Reconfigurable intelligent surface and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a reconfigurable intelligent surface and a manufacturing method therefor, the surface comprising: a plurality of RF-path units having each of a plurality of radiators, a plurality of phase shifters, and first connectors, and having the same size and shape; and a DC-path, which includes a plurality of bias controllers for controlling the plurality of phase shifters of the RF-path units, and a plurality of second connectors coupled to the first connectors of each of the plurality of RF-path units, and thus manufacturing costs can be reduced and modification into various sizes and shapes according to the usage environment is possible.

Description

Reconfigurable intelligent surface and method for manufacturing the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an intelligent surface and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a reconfigurable intelligent surface that can be manufactured to have various sizes and shapes at low cost and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002] A reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) can be utilized to enable communication in situations where there are obstacles (NLOS) between a base station (BS) and user equipment (UE) in wireless communication, or to increase the efficiency of communication between the two.

[0003] RIS is largely composed of an RF path board (RFB) through which wireless communication signals are transmitted, and a DC path board (DC path) through which a voltage is transmitted to control a beam of the RIS. The RF path board may include a plurality of radiators that reflect (receive and then transmit) wireless communication signals, and a plurality of phase shifters that adjust the phase of signals received by the radiators. In addition, the DC path board may be configured to include a bias controller that controls the phase shifters of the RF path board. The bias controller transmits a phase control signal to the phase shifter, and the phase shifter adjusts the phase of a signal received by a corresponding radiator according to the applied phase control signal.

[0004] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of a conventional RIS.

[0005] In Fig. 1, (a) shows a top view of the RIS, and (b) shows a partial perspective view. Referring to Fig. 1, in the RIS, the RF pass board (RFB) can be configured in a form in which a plurality (here, n × m, for example) of radiators (11) are arranged on a low-loss dielectric panel (10), as shown in (a), and although not shown, a plurality of phase shifters can also be implemented on the low-loss dielectric panel (10). In addition, the RF pass board (RFB) is arranged on a substrate (20) of a DC pass board (DCB), as shown in (b), and a bias controller for controlling a plurality of phase shifters can be arranged on the substrate (20). In (b), a case in which the radiators (11) are arranged 2 × 2 is shown as an example, but this is for convenience of explanation, and the radiators can be arranged n × m, as in (a).

[0006] Meanwhile, RIS can be used in both indoor and outdoor environments. Outdoor environments typically require large RISs, which are attached to the exterior walls of buildings, while indoor environments require small RISs, which are attached to walls in spatially separated areas. Furthermore, RISs must be manufactured in a size and shape that reflects the intended use, including their installation location and the presence of surrounding obstacles.

[0007] As illustrated in Fig. 1, the size and shape of a conventional RIS are determined in advance, taking into account the intended use and environment of the RIS. Then, an RF pass board (RFB) and a DC pass board (DCB) having the determined shape and size are manufactured, and the manufactured RF pass board (RFB) and DC pass board (DCB) are bonded together to form a single body, thereby manufacturing the RIS.

[0008] At this time, the phase shifter of the RF pass board (RFB) and the bias controller of the DC pass board must be electrically connected. Therefore, the coupling of the RF pass board (RFB) and the DC pass board (DCB) is not a simple coupling but must be precisely performed using equipment, limiting the possibility of arbitrary changes at the RIS installation site.

[0009] In addition, when manufacturing RF pass boards (RFBs) and DC pass boards (DCBs) in forms according to their intended use and environment, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost increases because the RF pass boards (RFBs) and DC pass boards (DCBs) must be manufactured anew each time for each individual intended use. The substrate (20) of the DC pass board (DCB) can be implemented with a low-cost dielectric substrate used in general circuit configurations, so it can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. However, the low-loss dielectric panel (10) of the RF pass board (RFB) must use expensive materials, so the manufacturing cost is very high compared to the substrate (20). In particular, the larger the low-loss dielectric panel (10) is, the more the manufacturing cost increases. In addition, there is a limitation that both the RF pass board (RFB) and the DC pass board (DCB) must be manufactured anew when correcting changes in the intended use environment or design errors.

[0010] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a reconfigurable intelligent surface and a method for manufacturing the same, which can significantly reduce manufacturing costs by combining a plurality of RF units having uniform unit sizes and configurations and being combineable with each other to form RF pass boards of various sizes and shapes, and enabling easy combination with a DC pass board.

[0011] The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a reconfigurable intelligent surface and a method for manufacturing the same, which can be combined to have various sizes and shapes depending on the usage environment by configuring each of an RF pass board and a DC pass board as a unit structure that can be combined with each other.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a reconfigurable intelligent surface comprises a plurality of RF pass units each having a plurality of emitters, a plurality of phase shifters, and a first connector, the RF pass units having the same size and shape; and a DC pass having a plurality of bias controllers for controlling the plurality of phase shifters of the RF pass units and a plurality of second connectors coupled with the first connectors of each of the plurality of RF pass units.

[0013] The RF pass unit may include a plurality of radiators and a plurality of phase shifters arranged on a low-loss dielectric panel having a specified size and shape, and the first connector may be arranged on a lower surface of the low-loss dielectric panel in a direction coupled to the DC pass.

