A Hierarchical DRL Approach for Resource Optimization in Multi-RIS Multi-Operator Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hierarchical deep reinforcement learning framework for efficient resource optimization in multi-operator networks with reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, addressing coordination, interference, and privacy challenges.

Contribution

It proposes a novel hierarchical DRL approach with specialized algorithms (HPPO and S-HPPO) for scalable RIS resource management in multi-operator 6G networks.

Findings

HPPO outperforms benchmarks in stability and efficiency.

S-HPPO achieves faster convergence and better performance.

The approach effectively manages RIS resources in complex environments.

Abstract

As reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) emerge as a pivotal technology in the upcoming sixth-generation (6G) networks, their deployment within practical multiple operator (OP) networks presents significant challenges, including the coordination of RIS configurations among OPs, interference management, and privacy maintenance. A promising strategy is to treat RIS as a public resource managed by an RIS provider (RP), which can enhance resource allocation efficiency by allowing dynamic access for multiple OPs. However, the intricate nature of coordinating management and optimizing RIS configurations significantly complicates the implementation process. In this paper, we propose a hierarchical deep reinforcement learning (HDRL) approach that decomposes the complicated RIS resource optimization problem into several subtasks. Specifically, a top-level RP-agent is responsible for RIS allocation, while low-level OP-agents control their assigned RISs and handle beamforming, RIS phase-shifts, and user association. By utilizing the semi-Markov decision process (SMDP) theory, we establish a sophisticated interaction mechanism between the RP and OPs, and introduce an advanced hierarchical proximal policy optimization (HPPO) algorithm. Furthermore, we propose an improved sequential-HPPO (S-HPPO) algorithm to address the curse of dimensionality encountered with a single RP-agent. Experimental results validate the stability of the HPPO algorithm across various environmental parameters, demonstrating its superiority over other benchmarks for joint resource optimization. Finally, we conduct a detailed comparative analysis between the proposed S-HPPO and HPPO algorithms, showcasing that the S-HPPO algorithm achieves faster convergence and improved performance in large-scale RIS allocation scenarios.