Position control of adaptive phase-changing devices

A method performed by an adaptive phase-changing device (APD) for configuring a Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) and position of the APD, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a base station and over an APD-control-channel, a first indication of a surface configuration for the RIS, the receiving the first indication including receiving an index to a surface-configuration codebook;
• retrieving the surface configuration from the surface-configuration codebook using the index;
• modifying the RIS using the surface configuration communicated by the first indication;
• receiving, from the base station and over the APD-control-channel, a second indication of a position configuration;
• and
• modifying the position of the APD based on the second indication.

A base station apparatus comprising:

• at least one wireless transceiver;
• a processor;
• and
• computer-readable storage media comprising instructions, responsive to execution by the processor, for directing the base station apparatus to:
• receive from a user equipment (UE) at least one link quality parameter that is indicative of a channel impairment;
• identify, using the at least one link quality parameter, a surface configuration for a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) of an adaptive phase-changing device (APD) that mitigates the channel impairment by transforming characteristics of a wireless signal propagated between the base station and the UE;
• determine, using the at least one link quality parameter, a position configuration for the APD to mitigate the channel impairment by changing a position of the APD;
• transmit, to the APD using an adaptive phase-changing device control channel, APD-control-channel, a first indication that indicates the identified surface configuration;
• transmit a second indication that indicates the determined position configuration to the APD;
• and
• communicate with the UE using the APD by:
• transmitting, a downlink wireless signal for the UE towards the RIS of the APD;
• or
• receiving an uplink wireless signal from the UE, the uplink wireless signal being transformed by the RIS of the APD.

An adaptive phase-changing device (APD) comprising:

• a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS);
• at least one wireless transceiver;
• a processor;
• and
• computer-readable storage media comprising instructions, responsive to execution by the processor, for directing the APD to:
• receive, from a base station and over an APD-control-channel, a first indication of a surface configuration for the RIS, the reception of the first indication including receiving an index to a surface-configuration codebook;
• retrieve the surface configuration from the surface-configuration codebook using the index;
• modify the RIS using the surface configuration communicated by the first indication;
• receive, from the base station and over the APD-control-channel, a second indication of a position configuration;
• and
• modify the position of the APD based on the second indication.