[0014] Each of the above plurality of phase shifters can adjust the phase of a signal received by an electrically connected radiator according to a phase control signal applied from a bias controller electrically connected to the second connector coupled to the first connector.

[0015] The above DC path can be implemented by arranging a plurality of bias controllers and a plurality of second connectors on a substrate, transmitting a control signal applied from an external control device to the bias controller, and forming a plurality of lines connecting the bias controller and the second connector.

[0016] The above DC pass may be configured by combining a plurality of DC pass units, each of which has a plurality of bias controllers and a plurality of second connectors arranged on a substrate, an input connector arranged on one end, and an output connector arranged on the other end.

[0017] The above DC pass can be configured such that the input connector of one DC pass unit among the plurality of DC pass units is connected to an external control device to receive a control signal, and the applied control signal can be sequentially transmitted to adjacently coupled DC pass units through the output connector.

[0018] Each of the plurality of DC pass units receives a clock signal and serial data included in the control signal through the input connector, sequentially transmits the serial data to the plurality of bias controllers according to the clock signal, and the last bias controller can transmit the serial data to the output connector.

[0019] The DC pass further includes a coupling unit for expanding the size in the horizontal direction by coupling DC pass units arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, and the coupling unit includes two coupling connectors arranged on separate coupling substrates and electrically connected to each other, and one of the two coupling connectors can be coupled to an output connector of one of the two adjacently arranged DC pass units, and the other can be coupled to an input connector of the other DC pass unit.

[0020] The above DC pass can be expanded in the horizontal direction by mutually connecting the output connector and input connector of the DC pass unit which are arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction.

[0021] The above DC pass can be expanded in the vertical direction in size by an auxiliary coupling unit coupled on one side in the horizontal direction to electrically connect the output connector and input connector of two adjacent DC pass units by alternately rotating 180 degrees in the vertical direction.

[0022] The above auxiliary coupling unit may include an auxiliary input coupling connector coupled with an output connector of one of two vertically adjacent DC pass units, an auxiliary output coupling connector coupled with the input connector of the other, and an auxiliary line electrically connecting the auxiliary input coupling connector and the auxiliary output coupling connector.

[0023] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface is a method performed by a processor, comprising: manufacturing a plurality of RF pass units, each having a plurality of radiators, a plurality of phase shifters, and a first connector, and having the same size and shape; forming a DC pass having a plurality of bias controllers for controlling the plurality of phase shifters of the RF pass units and a plurality of second connectors; and coupling a first connector of the RF pass unit to each of the plurality of second connectors of the DC pass to implement a reconfigurable intelligent expression.

[0024] The reconfigurable intelligent surface of the present disclosure and its manufacturing method can reduce manufacturing costs by configuring an RF path with a plurality of RF units having uniform sizes and configurations and being mutually combinable, and by enabling easy combination with DC path boards of various sizes and shapes. In addition, the DC path is also composed of a plurality of DC path units having mutually combinable unit structures, thereby enabling the RIS to be easily modified and combined to have various sizes and shapes depending on the usage environment.

[0025] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of a conventional RIS.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an RF pass unit in an RIS according to one embodiment.

[0027] Fig. 3 is a drawing for explaining the coupling method of the RF pass unit and DC pass board of Fig. 2.

[0028] FIGS. 4 and 5 are drawings for explaining a DC pass unit in an RIS according to one embodiment.

[0029] Figures 6 to 9 are drawings for explaining the coupling method between DC pass units.

[0030] Figure 10 illustrates a RIS manufacturing method according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a computing environment including a computing device according to one embodiment.

[0032] Hereinafter, specific embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The following detailed description is provided to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the methods, devices, and / or systems described herein. However, these are merely examples and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0033] In describing embodiments of the present disclosure, if a detailed description of a known technology related to the present invention is judged to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiments, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the terms described below are terms defined in consideration of their functions in the present invention, and this may vary depending on the intention or custom of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions should be made based on the contents throughout this specification. The terminology used in the detailed description is only for the purpose of describing one embodiment and should never be limited. Unless clearly used otherwise, the singular form includes the plural form. In this description, expressions such as “comprises” or “comprising” are intended to indicate certain features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof, and should not be construed to exclude the presence or possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof other than those described. Additionally, terms such as “...unit,” “...device,” “module,” and “block” described in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining an RF pass unit in an RIS according to one embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining a method of coupling the RF pass unit and the DC pass board of FIG. 2.

[0035] In one embodiment, the RIS uses an RF pass unit (RFU) in which a certain number (here, four as an example) of radiators (110) are arranged on a low-loss dielectric panel (100) having a uniform unit size, as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 2. As illustrated in (a) of FIG. 1, in the case of a conventional RIS, the low-loss dielectric panel (10) has a size and shape required for an RF pass board (RFB), and the number of radiators (11) arranged on the low-loss dielectric panel (10) is also determined in various ways depending on the intended use. In contrast, in one embodiment, a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) in which the same number of radiators (110) are arranged on a low-loss dielectric panel (100) having a constant unit size are combined so that the RF pass can have various sizes and shapes required. That is, by configuring a combination of a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) to correspond to an RF pass board (RFB) of a size and shape determined as in (a) of Fig. 1, a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) can replace the RF pass board (RFB).

