Predictive Tracking Implementation for Mobile Communication Using Programmable Metasurface

The programmable metasurface(PM)is an antenna array architecture that realizes flexible beam steering.This functionality is achieved by controlling the unit cells designed with micro components such as positive-intrinsic-negative(PIN)diodes,which offers potential cost reductions in the next generation wireless communication systems.Although PM has been a popular topic in antenna design,its implementations in real-time systems accompanied by signal processing algorithms are challenging.In this paper,novel predictive tracking algorithms for mobile communication scenarios using a PM are created and implemented in a real-time system operating at 28 GHz.An angular speed prediction(ASP)algorithm is proposed to compute the position of user equipment(UE)based on the previously recorded beam directions.As another solution,an angle correction(AC)algorithm is proposed to further improve the prediction and tracking accuracy.As a benchmark,the comparisons to a previous PM tracking algorithm without prediction are presented.Both simulation and measurement results show that the prediction algorithms successfully improve the tracking performance,which also prove the feasibilities of PM-based systems to solve complex real-time signal processing problems.

Joint Modulations of Electromagnetic Waves and Digital Signals on a Single Metasurface Platform to Reach Programmable Wireless Communications

In current wireless communication and electronic systems,digital signals and electromagnetic(EM)radiation are processed by different modules.Here,we propose a mechanism to fuse the modulation of digital signals and the manipulation of EM radiation on a single programmable metasurface(PM).The PM consists of massive subwavelength-scale digital coding elements.A set of digital states of all elements forms simultaneous digital information roles for modulation and the wave-control sequence code of the PM.By designing digital coding sequences in the spatial and temporal domains,the digital information and farfield patterns of the PM can be programmed simultaneously and instantly in desired ways.For the experimental demonstration of the mechanism,we present a programmable wireless communication system.The same system can realize transmissions of digital information in single-channel modes with beamsteerable capability and multichannel modes with multiple independent information.The measured results show the excellent performance of the programmable system.This work provides excellent prospects for applications in fifth-or sixth-generation wireless communications and modern intelligent platforms for unmanned aircrafts and vehicles.