A Comprehensive Design Framework for UE-side and BS-Side RIS Deployments

TL;DR

This paper compares BS-side and UE-side RIS deployments, analyzing their design parameters and practical implications for 6G, and proposes a comprehensive framework to guide their deployment strategies.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of RIS deployment strategies, highlighting differences and offering tailored design recommendations for 6G systems.

Findings

Clarifies the impact of deployment strategies on system design

Provides tailored RIS design guidelines for 6G

Highlights practical challenges in RIS implementation

Abstract

Integrating reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) in emerging communication systems is a fast-growing research field that has recently earned much attention. While implementing RISs near the base station (BS), i.e., BS-side RIS, or user equipment (UE), i.e., UE-side RIS, exhibits optimum performance, understanding the differences between these two deployments in terms of the system design perspective needs to be clarified. Critical design parameters, such as RIS size, phase shift adjustment, control link, and element type (passive/active), require greater clarity across these scenarios. Overlooking the intricacies of such critical design parameters in light of 6G demands endangers practical implementation, widening the gap between theoretical insights and practical applications. In this regard, our study investigates the impact of each RIS deployment strategy on the anticipated 6G requirements and offers tailored RIS design recommendations to fulfill these forward-looking requirements. Through this, we clarify the practical distinctions and propose a comprehensive framework for differentiating between BS-side and UE-side RIS scenarios in terms of their design parameters. Highlighting the unique needs of each and the potential challenges ahead, we aim to fuse the theoretical underpinnings of RIS with tangible implementation considerations, propelling progress in both the academic sphere and the industry.