[0036] As described above, the low-loss dielectric panel (100) in the RF pass board (RFB) is manufactured using expensive materials, and the larger the size of the low-loss dielectric panel (100) to be manufactured, the greater the manufacturing cost. Accordingly, here, the manufacturing cost is reduced by standardizing and manufacturing RF pass units (RFUs) to have the same size and shape, and by combining a plurality of manufactured RF pass units (RFUs), the RF pass can easily have various sizes and shapes.

[0037] The RF pass unit (RFU) may include a plurality of phase shifters (120) corresponding to each of a plurality of radiators (110), as illustrated on the left in (b) of FIG. 2. Here, as an example, a case in which the radiators (110) and the phase shifters (120) correspond 1:1 is illustrated, but in some cases, two or more phase shifters (120) may be provided for one radiator (110). For example, if each radiator (110) only adjusts the phase of a single polarization, the RF pass unit (RFU) may be provided with the same number of phase shifters (120) as the radiators (110). However, if the radiators (110) need to adjust the phase of a dual polarization, the RF pass unit (RFU) may be provided with two phase shifters (120) for each radiator (110).

[0038] In addition, the RF pass unit (RFU) may further include a first connector (130) to facilitate coupling with the DC pass board (DCB). The first connector (130) is arranged on the lower surface of the RF pass unit (RFU) in the direction in which the DC pass board (DCB) is coupled, and can be coupled with one of a plurality of second connectors (230) arranged on the DC pass board (DCB), as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 illustrates a case in which four RF pass units (RFUs) are coupled to the DC pass board (DCB). The first connector (130) and the second connector (230) coupled to each other not only support the RF pass unit (RFU) so that it remains coupled to the DC pass board (DCB), but also electrically connect the phase shifter (120) of the RF pass unit (RFU) and the bias controller (210) of the DC pass board (DCB), as shown in FIG. 2 (b).

[0039] A DC pass board (DCB) may include a substrate (200) and at least one bias controller (210), similar to the RIS illustrated in FIG. 1, but is configured to further include a plurality of second connectors (230). The substrate (200) may be formed to have the size and shape required for the RIS. This is because the substrate (200) utilizes low-cost materials and does not significantly increase manufacturing costs even when manufactured in various sizes and shapes.

[0040] And the DC pass board (DCB) can be configured to control a plurality of phase shifters (120) of a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) with only a single bias controller by having one bias controller and a plurality of second connectors (230) arranged on a substrate (200). However, here, it is assumed that the DC pass board (DCB) has a plurality (for example, four) of bias controllers (210).

[0041] In FIG. 3, for example, each of the bias controllers (210) disposed on the substrate (200) in the DC pass board (DCB) has four bias controllers (210) that control a plurality of phase shifters (here, four as an example) provided in one RF pass unit (RFU), and each bias controller (210) is connected to a second connector (230). Therefore, each bias controller (210) can individually adjust the phase of a signal received by each radiator (110) by controlling the phase shifter (120) of the RF pass unit (RFU) that is electrically connected to each other through the first and second connectors (130, 230).

[0042] In FIG. 3, it is assumed that four bias controllers (210) are arranged on a DC pass board (DCB), and each of the four bias controllers (210) controls four radiators (110) provided in one RF pass unit (RFU). Accordingly, the DC pass board (DCB) illustrated in FIG. 3 can control 16 radiators (110).

[0043] The substrate (200) of the DC pass board (DCB) can receive various signals for controlling the phase shifter (120) of the RF pass unit (RFU) from an external control device, and a line can be formed to transmit the applied signals to a plurality of bias controllers (210). For example, the substrate (200) of the DC pass board (DCB) can receive a power voltage (VDD), a ground voltage (GND), a clock signal (CLK), and data (Data) from an external control device and transmit them to each of the plurality of bias controllers (210). The power voltage (VDD), the ground voltage (GND), and the clock signal (CLK) can be distributed and applied to the plurality of bias controllers (210), and the data (Data) can be configured so that data for each bias controller (210) is applied in parallel and individually transmitted. However, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the bias controller (210) in the DC pass board (DCB) may be implemented as, for example, a shift register. When the bias controller (210) is implemented as a shift register, data (Data) is applied in the form of serial data (SData) from an external control device, and one bias controller (210) among a plurality of bias controllers (210) first receives the serial data (SData) in response to a clock signal (CLK). Thereafter, the bias controller (210) that has received the serial data (SData) repeats the process of sequentially transmitting the applied serial data (SDATA) to the next bias controller (210) along the formed line according to the clock signal (CLK). In this case, since the data (Data) is applied as serial data (SData) and sequentially transmitted, the number of lines that must be formed to transmit the data is greatly reduced, thereby simplifying the configuration and reducing the manufacturing cost.Although the time required to transmit data to each of the plurality of bias controllers (210) may increase, in the case of RIS, data is transmitted and stored to the bias controller (210) only during a single initial setup, and thereafter, the bias controller (210) controls the phase shifter (120) according to the stored data. Therefore, the increase in the time required to transmit data does not affect the use of RIS.

