Massive MIMO Channel-aware Decision Fusion Aided by Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

TL;DR

This paper explores how reconfigurable intelligent surfaces can enhance massive MIMO systems for decision fusion, proposing new fusion rules and optimization strategies to overcome propagation challenges and improve performance.

Contribution

It introduces novel fusion rules and an RIS reflection coefficient optimization method tailored for massive MIMO decision fusion with channel-awareness.

Findings

Proposed three simple sub-optimal fusion rules for large-array regimes.

Developed an RIS reflection coefficient optimization based on long-term channel statistics.

Simulation results demonstrate improved decision fusion performance with the proposed methods.

Abstract

This paper investigates channel-aware decision fusion empowered by massive MIMO systems and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS). By integrating both, we aim to improve goal-oriented (fusion) performance despite the unique propagation challenges introduced. Specifically, we investigate traditional favorable propagation properties in the context of RIS-aided Massive MIMO decision fusion. The above analysis is then leveraged (i) to design three sub-optimal simple fusion rules suited for the large-array regime and (ii) to devise an optimization criterion for RIS reflection coefficients based on long-term channel statistics. Simulation results confirm the appeal of the presented design.