Ray Tracing Based Radio Channel Modelling Applied to RIS

Inhalt:
We present a ray tracing based approach for deterministic radio channel modelling and as a target application simulations giving channel characteristics of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) in urban environment. A discrete representation of the ray tracing scenario is used. The simulator uses the NVIDIA graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated CUDA parallel computing platform and programming mode and the OptiX Ray Tracing Engine. The RIS is implemented assuming it is a uniform planar array of reconfigurable reflecting elements. The channel modelling is illustrated via a tracing example in an urban environment. The received signal power levels with and without RIS are evaluated based on the channel simulations. We conclude from the results that significant signal power and coverage improvements can be achieved by using a RIS when the visibility conditions between the RIS, transmitter and receiver are favorable. In addition, it is demonstrated that the developed ray tracer, and ray tracing in general, is an excellent tool in studying wireless links incorporating a RIS.