[0044] As a result, the RIS illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 manufactures RF pass units (RFUs) having the same size, shape, and configuration, and connects a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) to a DC pass board (DCB) manufactured to have the size and shape required for the RIS with connectors, thereby enabling the RF pass to be easily configured at low cost with the required size and shape. In addition, when the RIS being used is no longer in use, the RF pass unit (RFU) coupled to the DC pass board (DCB) can be extracted and reused when configuring another RIS, thereby further reducing the cost.

[0045] FIGS. 4 and 5 are drawings for explaining a DC pass unit in an RIS according to one embodiment, and FIGS. 6 to 9 are drawings for explaining a coupling method between DC pass units.

[0046] In Fig. 3, the DC pass board (DCB) is manufactured to have the size and shape required for the RIS, as in the past, and the RF pass unit (RFU) is manufactured to have the same size, shape, and configuration and then combined. However, the DC pass board (DCB) must still be manufactured in different sizes and shapes depending on the RIS used in various environments. To overcome this limitation, the DC pass board (DCB) can also be configured as a combination of DC pass units (DCUs) that are configured to be able to be combined with each other. However, unlike the RF pass unit (RFU), the DC pass unit (DCU) may not be configured to have the same size, shape, and configuration. Accordingly, Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate different examples of DC pass units (DCUs) that are configured to be able to be combined with each other so that the DC path of the RIS has various sizes and shapes. FIG. 4 shows a DC pass unit (DCU) that can be combined with four RF pass units (RFUs), as in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 shows a DC pass unit (DCU) that can be combined with twelve RF pass units (RFUs).

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a DC pass unit (DCU) of one embodiment, like the DC pass board (DCB) of FIG. 3, is disposed on a substrate (200) and has a plurality of second connectors (230) for coupling with an RF pass unit (RFU) and a plurality of bias controllers (210) for controlling a phase shifter (120) of the RF pass unit (RFU) via the second connectors (230). However, unlike the DC pass board (DCB) of FIG. 3, the DC pass unit (DCU) illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 further includes two connectors (241) disposed on both sides of the substrate (200) so as to be coupled with other DC pass units (DCUs) disposed adjacent to each other. The two connectors (241) are additional components for the DC pass unit (DCU) to receive various signals from the control device or an adjacent DC pass unit and transmit the received signals to another adjacent DC pass unit (DCU), and can be divided into input connectors and output connectors depending on the path along which the signals are applied and transmitted. In the case of Fig. 4, the connector arranged on the left side on the board (200) is an input connector and the connector arranged on the right side is an output connector.

[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 6, an input connector (241) disposed on one side of a substrate (200) can be electrically connected to an output connector provided in a control device or a DC pass unit (DCU) disposed on one end using a coupling unit (HCU). Then, a signal applied from a connector of a control device or an adjacently disposed DC pass unit (DCU) is transmitted to a plurality of bias controllers (210). Then, the output connector (241) is electrically connected to an input connector of a DC pass unit (DCU) disposed adjacent to the other end using a coupling unit (HCU). The two connectors (241) provided on the DC pass unit (DCU) can be implemented as connectors of the same type (here, pin connectors, for example), as illustrated in FIG. 6, but can also be implemented as connectors of different types that form a pair (for example, pin connectors and header connectors). Then, the two connectors (241) can be arranged to face the upper surface direction on the substrate (200).

[0049] Here, the signals transmitted through the input connector among the two connectors (241) may be, as described above, a power supply voltage (VDD), a ground voltage (GND), a clock signal (CLK), and data (Data), and are transmitted to each of a plurality of bias controllers (210) through lines formed on the substrate (200). At this time, the data (Data) may be serial data (SData) and sequentially transmitted through a plurality of bias controllers (210) along the lines formed on the substrate (200). In addition, the remaining output connector among the two connectors (241) transmits a signal applied to the DC pass unit (DCU) through the input connector to the input connector (241) of the DC pass unit (DCU) arranged adjacent to the other end through the coupling unit (HCU). At this time, the power supply voltage (VDD), the ground voltage (GND), and the clock signal (CLK) may be transmitted to the input connector (241), and the distributed signals may be applied as they are to the output connector (241). However, in the case of serial data (SData), the output connector (241) can sequentially pass through a plurality of bias controllers (210) arranged on the substrate (200), and then receive the serial data (SData) output from the last bias controller (210) and transmit it to the input connector (241) of the DC path unit (DCU) that is coupled through the coupling unit (HCU). Therefore, not only can the number of lines that must be formed to transmit data on the substrate (200) be minimized, but even if a plurality of DC path units (DCUs) are coupled to each other by the coupling unit (HCU) and the size of the DC path is expanded, all bias controllers (210) of the expanded DC path can be controlled using the serial data (SData).

[0050] And the coupling unit (HCU) corresponds to two connectors (241) provided in the DC pass unit (DCU) and includes two coupling connectors (341) arranged on the coupling board (300). And a line is formed on the coupling board (300) to electrically connect the two coupling connectors (341) to each other.

[0051] As in the DC pass unit (DCU), one of the two mating connectors (341) of the coupling unit (HCU) can operate as an input mating connector and the other can operate as an output mating connector. At this time, the two mating connectors (341) are implemented as connectors of a type corresponding to the two connectors (241) of the DC pass unit (DCU). For example, as in FIG. 6, if the two connectors (241) of the DC pass unit (DCU) are implemented as pin connectors, the two mating connectors (341) can both be implemented as header connectors, and if the connectors (241) are implemented as header connectors, the two mating connectors (341) can be implemented as pin connectors. If the two connectors (241) of the DC pass unit (DCU) are implemented in different types, the two mating connectors (341) can also be implemented in different types corresponding to the two connectors (241).

