RIS Delay-Line Sensing for Low-Power Channel Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) lack cost-effective and low-power sensing capabilities necessary for channel estimation and self-configuration, as they typically require full RF chains for signal processing.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an array of reflective elements with phase shifters and delay lines equipped with extension units that measure or estimate voltage, current, and power of the RF signal, enabling passive beamforming and sensing operations without full RF chains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If full RF chains are included on each antenna element to enable sensing capabilities, then sensing and channel estimation capabilities are improved, but cost and energy consumption increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary sensing function from the full RF chain by adding simple extension units to existing delay lines. These extension units measure voltage, current, and power directly at the delay line outputs without requiring complete RF reception and transmission chains, thereby achieving sensing capability with minimal additional energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, energy-intensive full RF chains with inexpensive extension units that consist of simple measurement components. These extension units are added to existing passive reflective elements and consume negligible energy compared to full RF chains, making the sensing capability cost-effective and energy-efficient.
2Measurement precision
If full RF chains are included on each antenna element to enable sensing capabilities, then channel estimation is improved, but device complexity and cost increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the measurement function needed for channel estimation from the complex RF chain architecture. By placing simple extension units with voltage, current, and power measurement capabilities directly on the delay lines, the system achieves channel estimation without the complexity of full RF chains including amplifiers, mixers, and ADCs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex, expensive RF chain components with simple, inexpensive extension units that perform the essential measurement function. These extension units add minimal complexity to the passive reflective element structure while enabling the necessary channel estimation capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If passive reflective elements with phase shifters are used, then cost and simplicity are improved, but sensing capabilities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensing function with the existing passive reflective element structure by integrating extension units directly into the delay lines of the phase shifters. This combination allows the same hardware structure to perform both beamforming and sensing functions simultaneously without requiring separate sensing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the passive reflective elements multi-functional by enabling them to perform both their original beamforming function and a new sensing function. The extension units allow these elements to measure voltage, current, and power for channel estimation while maintaining their phase-shifting capability for beamforming.
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
Enables low-cost, low-power sensing capabilities that preserve phase information from each unit cell, allowing RIS to perform passive beamforming and operate in a plug-and-play fashion, with minimal degradation of beamforming operations.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the different delay lines comprises an extension unit configured to extract a portion of a power of the RF signal channeled into the respective specific one delay line by the phase shifter
Implementation Method 2
to measure or estimate the voltage, the current and/or the power of the extracted portion of the RF signal
Implementation Method 3
to measure or estimate the voltage, the current and/or the power of the extracted portion of the RF signal
Implementation Method 4
to measure or estimate the voltage, the current and/or the power of the extracted portion of the RF signal
Implementation Method 5
different phase shifts are realized by the phase shifter channeling the RF signal into a specific one of a number of different delay lines
Implementation Method 6
reflect a radio-frequency (RF) signal incident on the each reflective element with an adjustable phase shift
Data Source
AI summary
A reflective device includes a control element and an array of reflective elements. Each reflective element of the array of reflective elements has an antenna element and a phase shifter and is under control of the control element so as to reflect a radio-frequency (RF) signal incident on the each reflective element with an adjustable phase shift, where different phase shifts are realized by the phase shifter channeling the RF signal into a specific one of a number of different delay lines. Each of the different delay lines includes an extension unit configured to extract a portion of a power of the RF signal channeled into the respective specific one delay line by the phase shifter and to measure or estimate the voltage, the current and/or the power of the extracted portion of the RF signal.