Reflective Surface Resource Allocation for High-Frequency Wireless Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices face challenges in supporting high data rate wireless communications due to over-the-air attenuation and line-of-sight requirements, especially in environments with multiple devices, limiting the effectiveness of radio-frequency signals above 100 GHz.
Innovation Solution
Implementing reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) to reflect radio-frequency signals between user equipment devices and access points, utilizing a controller to manage resource allocation and scheduling, allowing for space, time, and frequency division multiplexing to optimize communication paths and reduce the number of required access points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If radio-frequency signals above 100 GHz are used for wireless communications, then data rates increase, but signal attenuation increases and line-of-sight requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) as intermediary elements that reflect radio-frequency signals between user equipment and access points. These RIS surfaces act as mediators to establish indirect communication paths, eliminating the strict line-of-sight requirement while maintaining high-frequency signal transmission and enabling reliable communications above 100 GHz.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more access points are deployed to meet dynamic traffic demands, then communication coverage improves, but deployment and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing access points multi-functional by enabling them to serve multiple user equipment simultaneously through spatial, temporal, and frequency division multiplexing via RIS. This allows a single access point to handle diverse traffic demands for multiple users, reducing the need to deploy additional access points while maintaining adaptability to dynamic traffic patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the controller continuously adjusts the scheduling of spatial, time, and frequency resources based on real-time traffic demands and user locations. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to efficiently serve varying traffic patterns without requiring additional infrastructure, maintaining versatility while controlling complexity.
3Productivity
If spatial, time, and frequency resources are divided for multiple user equipment, then communication efficiency improves, but resource allocation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based resource allocation mechanism where the controller receives information about user equipment locations, traffic demands, and channel conditions, then dynamically adjusts the spatial, time, and frequency resource allocation. This closed-loop feedback system optimizes communication efficiency by adapting to changing conditions while managing allocation complexity through automated decision-making based on real-time system state.
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
Enhances wireless communication efficiency by minimizing deployment and operating costs while supporting dynamic traffic demands, even in obstructed environments, by using RIS to reflect signals and optimize resource allocation.
Implementation Method 1
RIS's may be used to reflect radio-frequency signals between the UE devices and the AP's
Data Source
AI summary
A controller may map user equipment (UE) devices in a wireless system to access points (AP) and reflective intelligent surfaces (RIS). The controller may generate a corresponding communications schedule based on the locations of the UE device(s), AP(s), and RIS(s) and based on current traffic demands. The controller may control the RIS(s), AP(s), and UE devices to implement the schedule. The schedule may divide the time, frequency, and/or spatial resources of the RIS(s) to meet the traffic demands of the UE devices using a space division multiple access scheme, a time-division multiple access scheme, a frequency-division multiple access scheme, and/or a distributed multiple-input and multiple output scheme. The schedule may be updated over time as needed. The RIS(s) may allow for a reduction in the number of AP(s) required to meet the dynamic demands of the UE devices, thereby minimizing deployment and operating costs.