[0052] The two connectors (241) of the DC pass unit (DCU) may be arranged to face the upper surface direction of the substrate (200), and the two coupling connectors (341) of the coupling unit (HCU) may be arranged to face the lower surface direction of the coupling substrate (300). Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the coupling unit (HCU) may be coupled from the upper side to the lower side between two adjacently arranged DC pass units (DCU). At this time, one of each of the two coupling connectors (341) of the coupling substrate (300) and the two adjacent DC pass units (DCU) are coupled to each other. Therefore, the two adjacent DC pass units (DCU) can transmit signals between the DC pass units (DCU) by electrically connecting the two connectors (241) to each other by the coupling unit (HCU). In addition, the coupling unit (HCU) also performs the role of physically coupling and fixing the two DC pass units (DCU).

[0053] In the above, it has been described that the DC pass units (DCUs) positioned adjacently in the horizontal direction are coupled by a separate coupling unit (HCU) that is fastened to the connector (241) from above. However, the two connectors (241) positioned on the substrate (200) of the DC pass unit (DCU) may be configured as different connectors that form a pair with each other, such as a pin connector and a header connector, and may be positioned so as to face outward at both ends, so that the connectors (241) of the adjacent DC pass units (DCUs) may be directly coupled to each other. In this case, the coupling unit (HCU) may be omitted.

[0054] As a result, the DC pass unit (DCU) can be coupled with another DC pass unit (DCU) positioned laterally using the coupling unit (HCU) and transmit signals, so that it can be easily expanded laterally, as shown in Fig. 6. However, since the input connector (241) and the output connector (241) are respectively positioned at one end and the other end, the coupling unit (HCU) can only couple the DC pass unit (DCU) positioned laterally adjacent. In other words, expansion is not easy in the vertical direction, but rather in the horizontal direction on both sides.

[0055] Here, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the DC path may further include at least one auxiliary coupling unit (VCU1, VCU2) for longitudinally connecting the DC path units (DCU1 to DCU3). The auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) may be configured such that two auxiliary coupling connectors (411, 451) are arranged facing downward on the lower surface of the auxiliary substrate (410, 451), and lines are formed to connect respective terminals of the two auxiliary coupling connectors (411, 451) to each other. One of the two auxiliary coupling connectors (411, 451) is an auxiliary input coupling connector, and the other is an auxiliary output coupling connector. That is, the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) have the same configuration as the coupling unit (HCU), but while the two coupling connectors (341) of the coupling unit (HCU) are arranged horizontally, the two auxiliary coupling connectors (411) of the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) are arranged vertically. In addition, the two auxiliary coupling connectors (411) are implemented as connectors of a type corresponding to the two connectors (241) of the DC pass unit (DCU) that are arranged vertically adjacent to the coupling connectors (341).

[0056] The auxiliary coupling unit (VCU1, VCU2) is configured to transmit signals such as a power supply voltage (VDD), a ground voltage (GND), a clock signal (CLK), and serial data (SData) between two vertically adjacent DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2), and can be manufactured at low cost like the coupling unit (HCU), and can also perform the role of coupling and fixing the vertically arranged DC pass units (DCU).

[0057] However, if two DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) arranged vertically adjacent to each other are arranged so that they both face the same direction, the input connector (241) is located in common on one side of the two DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2), while the output connector (241) is located in common on the other side, so that the input connectors (241) of the two DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) are located in the same one-side direction, and the output connectors (241) are also located in the same other-side direction, making it difficult to connect the input connectors (241) and the output connectors (241) of the two DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) to each other. Therefore, in the present disclosure, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the orientations of the DC pass units (DCU1 to DCU3) arranged vertically adjacent to each other are alternately rotated by 180 degrees and arranged. By arranging them alternately by 180 degrees in this way, the input connectors (241) and output connectors (241) of the DC pass units (DCU1 to DCU3) arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction are alternately arranged in the same direction, so that the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) can easily electrically connect the input connectors (241) and output connectors (241) of the two DC pass units (DCU1 to DCU3) arranged adjacent to each other.

[0058] The auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) can also be coupled from the top to the bottom of two DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) arranged adjacently in the vertical direction, and at this time, they can be coupled so that the lateral size is not expanded by the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) as in Fig. 7, but they can also be coupled by rotating them 180 degrees.

[0059] And the auxiliary coupling unit (VCU1, VCU2) can be divided into a first auxiliary coupling unit (VCU1) coupled to the right side of two DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) arranged vertically adjacent to each other, and a second auxiliary coupling unit (VCU2) coupled to the left side of two DC pass units (DCU2, DCU3).

[0060] For example, in the case of FIG. 7, the first auxiliary coupling unit (VCU1) is coupled to the right side of the two DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) to electrically connect the output connector (241) arranged on the right side of the first DC pass unit (DCU1) located on the upper side and the input connector (241) arranged on the right side of the second DC pass unit (DCU2) located on the lower side. In addition, the second auxiliary coupling unit (VCU2) is coupled to the left side of the two DC pass units (DCU2, DCU3) to electrically connect the output connector (241) arranged on the left side of the second DC pass unit (DCU2) located on the upper side and the input connector (241) arranged on the left side of the third DC pass unit (DCU3) located on the lower side.

