RIS Multi-Lobe Beamforming with Network-Controlled Pattern Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently utilizing reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) for multi-lobe beamforming due to inflexible configurations and the need to disclose secure information, which limits the ability to tailor beams based on user or traffic priorities.
Innovation Solution
A network entity indicates a beamforming coverage scheme to a RIS controller, allowing the RIS to identify and transmit multi-lobe beamforming patterns, while the network entity performs computational tasks to generate vectors for beamforming, enhancing signal energy direction and data throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the RIS performs computational tasks to generate beamforming patterns, then the beamforming flexibility and adaptability are improved, but the computational workload and complexity on the RIS increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity acts as an intermediary that performs the computational tasks for generating beamforming patterns. The network entity receives coverage scheme indications from the RIS, computes the appropriate beamforming patterns using its computational resources, and then configures the RIS with these patterns. This transfers the computational burden from the RIS to the network entity, resolving the contradiction between beamforming flexibility and computational complexity on the RIS.
2Device complexity
If the RIS uses fixed beamforming patterns, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to tailor beams based on user or traffic priorities deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static fixed beamforming patterns to dynamic adaptive beamforming patterns. The network entity computes beamforming patterns that adapt to changing conditions including user locations, traffic priorities, and coverage requirements. The RIS configuration is updated dynamically based on coverage scheme indications, allowing the system to maintain simplicity at the RIS while achieving adaptability through network-controlled dynamic pattern selection.
3Reliability
If the RIS discloses secure information about its configuration, then the beamforming performance is improved, but the security and confidentiality of RIS implementation details deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential functional information needed for beamforming performance from the RIS configuration. Instead of disclosing complete secure implementation details, the system transmits high-level coverage scheme indications that describe the desired beamforming coverage requirements without revealing sensitive RIS implementation specifics. This allows the network entity to compute appropriate beamforming patterns while preserving the confidentiality of RIS secure information.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. The described techniques provide for a network entity to indicate a desired beamforming coverage scheme to a controller of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS). The RIS controller may identify one or more realizable multi-lobe beamforming patterns in accordance with the desired beamforming coverage scheme, and may transmit multi-lobe beam information indicating the one or more realizable multi-lobe beamforming patterns to the network entity. In some cases, the RIS may indicate single-lobe beam information to the network entity, and the network entity may transmit one or more vectors to support generating the multi-lobe beam information. In some examples, based on the multi-lobe beam information, the network entity may indicate a multi-lobe beamforming pattern that the RIS is to use for relaying a multi-lobe reflect beam or a multi-lobe incident beam.