Joint Size and Placement Optimization for IRS-Aided Communications with Active and Passive Elements

Different types of intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS) are exploited for assisting wireless communications. The joint use of passive IRS (PIRS) and active IRS (AIRS) emerges as a promising solution owing to their complementary advantages. They can be integrated into a single hybrid active-passive IRS (HIRS) or deployed in a distributed manner, which poses challenges in determining the IRS element allocation and placement for rate maximization. In this paper, we investigate the capacity of an IRS-aided wireless communication system with both active and passive elements. Specifically, we consider three deployment schemes: 1) base station (BS)-HIRS-user (BHU); 2) BS-AIRS-PIRS-user (BAPU); 3) BS-PIRS-AIRS-user (BPAU). Under the line-of-sight channel model, we formulate a rate maximization problem via a joint optimization of the IRS element allocation and placement. We first derive the optimized number of active and passive elements for BHU, BAPU, and BPAU schemes, respectively. Then, low-complexity HIRS/AIRS placement strategies are provided. To obtain more insights, we characterize the system capacity scaling orders for the three schemes with respect to the large total number of IRS elements, amplification power budget, and BS transmit power. Finally, simulation results are presented to validate our theoretical findings and show the performance difference among the BHU, BAPU, and BPAU schemes with the proposed joint design under various system setups.

Bursting Filter Bubble: Enhancing Serendipity Recommendations with Aligned Large Language Models

Recommender systems (RSs) often suffer from the feedback loop phenomenon, e.g., RSs are trained on data biased by their recommendations. This leads to the filter bubble effect that reinforces homogeneous content and reduces user satisfaction. To this end, serendipity recommendations, which offer unexpected yet relevant items, are proposed. Recently, large language models (LLMs) have shown potential in serendipity prediction due to their extensive world knowledge and reasoning capabilities. However, they still face challenges in aligning serendipity judgments with human assessments, handling long user behavior sequences, and meeting the latency requirements of industrial RSs. To address these issues, we propose SERAL (Serendipity Recommendations with Aligned Large Language Models), a framework comprising three stages: (1) Cognition Profile Generation to compress user behavior into multi-level profiles; (2) SerenGPT Alignment to align serendipity judgments with human preferences using enriched training data; and (3) Nearline Adaptation to integrate SerenGPT into industrial RSs pipelines efficiently. Online experiments demonstrate that SERAL improves exposure ratio (PVR), clicks, and transactions of serendipitous items by 5.7%, 29.56%, and 27.6%, enhancing user experience without much impact on overall revenue. Now, it has been fully deployed in the "Guess What You Like" of the Taobao App homepage.

Research on the Offshore Marine Communication Environment Based on Satellite Remote Sensing Data

Air-sea interface fluxes significantly impact the reliability and efficiency of maritime communication. Compared to sparse in-situ ocean observations, satellite remote sensing data offers broader coverage and extended temporal span. This study utilizes COARE V3.5 algorithm to calculate momentum flux, sensible heat flux, and latent heat flux at the air-sea interface, based on satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) wind speed data, reanalysis data, and buoy measurements, combined with neural network methods. Findings indicate that SAR wind speed data corrected via neural networks show improved consistency with buoy-measured wind speeds in flux calculations. Specifically, the bias in friction velocity decreased from -0.03 m/s to 0.01 m/s, wind stress bias from -0.03 N/m^2 to 0.00 N/m^2, drag coefficient bias from -0.29 to -0.21, latent heat flux bias from -8.32 W/m^2 to 5.41 W/m^2, and sensible heat flux bias from 0.67 W/m^2 to 0.06 W/m^2. Results suggest that the neural network-corrected SAR wind speed data can provide more reliable environmental data for maritime communication.

