Intelligent Reflecting Surface Phasing for Indoor Location Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Indoor locationing systems are susceptible to multipath effects such as reflections, scattering, diffraction, and absorption, leading to inaccurate location estimates, especially in Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) conditions, which current technologies struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS) to control the phase of wireless signals to create a dynamic multipath environment, isolating the Line-Of-Sight (LOS) path and filtering out multipath impacts by reflecting signals with orthogonal phases, even when channel state information is not available.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional locationing systems are used in indoor environments, then basic location estimation can be achieved, but multipath effects such as reflections, scattering, diffraction, and absorption lead to inaccurate location estimates especially in NLOS conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts harmful multipath reflections into beneficial signals by using intelligent reflecting surfaces to intentionally create controlled multipath components. The IRS reflects signals to create artificial reflection paths with known characteristics, transforming the previously harmful unpredictable multipath effects into useful measurement signals that help isolate the LOS path and improve location accuracy in NLOS conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The intelligent reflecting surface acts as an intermediary between the transmitting and receiving antennas. It mediates the wireless channel by introducing controlled phase shifts to create artificial multipath components, enabling the system to differentiate between LOS and NLOS paths without requiring direct control of the propagation environment
2Measurement precision
If intelligent reflecting surfaces are used to control signal phases and create dynamic multipath environments, then location accuracy is improved by isolating LOS paths and filtering multipath impacts, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the phase parameter of reflected signals using intelligent reflecting surfaces. By controlling the phase shifts introduced by IRS elements, the system creates distinguishable multipath components without requiring complex signal processing or additional hardware infrastructure, achieving improved location accuracy through parameter manipulation rather than system expansion
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
Improves location accuracy by accounting for NLOS effects, such as fluctuations in signal strength and changes in propagation paths, enabling more precise distance calculations.
Implementation Method 1
reflecting wireless signals from the wireless access point off of an intelligent reflecting surface to the station device
Implementation Method 2
controlling the intelligent reflecting surface such that a series of the wireless signals are reflected off of the intelligent reflecting surface with the predetermined phases
Data Source
AI summary
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: determining a series of predetermined phases for wireless signals to be used in location calculations for a station device accessing a wireless access point; reflecting wireless signals from the wireless access point off of an intelligent reflecting surface to the station device; and controlling the intelligent reflecting surface such that a series of the wireless signals are reflected off of the intelligent reflecting surface with the predetermined phases.