration with the best corresponding performance.

[0078] The first and second transmissive RIS of the first radome 300, second radome 400, and third radome 500 can be positioned on any portion of the inner surface of the protective shell of the radome. The first and second transmissive RIS can cover part or all of the inner surface of the protective shell. The first and second transmissive RIS can extend from the lowest point of the protective shell (i.e., the point adjacent to the base of the radome) to the highest point of the protective shell or any portion thereof.

[0079] The first reflective RIS 530 of the third radome may cover a portion or the entirety of the base 515 of the third radome 500, and / or a portion of the protective shell 510 of the third radome 500. The first reflective RIS 530 may extend from the lowest point of the protective shell 510 (i.e., the point adjacent to the base 515 of the third radome 500) to the highest point of the protective shell 510 or any part thereof.

[0080] Preferably, the first reflective RIS 530 does not overlap with the first or second transmissive RIS. Preferably, any portion of the protective shell of the first radome 300, second radome 400, and third radome 500 that has a direct line of sight to other nodes (i.e., the line of sight does not pass through another part of the protective shell) should support the transmissive RIS, and any portion of the protective shell of the first radome 300, second radome 400, and third radome 500 that does not have a direct line of sight to other nodes (i.e., the line of sight passes through another part of the protective shell) should support the reflective RIS. This arrangement can be achieved when the relative positions of the radomes and other nodes are known and fixed, such as... Figure 11 As illustrated and described below.

[0081] Figure 11 Another example of the third radome 500 is shown, which includes a first reflective RIS 530 (shown in dashed lines) and a first transmissive RIS 550 (shown in solid lines). Figure 11 The communication signals are also illustrated using dotted lines. Both the first reflective RIS 530 and the first transmissive RIS 550 extend from the lowest point to the highest point of the protective housing 510. This particular example can be applied where the relative positions of the third radome 500 and other nodes are fixed, and the signals between the transceiver 520 and other nodes are as follows: Figure 11 The scenario illustrated (by the dotted lines) causes the first reflective RIS 530 and the first transmissive RIS 550 to cooperate in directing the signal to the transceiver 520. More specifically: The signals represented by the letters B, C, D, and E are all guided to the transceiver 520 by only the first transmissive RIS 550 (i.e., the first reflective RIS 530 does not reflect these signals). The first transmissive RIS 550 imparts a variation to the signal represented by the letter A, but as a result of this variation, the signal is not directed to the transceiver 520. After passing through the first transmissive RIS 550, the signal is therefore directed toward the base 515 of the third radome 550 and reflected toward the transceiver 520 by the first reflective RIS 530; and Similarly, the first transmissive RIS 550 imparts a change to the signal represented by the letter E, but as a result of this change, the signal is not directed to the transceiver 520. After passing through the first transmissive RIS 550, the signal is therefore directed toward the base 515 of the third radome 550 and reflected (multiple times) toward the transceiver 520 by the first reflective RIS 530.

[0082] Those skilled in the art will also understand that the controller can be positioned externally (i.e., remotely) relative to the rest of the radome and communicate with the components of the radome via a suitable communication interface. Furthermore, the individual components of each radome can be controlled by different controllers or different controller modules of a controller.

[0083] Those skilled in the art will understand that the shapes of the protective shells for the various radomes described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples, and other shapes may be used. For instance, the protective shell may be planar, in which case the RIS may also be planar.

[0084] In the second radome 400 (and the third radome 500 when full-duplex dual-band communication is implemented), downlink communication between transceivers 420 and 520 and other nodes uses a first frequency, and uplink communication between transceivers 420 and 520 uses a second frequency. However, this is not important, and these communications can be distinguished by another electromagnetic signal characteristic (e.g., polarization). The first and second transmissive RIS can then use a downlink configuration that imparts target variation to downlink communication with the first polarization and an uplink configuration that imparts target variation to uplink communication with the second polarization. The polarization can be circular, such as clockwise and counterclockwise polarization. The communication channel can then be considered as a single-frequency full-duplex communication channel.

[0085] In the above description, the downlink and uplink configurations of the transmissive and reflective RIS are based on a set of bias voltages. However, this is not important, and the RIS can be controlled by one or more other stimuli, such as magnetic, acoustic, optical, mechanical, thermal, or chemical stimuli.

