Microwave QR Code: An IRS-Based Solution

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel IRS-based microwave QR code system for IoT, enabling dynamic information display and wireless communication through electromagnetic reflection and detection.

Contribution

It presents a new method of using IRS to display and read QR codes for wireless communication, combining electromagnetic reflection with signal detection.

Findings

Feasibility of IRS-based microwave QR code demonstrated through simulations

Derived average bit error probability for system performance analysis

Systematic mechanisms for transmission and detection are established

Abstract

This letter proposes to employ intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) as an information media to display a microwave quick response (QR) code for Internet-of-Things applications. To be specific, an IRS is used to form a dynamic bitmap image thanks to its tunable elements. With a QR code shown on the IRS, the transmitting and receiving antenna arrays are jointly designed to scan it by radiating electromagnetic wave as well as receiving and detecting the reflected signal. Based on such an idea, an IRS enabled information and communication system is modelled. Accordingly, some fundamental systematic operating mechanisms are investigated, involving derivation of average bit error probability for signal modulation, QR code implementation on an IRS, transmission design, detection, etc. The simulations are performed to show the achievable communication performance of system and confirm the feasibility of IRS-based microwave QR code.