Tunable Surface Cells for Symbol-Level RF Carrier Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) operate passively at the slot level, limiting their ability to modulate waveforms efficiently, and hybrid analog/digital beamforming systems are complex and costly, preventing scalable and agile deployments of millimeter wave systems.
Innovation Solution
The development of tunable meta-surfaces that actively modulate RF carrier signals at the symbol level using controllable surface cells, enabling direct modulation through tunable elements like varactors, and employing hybrid analog/digital beamforming to reduce complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive reconfigurable intelligent surfaces are used, then device complexity is reduced, but modulation speed and waveform control capability are limited to slot level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static passive RIS to dynamic active meta-surfaces with tunable elements (varactors, PIN diodes) that can be controlled at symbol level, enabling high-speed waveform modulation while maintaining manageable system complexity through integrated circuit implementation
2Reliability
If hybrid analog/digital beamforming is implemented, then system performance is improved, but cost and implementation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines analog meta-surface modulation with digital beamforming control in an integrated hybrid system, where the meta-surface layer provides analog phase/amplitude modulation and digital circuits provide precise control, achieving high performance while managing complexity through unified design
3Measurement precision
If fully digital beamforming is used, then modulation precision is improved, but power consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fully digital beamforming with a hybrid approach where analog meta-surface elements perform the heavy lifting of waveform modulation, reducing the need for power-intensive digital-to-analog converters and digital signal processing, thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining precision
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
This approach allows for fully digital, ultra-low power, and ultra-low cost deployments of millimeter wave systems, making massive MIMO scalable and affordable, and enabling new use cases and applications.
Implementation Method 1
The first tunable device includes a first resonant circuit having a resonant frequency that is varied according to a first control voltage applied to a varactor
Implementation Method 2
The first tunable device includes a first resonant circuit having a resonant frequency that is varied according to a first control voltage applied to a varactor
Implementation Method 3
The guided RF carrier signal is modulated responsive to the first varied surface cell property to obtain a first modulated RF carrier signal
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a group of controllable surface cells of an intelligent controllable surface, wherein the surface cells include input surfaces in communication with a waveguide and configured to receive an RF carrier signal via the waveguide. The controllable surface also includes a group of output surfaces and a group of control terminals in communication with the controllable surface cells and configured to receive an information signal. The intelligent controllable surface includes a group of controllable devices in communication with the control terminals, wherein the controllable devices are configured to control scattering parameters of the controllable surface cells responsive to the information signal to impress a direct modulation upon the RF carrier signal. Other embodiments are disclosed.