[0086] Furthermore, in the description above, the objective changes assigned to downlink and uplink communication are based on improving the performance of the communication channel. However, this is not important, and the objective changes can be based on other purposes. For example, the objective change in uplink communication could be to achieve adaptive zeroing, and the objective change in downlink communication could be to avoid interference signals (e.g., by directing interference signals to an absorber).

[0087] Those skilled in the art will understand that the configuration of the transceiver is not critical to being jointly optimized with the configuration of the first transmissive RIS, the second transmissive RIS, and / or the reflective RIS. That is, the transceiver can be configured independently such that the RIS is configured to optimize (or at least improve) the signals transmitted by the transceiver.

[0088] The transceivers of the various radomes described above can be part of any suitable wireless telecommunications network (e.g., a wide-area wireless telecommunications network). Furthermore, the transceivers can be ground stations in a wireless telecommunications network that enables satellite (or other non-terrestrial) telecommunications nodes. Those skilled in the art will understand that the radome can therefore be considered more generally as a device including a protective structure, rather than one specifically designed for radar. Those skilled in the art will also understand that the protective shell may only provide partial protection and partial support for other components of the radome.

[0089] Those skilled in the art will understand that any combination of features is possible within the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising: A transceiver configured to receive signals in a first set of time slots among a plurality of time slots, and further configured to transmit signals in a second set of time slots among the plurality of time slots; A protective structure at least partially surrounding the transceiver; as well as A first transmissive reconfigurable smart surface (RIS), the first transmissive RIS being at least partially supported by the protective structure and configured to reconstruct signals transmitted through the first transmissive RIS and the transceiver, wherein the first transmissive RIS is configured to apply a first configuration in a first set of time slots in the plurality of time slots to reconstruct signals transmitted through the first transmissive RIS, and is also configured to apply a second configuration in a second set of time slots in the plurality of time slots to reconstruct signals transmitted through the first transmissive RIS.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first reflective RIS for reconstructing the reflected signal transmitted with the transceiver, wherein, The first reflective RIS has a first configuration for reconstructing the reflected signal in the first set of time slots in the plurality of time slots and a second configuration for reconstructing the reflected signal in the second set of time slots in the plurality of time slots.

3. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The protective structure includes a support frame, wherein the first transmissive RIS is connected to the support frame.

4. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The first transmissive RIS is located inside the protective structure.

5. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The protective structure is electromagnetically transparent.

6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the apparatus further comprising at least one controller, the controller or each controller being configured to determine the first configuration of the first transmissive RIS and the second configuration of the first transmissive RIS.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 2, wherein, The controller or individual controllers are further configured to determine the first configuration of the first reflective RIS and the second configuration of the first reflective RIS.

8. A system comprising: The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5; as well as At least one controller is configured to determine a first configuration of the first transmissive RIS and a second configuration of the first transmissive RIS, and to cause the first transmissive RIS to apply the first configuration in a first set of time slots in a plurality of time slots and to apply the second configuration in a second set of time slots in a plurality of time slots.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the device is according to claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 5 when dependent on claim 2, wherein, The at least one controller is further configured to determine the first configuration of the first reflective RIS and the second configuration of the first reflective RIS, and to cause the first reflective RIS to apply the first configuration in the first set of time slots in the plurality of time slots and to apply the second configuration in the second set of time slots in the plurality of time slots.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7, or the system according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein, The at least one controller is further configured to determine a first configuration of the transceiver for receiving signals in the first set of time slots of the plurality of time slots, and a second configuration of the transceiver for transmitting signals in the second set of time slots of the plurality of time slots.

11. The apparatus or system according to claim 10, wherein, The at least one controller is configured to jointly determine at least one of the following: The first configuration of the transceiver and the first configuration of the first transmissive RIS, and The second configuration of the transceiver and the second configuration of the first transmissive RIS.

12. The apparatus or system according to claim 10 when dependent on claim 7 or claim 9, wherein, The at least one controller is configured to jointly determine at least one of the following: At least one of the first configuration of the transceiver and the first configuration of the first transmissive RIS, together with the first configuration of the first reflective RIS, and At least one of the second configuration of the transceiver and the second configuration of the first transmissive RIS, together with the second configuration of the first reflective RIS.

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