Systems and methods for MIMO communication with controllable environments
Aspects of the present disclosure provide methods of utilizing controllable metasurface devices capable of redirecting a wavefront transmitted by a transmitter to a receiver in the wireless network to take advantage of the controllable metasurface device capabilities, intelligence, coordination and reconfiguration speed, and thereby enable solutions having different signaling details and capability requirements. Methods described herein provide mechanisms for identification of a RIS deployed in a communication network, identification of possible RIS to UE links, setup of base station (BS) to RIS links and RIS to UE links, activation of the RIS, and configuration of UEs to receive data from the BS via redirection by the RIS.
1 . A method for use at a reflective intelligent surface (RIS) comprising:
redirecting an identification of any RISs that are in proximity to a user equipment (UE), the identification sent from a network device;
receiving first configuration information to facilitate beam steering, the first configuration information comprising:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE; and
steering the beam between the network device and UE.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving second configuration information that is used for configuring a first RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE to enable the RIS to redirect the identification of any RISs that are in proximity to the UE.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving third configuration information that is used for configuring a second RIS pattern for channel measurement to redirect a reference signal waveform from the network device to the UE.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE is one of:
information defining the third RIS pattern that the RIS can use to redirect the waveform; or
channel state information (CSI) that enables the RIS to generate the third RIS pattern to redirect the waveform.
5 . A method for use at a network device comprising:
identifying any reflective intelligent surfaces (RISs) that are in proximity to a user equipment (UE);
transmitting first configuration information to facilitate beam steering by the RIS comprising, for a RIS that is in proximity to the UE, transmitting configuration information to the RIS comprising:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE;
transmitting second configuration information to the UE to enable the UE to receive data from the network device; and
transmitting a beam to the UE to be steered by the RIS comprising transmitting data to the UE that is redirected by the RIS based on the third RIS pattern.
6 . The method of claim 5 further comprising:
transmitting to the UE a list of RISs that are in proximity to the UE;
for a RIS that is in proximity to the UE, transmitting third configuration information to the RIS that is used for configuring a first RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE;
transmitting identification signaling to allow identification by the UE of the RIS that is redirecting the identification signaling after the identification signaling has been redirected to the UE by the first RIS pattern of the RIS; and
receiving a confirmation from the UE that the list of RISs has been received by the UE.
7 . The method of claim 5 further comprising:
transmitting fourth configuration information to the UE to enable the UE to set up channel measurement;
for a RIS that is in proximity to the UE, transmitting fifth configuration information to the RIS that is used for configuring a second RIS pattern for channel measurement to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE;
transmitting a reference signal to allow channel estimation by the UE for the channel that is used between the network device and the UE via the RIS that is redirecting the reference signal; and
receiving a channel measurement report from the UE based on the reference signal transmitted by the network device and redirected by the RIS based on the second RIS pattern.
8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein transmitting the second configuration information to the UE to enable the UE to receive data from the network device comprises sending physical layer control signaling to the UE.
9 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE is one of:
information defining the third RIS pattern that the RIS can use to redirect the waveform; or
channel state information (CSI) that enables the RIS to generate the third RIS pattern to redirect the waveform.
10 . A method for use at a user equipment (UE) comprising:
being notified of any reflective intelligent surfaces (RISs) that are in proximity to the UE;
receiving first configuration information to facilitate beam steering between a network device and the UE via at least one RIS that is in proximity to the UE; and
receiving a beam that has been steered by the RIS, the beam comprising data, wherein the beam is steered by the RIS based on:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein being notified of any RISs that are in proximity to the UE comprises:
receiving a list of RISs that are in proximity to the UE;
receiving identification signaling to allow identification by the UE of the RIS that is redirecting the identification signaling after the identification signaling has been redirected to the UE by the first RIS pattern of the RIS; and
transmitting a confirmation that the list of RISs has been received by the UE.
12 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
receiving second configuration information to enable the UE to set up channel measurement;
receiving a reference signal to allow channel estimation for a channel that is used between the network device and the UE via the RIS that is redirecting the reference signal; and
transmitting a channel measurement report based on the reference signal received by the UE that is redirected by the RIS.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the first configuration information to enable the UE to receive data comprises receiving physical layer control signaling.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE is one of:
information defining the third RIS pattern that the RIS can use to redirect the waveform; or
channel state information (CSI) that enables the RIS to generate the third RIS pattern to redirect the waveform.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the method is carried out by the UE.
16 . An apparatus comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming including instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to:
redirect an identification of any reflective intelligent surfaces (RISs) that are in proximity to a user equipment (UE), the identification sent from a network device;
receive first configuration information to facilitate beam steering, the first configuration information comprising:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE; and
steer the beam between the network device and UE.
17 . An apparatus comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming including instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to:
be notified of any reflective intelligent surfaces (RISs) that are in proximity to a user equipment (UE);
receive first configuration information to facilitate beam steering between an apparatus and the UE via at least one RIS that is in proximity to the UE; and
receive a beam that has been steered by the RIS, the beam comprising data, wherein the beam is steered by the RIS based on:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from a network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE.
18 . An apparatus comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming including instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to:
identify any reflective intelligent surfaces (RISs) that are in proximity to a user equipment (UE);
transmit first configuration information to facilitate beam steering by the RIS, the first configuration information comprising:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from a network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE; and
transmit second configuration information to the UE to enable the UE to receive data from the network device; and
transmit a beam to the UE to be steered by the RIS comprising data that is redirected by the RIS based on the third RIS pattern.
19 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming including instructions that when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
redirecting an identification of any reflective intelligent surfaces (RISs) that are in proximity to a user equipment (UE), the identification sent from a network device;
receiving first configuration information to facilitate beam steering, the first configuration information comprising:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from the network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE; and
steering the beam between the network device and UE.
20 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming including instructions, that when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:
identifying any reflective intelligent surfaces (RISs) that are in proximity to a user equipment (UE);
transmitting first configuration information to facilitate beam steering by the RIS, the first configuration information comprising:
information that is used for configuring a third RIS pattern to redirect a waveform from a network device to the UE; and
a short term activation of the RIS for communication with the UE; and
transmitting second configuration information to the UE to enable the UE to receive data from the network device; and
transmitting a beam to the UE to be steered by the RIS comprising data that is redirected by the RIS based on the third RIS pattern.