Adaptive Phase-Changing Devices for MIMO Spectral Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Higher frequency wireless communications, such as those used in 5G and 6G technologies, face challenges with signal obstructions, atmospheric conditions, and multipath fading, leading to recovery errors and reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
The use of adaptive phase-changing devices (APDs) that include Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) to modify propagating signals, correcting for errors introduced by obstructions and fading, by configuring the surface materials to adjust the phase, amplitude, direction, and polarization of the signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If higher frequency ranges are used for wireless transmissions, then data capacity is increased, but signal quality deteriorates due to obstructions and path loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces adaptive phase-changing devices (APDs) as intermediary elements between the transmitter and receiver. These APDs dynamically adjust the phase of reflected signals to compensate for multipath fading and obstructions, thereby maintaining signal quality while enabling higher frequency transmissions that provide increased data capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the phase parameter of reflected signals in real-time using APDs. By dynamically adjusting phase shifts based on channel conditions, the system compensates for signal degradation caused by higher frequency transmissions, allowing both high data capacity and maintained signal quality
2Productivity
If MIMO transmissions are implemented, then spectral efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex MIMO system into manageable components: multiple independent APDs that can be individually controlled and configured. Each APD handles specific spatial streams, allowing the system to achieve high spectral efficiency through MIMO while keeping individual device complexity low through modular segmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The APDs are designed as multi-functional devices that can serve multiple purposes: they provide signal reflection, phase adjustment, and spatial beamforming capabilities. This universality allows the system to achieve MIMO performance without requiring separate dedicated components for each function, thereby improving spectral efficiency while managing overall system complexity
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
This approach improves signal quality and increases data capacity by enabling MIMO transmissions that can reuse time and frequency resources with different spatial resources, enhancing spectral efficiency and data throughput in wireless networks.
Implementation Method 1
adaptive phase-changing devices (APDs) that include Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) to modify propagating signals, correcting for errors introduced by obstructions and fading, by configuring the surface materials to adjust the phase, amplitude, direction, and polarization of the signals
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques and apparatuses are described for multiple-input multiple-output transmissions using adaptive phase-changing devices. In aspects, a base station selects one or more adaptive phase-changing devices, APDs, to use in at least one communication path for multiple-input, multiple-output, MIMO, transmissions. The base station can perform a channel characterization process for the at least one communication path using the at least one APD and at least one UE. Based on results of the channel characterization process, the base station configures the at least one APD by which to implement single user-MIMO communication with a UE or multiple user-MIMO communication with multiple UEs. By so doing, the base station may implement MIMO transmissions using APDs to communicate with the at least one UE using same time and frequency resources, which can improve spectral efficiency of a wireless network.