Active RIS Subarray Amplifier Sharing for Low-Power Signal Reflection

Solution Overview

Problem

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces face challenges in balancing signal amplification with energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, particularly in large-scale deployments, as outfitting each element with a power amplifier is costly and energy-intensive.

Innovation Solution

Integrate power amplifiers with every m×n cluster of reconfigurable intelligent surface elements, using impedance matching circuits to maintain proper impedance and minimize signal reflection, while sharing amplifiers among clusters to reduce energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If each reconfigurable intelligent surface element is equipped with a power amplifier, then signal amplification capability is improved, but energy consumption and system cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal amplification capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple reconfigurable intelligent surface elements (specifically m×n elements) are grouped together to share a single power amplifier. The passive coupling network distributes the amplified signal to multiple elements, reducing the total number of power amplifiers needed and thereby lowering energy consumption and system cost while maintaining signal amplification capability across the entire surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single power amplifier serves multiple reconfigurable intelligent surface elements simultaneously through the passive coupling network. This multi-functional approach allows one amplifier to provide signal amplification for the entire m×n cluster of elements, eliminating the need for dedicated amplifiers at each element and reducing overall system energy requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Power

If each reconfigurable intelligent surface element is equipped with a power amplifier, then signal amplification capability is improved, but system cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal amplification capabilityVSAvoidsystem cost

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple reconfigurable intelligent surface elements (specifically m×n elements) are grouped together to share a single power amplifier. The passive coupling network distributes the amplified signal to multiple elements, reducing the total number of power amplifiers needed and thereby lowering energy consumption and system cost while maintaining signal amplification capability across the entire surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

A single power amplifier serves multiple reconfigurable intelligent surface elements simultaneously through the passive coupling network. This multi-functional approach allows one amplifier to provide signal amplification for the entire m×n cluster of elements, eliminating the need for dedicated amplifiers at each element and reducing overall system energy requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Area of stationary object

If the size of the reconfigurable intelligent surface is increased, then free-space signal loss is counteracted, but energy consumption and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface sizeVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The large reconfigurable intelligent surface is segmented into multiple clusters of m×n elements, where each cluster shares a single power amplifier. This segmentation allows the surface to maintain a large physical area for combating free-space signal loss while reducing the number of power amplifiers needed, thereby lowering overall energy consumption and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple reconfigurable intelligent surface elements (specifically m×n elements) are grouped together to share a single power amplifier. The passive coupling network distributes the amplified signal to multiple elements, reducing the total number of power amplifiers needed and thereby lowering energy consumption and system cost while maintaining signal amplification capability across the entire surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Achieves efficient signal amplification with reduced energy costs and complexity by integrating power amplifiers, allowing for larger reconfigurable intelligent surface sizes with fewer amplifiers, thus balancing amplification needs with power efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a resonating metallic pattern that resonates at a frequency that corresponds to a frequency of the incoming signal and redirects the incoming signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

a power amplifier that amplifies the electromagnetic signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic amplification:

Implementation Method 3

a delay line that delays the amplified electromagnetic signal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTime delay:

Implementation Method 4

using impedance matching circuits to maintain proper impedance and minimize signal reflection

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpedance matching: Electrical Impedance Tomography

Data Source

PatentUS20250274088A1Energy-efficient active reconfigurable intelligent surface with integrated sub-array power amplifiers and signal coupling

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

The technology described herein is directed towards a design and implementation of a subarray of unit cells for an active reconfigurable intelligent surface that is power efficient. The reconfigurable intelligent surface design integrates a power amplifier with subarrays of unit cells to amplify the reflected signal, resulting in an active reconfigurable intelligent surface with relatively low power consumption. For example, rather than equipping each unit cell with its own power amplifier, a power amplifier is shared by a m×n (e.g., 3×3) subarray of unit cells, which can be arranged as a module of a larger reconfigurable intelligent surface. Further, the design provides a device for receiving and reflecting the electromagnetic signal in the same polarization by coupling the RF energy, processing, amplifying, and then introducing a delay module to not create unwanted harmonics and amplifying the signal without breaking the signal link.