RIS-Based Passive Massive MIMO With Single RF Chain
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high capital and operational expenses associated with deploying and maintaining MIMO base stations, particularly in areas with low population density and developing countries, are significant due to the complexity and power consumption of traditional MIMO systems, limiting their widespread adoption.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) and a single radio-frequency (RF) chain to mimic the operation of multi-user MIMO base stations, employing a re-designed channel estimation procedure to facilitate communications between the MIMO base station and user equipment, reducing hardware complexity and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional MIMO base stations are deployed to provide multi-user communication services, then communication performance and coverage are improved, but capital expenditure and operational expenses increase significantly due to high hardware complexity and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) as an intermediary device between the single-antenna base station and multiple users. The RIS reflects and redirects electromagnetic waves to serve multiple users simultaneously, enabling a simple base station to achieve MIMO-like communication performance without requiring multiple antennas and RF chains at the base station itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent shifts the spatial dimension of communication by using the RIS to create multiple reflected paths from a single transmission antenna. Instead of using multiple antennas at the base station to achieve spatial diversity, the system uses a single antenna combined with RIS reflections to create multiple effective transmission paths, thereby achieving MIMO performance with reduced base station complexity.
2Reliability
If traditional MIMO base stations are deployed to provide multi-user communication services, then communication performance and coverage are improved, but operational expenses increase due to high power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The RIS acts as a passive or low-power intermediary that redirects signals without requiring significant power consumption for signal generation. This allows the base station to maintain low power consumption while achieving multi-user service through the RIS-mediated signal reflection, eliminating the need for high-power RF chains at the base station for each user.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple RF chains and multiple antennas into a single antenna system combined with RIS. By combining the single antenna's transmission with the RIS's signal reflection, the system achieves the functionality of traditional multi-antenna MIMO systems with significantly reduced power consumption at the base station.
3Area of stationary object
If traditional MIMO base stations are deployed in areas with low population density, then communication coverage is improved, but economic viability decreases due to high deployment costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of MIMO functionality using a single antenna and RIS instead of requiring actual multiple antennas at the base station. This copying approach allows the system to replicate MIMO performance characteristics while using much simpler, cheaper hardware that is easier to deploy in remote areas with low population density.
Solution Approach 2:
The RIS serves as a deployable intermediary that can be installed at user locations or along transmission paths to extend coverage. This allows the base station to provide service to multiple users in low-density areas without requiring expensive multi-antenna equipment at each location, reducing deployment costs while maintaining coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for mimicking a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) base station using a re-designed channel estimation procedure is provided. The method includes sweeping a set of beam patterns to obtain channel information associated with a plurality of pilot signals from a plurality of user equipment (UEs) and selecting a beam to communicate with each of the plurality of UEs. The method further includes allocating radio resources to communicate with each of the plurality of UEs based on the selected beam for each of the plurality of UEs and performing downlink and uplink transmissions to and from the plurality of UEs based on the allocated radio resources. In some instances, the method can include computational intelligence to allow for optimized and/or enhanced decision making based on using a reconfigurable intelligence surface (RIS) and a single radio-frequency (RF) chain to mimic the operation of multi-user MIMO base stations.