Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface Reliable Cooperative Beamforming Based on Cascade/Parallel Hybrid Networking

Abstract

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is regarded as one of the main enablers in the context of 6G wireless communications. It converts the conventionally uncontrolled wireless channel into a programmed channel. The current interest in these surfaces is extended from just exploring the capabilities of single RIS to further exploring opportunities of employing multiple RIS cooperatively for enhancing network coverage and capacity. Unfortunately, almost all current work of multiple RIS-assisted networks are limited to either cascade or parallel topologies without regarding the most proper distribution according to the corresponding channel qualities and mutual orientations. So, in this paper, we are aiming to gain both benefits of cascaded and parallel topologies through a hybrid RIS networking structure. While cascade topology minimizes path loss and enhances multiplicative gain, the parallel topology is exploited for enriching scattering signatures in the interested region (cluster). First, cascaded grouping is resolved based on consecutive channel qualities through optimal routing technique. Then, a joint active and passive beamforming (JAPBF) problem is assumed over the grouped parallel routes. The spatial diversity problem is formulated as fractional programming (FP) optimization problem. The superiority of the proposed hybrid network is demonstrated through the performed simulation results represented in maximizing the overall achievable sum rate and exploring the sensitivity to location shift due to receiver mobility.

Keywords

• Reconfigurable intelligent surface
• joint beamforming
• multi-hop transmission
• spatial diversity
• routing technique