[0061] This is because the shapes of the input connector (241) and the output connector (241) of the DC pass units (DCU1 to DCU3) may be different, and the distances between them are different because they are not located in the center of the side of the substrate (200). For example, if the input connector (241) of the DC pass units (DCU1 to DCU3) is configured as a pin connector and the output connector (241) is configured as a header connector, the auxiliary input coupling connectors (411, 451) located on the upper side of the first and second auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) must be configured as pin connectors, and the auxiliary output coupling connectors (411, 451) located on the lower side must be configured as header connectors. However, if the first auxiliary coupling unit (VCU1) is rotated 180 degrees to be coupled from the left side, the auxiliary output coupling connector (411) is located on the upper side and the auxiliary input coupling connector (411) is located on the lower side, so that coupling between the connectors does not occur. Here, the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) are provided as a first auxiliary coupling unit (VCU1) coupled to the right and a second auxiliary coupling unit (VCU2) coupled to the left. However, if the input connector (241) and the output connector (241) of the DC pass units (DCU1 to DCU3) are symmetrical connectors having the same shape and are arranged at the center of the side of the substrate (200), they may be configured as a single auxiliary coupling unit (VCU).

[0062] Therefore, the DC pass units (DCUs) can be coupled not only horizontally using the coupling unit (HCU) as shown in FIG. 6, but also vertically using the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) as shown in FIG. 7. Therefore, by repeating the coupling in the horizontal and vertical directions as shown in FIG. 8, a DC pass having the size and shape required for RIS can be easily implemented. In addition, FIGS. 6 to 8 have only described the case where a plurality of DC pass units (DCUs) having the same size and configuration as shown in FIG. 4 are coupled to each other. However, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the DC pass units (DCUs) can be configured in different sizes, and DC pass units (DCUs) configured in different sizes can also be coupled. FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which DC pass units (DCUs) configured in different sizes are coupled, where the DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are coupled. As illustrated in Fig. 9, horizontal coupling of DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) of different sizes can also be achieved simply by coupling the output connector (241) and the input connector (241). Vertical coupling can also be achieved through the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) illustrated in Fig. 7; however, considering that the sizes of the DC pass units (DCU1, DCU2) are different, the lengths of the auxiliary coupling units (VCU1, VCU2) need to be adjusted in various ways.

[0063] As a result, the RIS according to one embodiment can reduce manufacturing costs by configuring the RF path with a plurality of RF units that are uniform in size and configuration and are mutually combinable, and can be easily combined with DC pass boards of various sizes and shapes. In addition, the DC path is also composed of a plurality of DC pass units that are combined with mutually combinable unit structures, so that the RIS can be easily modified and combined to have various sizes and shapes according to the usage environment.

[0064] In the illustrated embodiment, each component may have different functions and capabilities beyond those described above, and may include additional components not described. Furthermore, in one embodiment, each component may be implemented using one or more physically distinct devices, and unlike the illustrated example, their specific operations may not be clearly distinct.

[0065] Figure 10 illustrates a RIS manufacturing method according to one embodiment.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 9, the RIS manufacturing method of FIG. 10 will be described. First, a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) having the same size and configuration are manufactured (71). Here, the RF pass units (RFUs) can be implemented by arranging the same number of radiators (110), a number of phase shifters (120) corresponding to the radiators (110), and one first connector (130) on a low-loss dielectric panel (100) of the same size.

[0067] And a DC pass is manufactured (72). Here, the DC pass can be manufactured as a DC pass board (DCB) having a size and structure required for RIS, and at least one RF pass unit (RFU) can be coupled to an upper surface. The DC pass board (DCB) can be implemented by arranging at least one second connector (230) coupled with a first connector (130) of the RF pass unit (RFU) on a substrate (200) having a required size and shape, and a bias controller (210) for controlling a plurality of phase shifters (120) of the RF pass unit (RFU) connected through the second connector (230).

[0068] However, the DC pass may also be manufactured as a plurality of DC pass units (DCU) having a specified size and shape similar to the RF pass unit (RFU). The plurality of DC pass units (DCU) are not only provided with a plurality of bias controllers (210) and a plurality of second connectors (230) each having a specified size and shape on a substrate (200), but also further provided with two connectors (241) on both sides for coupling with other DC pass units (DCU) positioned laterally adjacent to each other. At this time, the DC pass units (DCU) may be manufactured to have several different specified sizes and shapes. That is, while all RF pass units (RFU) are manufactured to the same standard, the DC pass units (DCU) may be manufactured to a single standard, but may also be manufactured to several different standards.

[0069] Here, we assume that the DC path is implemented with multiple DC path units (DCUs).