Vehicular Multi-Tier Distributed Computing with Hybrid THz-RF Transmission in Satellite-Terrestrial Integrated Networks

In this paper, we propose a Satellite-Terrestrial Integrated Network (STIN) assisted vehicular multi-tier distributed computing (VMDC) system leveraging hybrid terahertz (THz) and radio frequency (RF) communication technologies. Task offloading for satellite edge computing is enabled by THz communication using the orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technique. For terrestrial edge computing, we employ non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and vehicle clustering to realize task offloading. We formulate a non-convex optimization problem aimed at maximizing computation efficiency by jointly optimizing bandwidth allocation, task allocation, subchannel-vehicle matching and power allocation. To address this non-convex optimization problem, we decompose the original problem into four sub-problems and solve them using an alternating iterative optimization approach. For the subproblem of task allocation, we solve it by linear programming. To solve the subproblem of sub-channel allocation, we exploit many-to-one matching theory to obtain the result. The subproblem of bandwidth allocation of OFDMA and the subproblem of power allocation of NOMA are solved by quadratic transformation method. Finally, the simulation results show that our proposed scheme significantly enhances the computation efficiency of the STIN-based VMDC system compared with the benchmark schemes.

Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces Aided Wireless Network: Deployment Architectures and Solutions

Intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) have emerged as a transformative technology for wireless networks by improving coverage, capacity, and energy efficiency through intelligent manipulation of wireless propagation environments. This paper provides a comprehensive study on the deployment and coordination of IRSs for wireless networks. By addressing both single- and multi-reflection IRS architectures, we examine their deployment strategies across diverse scenarios, including point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and point-to-area setups. For the single-reflection case, we highlight the trade-offs between passive and active IRS architectures in terms of beamforming gain, coverage extension, and spatial multiplexing. For the multi-reflection case, we discuss practical strategies to optimize IRS deployment and element allocation, balancing cooperative beamforming gains and path loss. The paper further discusses practical challenges in IRS implementation, including environmental conditions, system compatibility, and hardware limitations. Numerical results and field tests validate the effectiveness of IRS-aided wireless networks and demonstrate their capacity and coverage improvements. Lastly, promising research directions, including movable IRSs, near-field deployments, and network-level optimization, are outlined to guide future investigations.

Decision Transformers for RIS-Assisted Systems with Diffusion Model-Based Channel Acquisition

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) have been recognized as a revolutionary technology for future wireless networks. However, RIS-assisted communications have to continuously tune phase-shifts relying on accurate channel state information (CSI) that is generally difficult to obtain due to the large number of RIS channels. The joint design of CSI acquisition and subsection RIS phase-shifts remains a significant challenge in dynamic environments. In this paper, we propose a diffusion-enhanced decision Transformer (DEDT) framework consisting of a diffusion model (DM) designed for efficient CSI acquisition and a decision Transformer (DT) utilized for phase-shift optimizations. Specifically, we first propose a novel DM mechanism, i.e., conditional imputation based on denoising diffusion probabilistic model, for rapidly acquiring real-time full CSI by exploiting the spatial correlations inherent in wireless channels. Then, we optimize beamforming schemes based on the DT architecture, which pre-trains on historical environments to establish a robust policy model. Next, we incorporate a fine-tuning mechanism to ensure rapid beamforming adaptation to new environments, eliminating the retraining process that is imperative in conventional reinforcement learning (RL) methods. Simulation results demonstrate that DEDT can enhance efficiency and adaptability of RIS-aided communications with fluctuating channel conditions compared to state-of-the-art RL methods.

Movable Antennas Enabled ISAC Systems: Fundamentals, Opportunities, and Future Directions

The movable antenna (MA)-enabled integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) system attracts widespread attention as an innovative framework. The ISAC system integrates sensing and communication functions, achieving resource sharing across various domains, significantly enhancing communication and sensing performance, and promoting the intelligent interconnection of everything. Meanwhile, MA utilizes the spatial variations of wireless channels by dynamically adjusting the positions of MA elements at the transmitter and receiver to improve the channel and further enhance the performance of the ISAC systems. In this paper, we first outline the fundamental principles of MA and introduce the application scenarios of MA-enabled ISAC systems. Then, we summarize the advantages of MA-enabled ISAC systems in enhancing spectral efficiency, achieving flexible and precise beamforming, and making the signal coverage range adjustable. Besides, a specific case is studied to show the performance gains in terms of transmit power that MA brings to ISAC systems. Finally, we discuss the challenges of MA-enabled ISAC and future research directions, aiming to provide insights for future research on MA-enabled ISAC systems.

