Ad Hoc Intelligent Reflecting Surface for Blocked Wireless Links
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Complex and dynamic environments can attenuate or block signals between wireless transmitters and receivers, undermining wireless channel measuring and reporting mechanisms, necessitating improvements in wireless communications systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of an ad hoc intelligent reflecting surface (IRS), which is a portable device that can be deployed by a user to enhance wireless communication performance by reflecting signals around blockages, controlled by a user equipment (UE) to provide higher gain and improve throughput and reduce latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If signals are transmitted directly between wireless transmitters and receivers, then communication simplicity is maintained, but signal attenuation and blockage occur in complex environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) as an intermediary component between the transmitter and receiver. The IRS comprises multiple reflecting elements that can be independently controlled to adjust signal reflection phases and amplitudes, thereby enabling reliable signal transmission through indirect paths when direct paths are blocked or attenuated by complex environmental conditions.
2Productivity
If traditional wireless communication methods are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but throughput is limited by signal blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the phase and amplitude characteristics of each reflecting element on the IRS. This allows the system to optimize signal propagation parameters to overcome blockage and attenuation effects, thereby enhancing communication throughput in complex environments without requiring direct line-of-sight paths.
3Reliability
If direct signal transmission is used, then latency is reduced, but signal quality deteriorates in blockage-prone environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action through channel estimation and configuration procedures that are performed in advance before actual data transmission. The IRS configuration is optimized based on pre-acquired channel state information, allowing the system to establish reliable reflected signal paths beforehand, thus maintaining both high reliability and low latency during actual communication without real-time adjustments.
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
The ad hoc IRS enables improved wireless communication performance by providing higher gain and enabling communications around blockages, reducing latencies and increasing throughput.
Implementation Method 1
reflecting signals from a network entity to a user equipment (UE) with an ad hoc intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)
Data Source
AI summary
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for communicating with an ad hoc intelligent reflecting surface (IRS). A method that may be performed by a user equipment includes receiving signals from a network entity via an ad hoc IRS; configuring the IRS for communications between the UE and the network entity based at least in part on the received signals; and communicating with the network entity through the IRS.