Reconfigurable intelligent surface discovery procedures

A method for wireless communication at an access network entity in a wireless communications system, comprising:

• receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a request for information associated with one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces in the wireless communications system via a radio resource control signal, a media access control (MAC) control element, a physical uplink control channel, or a physical random access channel;
• determining the information associated with the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces;
• transmitting, to the UE, the information associated with the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the request;
• and
• communicating with the UE via the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the information associated with the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE) in a wireless communications system, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• transmit, to an access network entity, a request for information associated with one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces in the wireless communications system via a radio resource control signal, a media access control (MAC) control element, a physical uplink control channel, or a physical random access channel;
• receive, from the access network entity, the information associated with the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, wherein receiving the information is based at least in part on the request;
• transmit a sensing signal to the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the information;
• and
• transmit an uplink wireless communication to the access network entity or a second UE using the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the sensing signal.

An apparatus for wireless communication at an access network entity in a wireless communications system, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• receive, from a user equipment (UE), a request for information associated with one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces in the wireless communications system via a radio resource control signal, a media access control (MAC) control element, a physical uplink control channel, or a physical random access channel;
• determine the information associated with the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces;
• transmit, to the UE, the information associated with the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the request;
• and
• communicate with the UE via the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the information associated with the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE) in a wireless communications system, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• receive, from an access network entity, information associated with one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces in the wireless communications system;
• transmit a sensing signal to the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the information, wherein transmitting the sensing signal further comprises sweeping the sensing signal over a directional range;
• receive a return signal related to the sensing signal that indicates a direction of a first reconfigurable intelligent surface of the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces;
• and
• transmit an uplink wireless communication to the access network entity or a second UE using the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the sensing signal.

An apparatus for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE) in a wireless communications system, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to:
• receive, from an access network entity, information associated with one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces in the wireless communications system;
• transmit a sensing signal to the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the information;
• transmit an uplink wireless communication to the access network entity or a second UE using the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces based at least in part on the sensing signal;
• and
• transmit a reconfigurable intelligent surface control message to a first reconfigurable intelligent surface of the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surfaces.