System and method for a virtual line-of-sight with a non-volatile reconfigurable metasurface for wi-fi sensing

A reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array of a virtual line-of-sight (LoS) Wi-Fi sensing system comprising:

• the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array to reflect a wireless link between a transmitter device and receiver device with a virtual line-of-sight (LoS) portion between the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array and the receiver device to relay an electromagnetic (EM) wave along a non-line-of-sight (NLoS) path region between the transmitter device and receiver device;
• a reconfigurable metasurface microcontroller unit (MCU) to receive and reflect a Wi-Fi sensing request via the wireless link from the transmitter device;
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU execute computer-readable program code of a NLoS sense signal phase profile control system to monitor for an echo signal of a target object present within the virtual LoS portion of the wireless link;
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU to determine a location of the target object within the virtual LoS portion based on beamforming from angle of arrival and time of flight of the echo signal detected at the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array;
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU to instruct switching of adjustable capacitance of a plurality of reconfigurable metasurface unit cells in the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array to create destructive or constructive interference for directionality and feed distance to beamform the EM waves of the wireless link with the virtual LoS portion towards the location of the target object;
• the reconfigurable metasurface array to reflect back sensing of echo signal detected channel statistical information (CSI) characteristics for the wireless link including the virtual LoS portion to the transmitting device for Wi-Fi sensing;
• and
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU to wirelessly report the detected beamforming phase shift or location information of the target object to the transmitter device conducting Wi-Fi sensing.

A reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array of a virtual line-of-sight (LoS) Wi-Fi sensing system comprising:

• the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array to reflect a wireless link between a transmitter device and receiver device with a virtual line-of-sight (LoS) portion between the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array and the receiver device to relay an electromagnetic (EM) wave along a non-line-of-sight (NLoS) path region between the transmitter device and receiver device;
• a reconfigurable metasurface microcontroller unit (MCU) to receive and reflect a Wi-Fi sensing request via the wireless link from the transmitter device;
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU execute computer-readable program code of a NLoS sense signal phase profile control system to monitor for an echo signal of a target object present within the virtual LoS portion of the wireless link;
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU to determine a location of the object within the virtual LoS portion based on beamforming from angle of arrival and time of flight of the echo signal detected at the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array;
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU to instruct switching of adjustable capacitance of a plurality of reconfigurable metasurface unit cells in the reconfigurable metasurface unit cell array to beamform the wireless link with the virtual LoS portion towards the location of the target object;
• the reconfigurable metasurface array to reflect back sensing of echo signal detected channel statistical information (CSI) characteristics for the wireless link including the virtual LoS portion to the transmitting device for Wi-Fi sensing;
• and
• the reconfigurable metasurface MCU to wirelessly report the detected beamforming phase shift or location information of the target object to the transmitter device conducting Wi-Fi sensing.