Joint Transmitter and Receiver Design for Movable Antenna Enhanced Multicast Communications

Movable antenna (MA) is an emerging technology that utilizes localized antenna movement to pursue better channel conditions for enhancing communication performance. In this paper, we study the MA-enhanced multicast transmission from a base station equipped with multiple MAs to multiple groups of single-MA users. Our goal is to maximize the minimum weighted signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) among all the users by jointly optimizing the position of each transmit/receive MA and the transmit beamforming. To tackle this challenging problem, we first consider the single-group scenario and propose an efficient algorithm based on the techniques of alternating optimization and successive convex approximation. Particularly, when optimizing transmit or receive MA positions, we construct a concave lower bound for the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of each user by applying only the second-order Taylor expansion, which is more effective than existing works utilizing two-step approximations. The proposed design is then extended to the general multi-group scenario. Simulation results demonstrate that significant performance gains in terms of achievable max-min SNR/SINR can be obtained by our proposed algorithm over benchmark schemes. Additionally, the proposed algorithm can notably reduce the required amount of transmit power or antennas for achieving a target level of max-min SNR/SINR performance compared to benchmark schemes.

UAV-enabled Collaborative Beamforming via Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning

In this paper, we investigate an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-assistant air-to-ground communication system, where multiple UAVs form a UAV-enabled virtual antenna array (UVAA) to communicate with remote base stations by utilizing collaborative beamforming. To improve the work efficiency of the UVAA, we formulate a UAV-enabled collaborative beamforming multi-objective optimization problem (UCBMOP) to simultaneously maximize the transmission rate of the UVAA and minimize the energy consumption of all UAVs by optimizing the positions and excitation current weights of all UAVs. This problem is challenging because these two optimization objectives conflict with each other, and they are non-concave to the optimization variables. Moreover, the system is dynamic, and the cooperation among UAVs is complex, making traditional methods take much time to compute the optimization solution for a single task. In addition, as the task changes, the previously obtained solution will become obsolete and invalid. To handle these issues, we leverage the multi-agent deep reinforcement learning (MADRL) to address the UCBMOP. Specifically, we use the heterogeneous-agent trust region policy optimization (HATRPO) as the basic framework, and then propose an improved HATRPO algorithm, namely HATRPO-UCB, where three techniques are introduced to enhance the performance. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can learn a better strategy compared with other methods. Moreover, extensive experiments also demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.

Collaborative Ground-Space Communications via Evolutionary Multi-objective Deep Reinforcement Learning

In this paper, we propose a distributed collaborative beamforming (DCB)-based uplink communication paradigm for enabling ground-space direct communications. Specifically, DCB treats the terminals that are unable to establish efficient direct connections with the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites as distributed antennas, forming a virtual antenna array to enhance the terminal-to-satellite uplink achievable rates and durations. However, such systems need multiple trade-off policies that variously balance the terminal-satellite uplink achievable rate, energy consumption of terminals, and satellite switching frequency to satisfy the scenario requirement changes. Thus, we perform a multi-objective optimization analysis and formulate a long-term optimization problem. To address availability in different terminal cluster scales, we reformulate this problem into an action space-reduced and universal multi-objective Markov decision process. Then, we propose an evolutionary multi-objective deep reinforcement learning algorithm to obtain the desirable policies, in which the low-value actions are masked to speed up the training process. As such, the applicability of a one-time trained model can cover more changing terminal-satellite uplink scenarios. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outmatches various baselines, and draw some useful insights. Specifically, it is found that DCB enables terminals that cannot reach the uplink achievable threshold to achieve efficient direct uplink transmission, which thus reveals that DCB is an effective solution for enabling direct ground-space communications. Moreover, it reveals that the proposed algorithm achieves multiple policies favoring different objectives and achieving near-optimal uplink achievable rates with low switching frequency.

