Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) System Level Simulations for Industry Standards

TL;DR

This paper presents comprehensive system-level simulations of RIS-assisted wireless networks, analyzing their impact on 6G system capacity and coverage under industry-standard scenarios with various practical considerations.

Contribution

It introduces a standardized simulation methodology for RIS performance evaluation, considering practical factors like interference, phase quantization, and element failures.

Findings

RIS can significantly improve system capacity.

RIS deployment enhances cell coverage in 6G.

Practical RIS factors influence performance outcomes.

Abstract

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is an emerging technology for wireless communications. In this paper, extensive system level simulations are conducted for analyzing the performance of multi-RIS and multi-base-station (BS) scenarios, by considering typical settings for industry standards. Pathloss and large-scale fading are taken into account when modeling the RIS cascaded and direct links. The performance metrics considered are the downlink reference signal received power (RSRP) and the signal to interference noise ratio (SINR). The evaluation methodology is compatible with that utilized for technology studies in industry standards development organizations, by considering the uniqueness of RIS. The simulations are comprehensive, and they take into account different layouts of RIS panels and mobiles in a cell, and different densities and sizes of RIS panels. Several practical aspects are considered, including the interference between RIS panels, the phase quantization of RIS elements, and the failure of RIS elements. The impact of near field effects for the RIS-mobile links is analyzed as well. Simulation results demonstrate the potential of RIS-aided deployments in improving the system capacity and cell coverage in 6G mobile systems.