[0070] When a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) and a plurality of DC pass units (DCUs) are manufactured and implemented, the size and shape of the RIS required in the environment where the RIS is to be installed are determined (73). Then, a plurality of DC pass units (DCUs) are first coupled horizontally to each other so that the DC pass has the determined size and shape to form at least one row of DC pass units (74). At this time, the DC pass units (DCUs) arranged horizontally adjacent to each other can be coupled using a separately configured coupling unit (HCU) to electrically connect the connectors (241) between themselves and to physically couple and fix the DC pass units (DCUs). However, in some cases, the DC pass units (DCUs) arranged adjacent to each other may be configured so that the connectors (241) are directly coupled to each other without using the coupling unit (HCU).

[0071] And it is determined whether vertical coupling of DC paths is required to have the determined size and shape (75). That is, it is determined whether multiple DC path unit rows should be arranged. If it is determined that vertical coupling is required, multiple DC path unit rows are arranged by rotating them alternately by 180 degrees according to their arrangement positions in the vertical direction, and an auxiliary coupling unit (SDUC) that electrically connects the input connector (241) and the output connector (241) by coupling two DC path unit rows that are rotated by 180 degrees and arranged vertically adjacent to each other is coupled at one end (76). Here, the DC path units (DCU) to be coupled to each other may be DC path units (DCU) of the same specification, but in some cases, they may be DC path units (DCU) of different specifications.

[0072] When a plurality of DC pass units (DCUs) are combined to form a DC pass having the size and shape required for RIS, the first connector (130) of each of a plurality of RF pass units (RFUs) is combined to a second connector (230) of the DC pass to form an RF pass, thereby forming the RIS (77).

[0073] When the RIS is configured in hardware, the input connector (241) of one DC pass unit (DCU) among multiple DC pass units (DCUs) of the DC path is connected to a control device that applies an initial setting signal of the RIS, thereby receiving a control signal including a power supply voltage (VDD), a ground voltage (GND), a clock signal (CLK), and serial data (SData). Here, the DC pass unit (DCU) connected to the control device is a DC pass unit (DCU) whose input connector (241) is not connected to an auxiliary coupling unit (SDUC) and is open. When the power supply voltage (VDD) and the ground voltage (GND) are applied, the bias controller (210) of each DC pass unit (DCU) receives serial data (SData) in response to the clock signal (CLK) and sequentially transmits it to the next bias controller (210) in the order in which the lines are formed on the substrate (200), and the serial data (SData) output from the power supply voltage (VDD), the ground voltage (GND), and the clock signal (CLK) and the last bias controller (210) are transmitted to the adjacent DC pass unit (DCU) through the output connector (241), a process in which this is repeated. The control device outputs the serial data (SData) and the clock signal (CLK) until the setting values ​​for all the bias controllers (210) provided in the DC pass are transmitted, and each bias controller (210) stores the finally applied setting value. Afterwards, when the power supply voltage (VDD) and ground voltage (GND) are applied to the RIS, each of the plurality of bias controllers (210) of the DC path controls the phase shifter of the corresponding RF path unit (RFU) according to the stored setting value, thereby adjusting the phase of the signal received by the radiator (110).

[0074] Although FIG. 10 describes each process as being executed sequentially, this is merely an example, and those skilled in the art can modify and apply various modifications and variations, such as changing the order described in FIG. 10, executing one or more processes in parallel, or adding other processes, without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0075] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a computing environment including a computing device according to one embodiment.

[0076] In the illustrated embodiment, each component may have different functions and capabilities other than those described below, and may include additional components other than those described below. The illustrated computing environment (90) includes a computing device (91) and can perform the RIS manufacturing method illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0077] A computing device (91) includes at least one processor (92), a computer-readable storage medium (93), and a communication bus (95). The processor (92) may cause the computing device (91) to operate according to the exemplary embodiments mentioned above. For example, the processor (92) may execute one or more programs (94) stored in the computer-readable storage medium (93). The one or more programs (94) may include one or more computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor (92), may be configured to cause the computing device (91) to perform operations according to the exemplary embodiments.

[0078] A communication bus (95) interconnects various other components of the computing device (91), including a processor (92) and a computer-readable storage medium (93).

[0079] The computing device (91) may also include one or more input / output interfaces (96) and one or more communication interfaces (97) that provide interfaces for one or more input / output devices (98). The input / output interfaces (96) and the communication interfaces (97) are connected to a communication bus (95). The input / output devices (98) may be connected to other components of the computing device (91) via the input / output interfaces (96). Exemplary input / output devices (98) may include input devices such as pointing devices (such as a mouse or a trackpad), a keyboard, a touch input device (such as a touchpad or a touchscreen), a voice or sound input device, various types of sensor devices and / or photographing devices, and / or output devices such as display devices, printers, speakers and / or network cards. The exemplary input / output devices (98) may be included within the computing device (91) as a component constituting the computing device (91), or may be connected to the computing device (91) as a separate device distinct from the computing device (91).

[0080] While the present invention has been described in detail above through representative examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A plurality of RF pass units each having a plurality of radiators, a plurality of phase shifters and a first connector, and having the same size and shape; and A reconfigurable intelligent surface comprising a DC path having a plurality of bias controllers for controlling a plurality of phase shifters of the RF pass units and a plurality of second connectors coupled with the first connectors of each of the plurality of RF pass units.

2. In the first paragraph, the RF pass unit The plurality of radiators and the plurality of phase shifters are arranged on a low-loss dielectric panel having a specified size and shape, A reconfigurable intelligent surface in which the first connector is arranged on the lower surface in the direction coupled to the DC path in the low-loss dielectric panel.

