Realizing Wireless Communication through Software-defined HyperSurface Environments

TL;DR

This paper introduces a software-defined wireless environment using HyperSurface metasurfaces that can be dynamically controlled to optimize electromagnetic wave propagation, improving communication quality in indoor settings.

Contribution

It presents a novel model of programmable wireless environments with HyperSurface tiles controlled by a central server, enabling customizable electromagnetic interactions.

Findings

Simulations show improved signal control at 2.4 GHz and 60 GHz frequencies.

HyperSurface tiles can override natural wave behavior for better communication.

The approach enables mitigation of path loss and multi-path fading effects.

Abstract

Wireless communication environments are unaware of the ongoing data exchange efforts within them. Moreover, their effect on the communication quality is intractable in all but the simplest cases. The present work proposes a new paradigm, where indoor scattering becomes software-defined and, subsequently, optimizable across wide frequency ranges. Moreover, the controlled scattering can surpass natural behavior, exemplary overriding Snell's law, reflecting waves towards any custom angle (including negative ones). Thus, path loss and multi-path fading effects can be controlled and mitigated. The core technology of this new paradigm are metasurfaces, planar artificial structures whose effect on impinging electromagnetic waves is fully defined by their macro-structure. The present study contributes the software-programmable wireless environment model, consisting of several HyperSurface tiles controlled by a central, environment configuration server. HyperSurfaces are a novel class of metasurfaces whose structure and, hence, electromagnetic behavior can be altered and controlled via a software interface. Multiple networked tiles coat indoor objects, allowing fine-grained, customizable reflection, absorption or polarization overall. A central server calculates and deploys the optimal electromagnetic interaction per tile, to the benefit of communicating devices. Realistic simulations using full 3D ray-tracing demonstrate the groundbreaking potential of the proposed approach in 2.4 GHz and 60 GHz frequencies.