Movable Intelligent Surface (MIS) for Wireless Communications: Architecture, Modeling, Algorithm, and Prototyping

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces enhance wireless systems by reshaping propagation environments. However, dynamic metasurfaces (MSs) with numerous phase-shift elements incur undesired control and hardware costs. In contrast, static MSs (SMSs), configured with static phase shifts pre-designed for specific communication demands, offer a cost-effective alternative by eliminating element-wise tuning. Nevertheless, SMSs typically support a single beam pattern with limited flexibility. In this paper, we propose a novel Movable Intelligent Surface (MIS) technology that enables dynamic beamforming while maintaining static phase shifts. Specifically, we design a MIS architecture comprising two closely stacked transmissive MSs: a larger fixed-position MS 1 and a smaller movable MS 2. By differentially shifting MS 2's position relative to MS 1, the MIS synthesizes distinct beam patterns. Then, we model the interaction between MS 2 and MS 1 using binary selection matrices and padding vectors and formulate a new optimization problem that jointly designs the MIS phase shifts and selects shifting positions for worst-case signal-to-noise ratio maximization. This position selection, equal to beam pattern scheduling, offers a new degree of freedom for RIS-aided systems. To solve the intractable problem, we develop an efficient algorithm that handles unit-modulus and binary constraints and employs manifold optimization methods. Finally, extensive validation results are provided. We implement a MIS prototype and perform proof-of-concept experiments, demonstrating the MIS's ability to synthesize desired beam patterns that achieve one-dimensional beam steering. Numerical results show that by introducing MS 2 with a few elements, MIS effectively offers beamforming flexibility for significantly improved performance. We also draw insights into the optimal MIS configuration and element allocation strategy.

Efficient Joint Precoding Design for Wideband Intelligent Reflecting Surface-Assisted Cell-Free Network

In this paper, we propose an efficient joint precoding design method to maximize the weighted sum-rate in wideband intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted cell-free networks by jointly optimizing the active beamforming of base stations and the passive beamforming of IRS. Due to employing wideband transmissions, the frequency selectivity of IRSs has to been taken into account, whose response usually follows a Lorentzian-like profile. To address the high-dimensional non-convex optimization problem, we employ a fractional programming approach to decouple the non-convex problem into subproblems for alternating optimization between active and passive beamforming. The active beamforming subproblem is addressed using the consensus alternating direction method of multipliers (CADMM) algorithm, while the passive beamforming subproblem is tackled using the accelerated projection gradient (APG) method and Flecher-Reeves conjugate gradient method (FRCG). Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed approach achieves significant improvements in weighted sum-rate under various performance metrics compared to primal-dual subgradient (PDS) with ideal reflection matrix. This study provides valuable insights for computational complexity reduction and network capacity enhancement.

Space-Time-Modulated Wideband Radiation-Type Programmable Metasurface for Low Sidelobe Beamforming

Programmable metasurfaces promise a great potential to construct low-cost phased array systems due to the capability of elaborate modulation over electromagnetic (EM) waves. However, they are in either reflective or transmissive mode, and usually possess a relatively high profile as a result of the external feed source. Besides, it is difficult to conduct multibit phase shift in metasurfaces, when comparing with conventional phased arrays. Here, we propose a strategy of space-time modulated wideband radiation-type programmable metasurface for low side-lobe beamforming. The wideband programmable metasurface avoids the space-feed external source required by its traditional counterpart, thus achieving a significant reduction of profile through integration of a highefficiency microwave-fed excitation network and metasurface. Furthermore, through introducing space-time-modulated strategy, the high-accuracy amplitude-phase weight algorithm can also be synchronously carried out on the first harmonic component for low side-lobe beam-scanning. Most importantly, adaptive beamforming and generation of interference null can further be created after analyzing the harmonic component characteristics of received signals.