3. In the first paragraph, each of the plurality of phase shifters A reconfigurable intelligent surface that adjusts the phase of a signal received by an electrically connected radiator according to a phase control signal applied from a bias controller electrically connected to the second connector coupled to the first connector.

4. In the first paragraph, the DC pass A plurality of bias controllers and a plurality of second connectors are arranged on the substrate, A reconfigurable intelligent surface implemented by transmitting a control signal applied from an external control device to the bias controller and forming a plurality of lines connecting the bias controller and the second connector.

5. In the first paragraph, the DC pass A reconfigurable intelligent surface configured by combining a plurality of DC pass units, each of which has a plurality of bias controllers and a plurality of second connectors arranged on a substrate, an input connector arranged on one end, and an output connector arranged on the other end.

6. In paragraph 5, the DC pass A reconfigurable intelligent surface in which the input connector of one of the plurality of DC pass units is connected to an external control device to receive a control signal, and the applied control signal is sequentially transmitted to adjacently coupled DC pass units through the output connector.

7. In the 6th paragraph, each of the plurality of DC pass units A reconfigurable intelligent surface that receives a clock signal and serial data included in the control signal through the input connector, sequentially transmits the serial data to the plurality of bias controllers according to the clock signal, and the last bias controller transmits the serial data to the output connector.

8. In paragraph 5, the DC pass Further comprising a combining unit for expanding the size in the horizontal direction by combining DC pass units arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, The above combination unit is A reconfigurable intelligent surface comprising two mating connectors arranged on separate mating substrates and electrically connected to each other, one of the two mating connectors being coupled to an output connector of one of two adjacently arranged DC pass units, and the other being coupled to an input connector of the other DC pass unit.

9. In paragraph 5, the DC pass A reconfigurable intelligent surface whose size in the horizontal direction is expanded by mutually connecting the output connectors and input connectors of DC pass units arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction.

10. In paragraph 5, the DC pass A reconfigurable intelligent surface whose size in the vertical direction is expanded by an auxiliary coupling unit that is coupled on one side in the horizontal direction to electrically connect the output connector and input connector of two adjacent DC pass units that are alternately rotated 180 degrees in the vertical direction.

11. In the 10th paragraph, the auxiliary coupling unit A reconfigurable intelligent surface comprising an auxiliary input coupling connector coupled to an output connector of one of two vertically adjacent DC pass units, an auxiliary output coupling connector coupled to the input connector of the other, and an auxiliary line electrically connecting the auxiliary input coupling connector and the auxiliary output coupling connector.

12. In paragraph 5, the DC pass A reconfigurable intelligent surface implemented by combining a plurality of DC pass units having the same size and shape or a plurality of DC pass units having different sizes and shapes.

13. A method performed by a processor, A step of manufacturing a plurality of RF pass units each having a plurality of radiators, a plurality of phase shifters and a first connector, and having the same size and shape; A step of configuring a DC path having a plurality of bias controllers and a plurality of second connectors for controlling a plurality of phase shifters of the RF pass unit; and A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface, comprising the step of implementing a reconfigurable intelligent expression by coupling a first connector of the RF pass unit to each of a plurality of second connectors of the DC pass.

14. In the 13th paragraph, the step of manufacturing the RF pass unit is A plurality of radiators and a plurality of phase shifters are arranged on a low-loss dielectric panel having a specified size and shape, A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface, wherein the first connector is placed on a lower surface of the low-loss dielectric panel in a direction coupled to the DC path.

15. In the 13th paragraph, the step of configuring the DC pass is Arranging the plurality of bias controllers and the plurality of second connectors on the substrate, A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface, comprising: transmitting a control signal applied from an external control device to the bias controller and forming a plurality of lines connecting the bias controller and the second connector.

16. In the 13th paragraph, the step of configuring the DC pass is A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface, which implements the DC path by combining a plurality of DC path units, each of which has a plurality of bias controllers and a plurality of second connectors arranged on a substrate, an input connector arranged on one end, and an output connector arranged on the other end.

17. In the 16th paragraph, the step of configuring the DC pass is DC pass units arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction are combined using a separate combining unit, A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface, wherein the above-mentioned coupling unit comprises two coupling connectors arranged on a coupling substrate and electrically connected to each other, and is coupled to the output connector and input connector of two adjacently arranged DC pass units.

18. In the 16th paragraph, the step of configuring the DC pass is A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface whose size in the horizontal direction is expanded by mutually connecting output connectors and input connectors of DC pass units arranged adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction.

19. In the 16th paragraph, the step of configuring the DC pass is A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface whose size in the vertical direction is expanded by an auxiliary coupling unit coupled on one side in the horizontal direction to electrically connect the output connector and the input connector of two adjacent DC pass units that are alternately rotated 180 degrees in the vertical direction.

20. In paragraph 19, the auxiliary coupling unit A method for manufacturing a reconfigurable intelligent surface, comprising an auxiliary input coupling connector coupled to an output connector of one of two vertically adjacent DC pass units, an auxiliary output coupling connector coupled to the input connector of the other, and an auxiliary line electrically connecting the auxiliary input coupling connector and the auxiliary output coupling connector.

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