Joint Active And Passive IRS Aided Wireless Communication: Elements Allocation and Achievable Rate

Equipping reflecting elements at the active intelligent reflecting surface (AIRS) enhances signal amplification capability but meanwhile incurs non-negligible amplification noise, which thus challenges the determination of elements allocation for maximizing achievable rate in multi-cooperative AIRS and passive IRS (PIRS) jointly aided wireless communication system. To tackle this issue, we consider the downlink communication from a single-antenna transmitter (Tx) to a single-antenna receiver (Rx), which aided by a pair of AIRS and PIRS with two different deployment orders. Specifically, we target to determine the number of AIRS/PIRS elements over both transmission orders under given deployment budget for the achievable rate maximization. Our analysis illustrates that the PIRS should be allocated more elements than the AIRS for achieving optimized rate and linear signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) scaling orders are attained in both schemes. Simulation results are provided to evaluate the proposed algorithm and compare the rate performance of the AIRS and PIRS jointly aided wireless system with various benchmark systems.

Two-Way Aerial Secure Communications via Distributed Collaborative Beamforming under Eavesdropper Collusion

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)-enabled aerial communication provides a flexible, reliable, and cost-effective solution for a range of wireless applications. However, due to the high line-of-sight (LoS) probability, aerial communications between UAVs are vulnerable to eavesdropping attacks, particularly when multiple eavesdroppers collude. In this work, we aim to introduce distributed collaborative beamforming (DCB) into UAV swarms and handle the eavesdropper collusion by controlling the corresponding signal distributions. Specifically, we consider a two-way DCB-enabled aerial communication between two UAV swarms and construct these swarms as two UAV virtual antenna arrays. Then, we minimize the two-way known secrecy capacity and the maximum sidelobe level to avoid information leakage from the known and unknown eavesdroppers, respectively. Simultaneously, we also minimize the energy consumption of UAVs for constructing virtual antenna arrays. Due to the conflicting relationships between secure performance and energy efficiency, we consider these objectives as a multi-objective optimization problem. Following this, we propose an enhanced multi-objective swarm intelligence algorithm via the characterized properties of the problem. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm can obtain a set of informative solutions and outperform other state-of-the-art baseline algorithms. Experimental tests demonstrate that our method can be deployed in limited computing power platforms of UAVs and is beneficial for saving computational resources.

STAR-RIS Aided Secure MIMO Communication Systems

This paper investigates simultaneous transmission and reflection reconfigurable intelligent surface (STAR-RIS) aided physical layer security (PLS) in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, where the base station (BS) transmits secrecy information with the aid of STAR-RIS against multiple eavesdroppers equipped with multiple antennas. We aim to maximize the secrecy rate by jointly optimizing the active beamforming at the BS and passive beamforming at the STAR-RIS, subject to the hardware constraint for STAR-RIS. To handle the coupling variables, a minimum mean-square error (MMSE) based alternating optimization (AO) algorithm is applied. In particular, the amplitudes and phases of STAR-RIS are divided into two blocks to simplify the algorithm design. Besides, by applying the Majorization-Minimization (MM) method, we derive a closed-form expression of the STAR-RIS's phase shifts. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms various benchmark schemes, especially as the number of STAR-RIS elements increases.

Performance Evaluation of RIS-Assisted Spatial Modulation for Downlink Transmission

This paper explores the performance of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) assisted spatial modulation (SM) downlink communication systems, focusing on the average bit error probability (ABEP). Notably, in scenarios with a large number of reflecting units, the composite channel can be approximated by a Gaussian distribution using the central limit theorem. The receiver utilizes a maximum likelihood detector to recover information in both spatial and symbol domains. In the proposed RIS-SM system, we analytically derive a closed-form expression for the union tight upper bound of ABEP, employing the Gaussian-Chebyshev quadrature method. The validity of these results is rigorously confirmed through exhaustive Monte Carlo simulations.

Transmissive RIS Transmitter Enabled Spatial Modulation for MIMO Systems

In this paper, we propose a novel transmissive reconfigurable intelligent surface (TRIS) transmitter-enabled spatial modulation (SM) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system. In the transmission phase, a column-wise activation strategy is implemented for the TRIS panel, where the specific column elements are activated per time slot. Concurrently, the receiver employs the maximum likelihood detection technique. Based on this, for the transmit signals, we derive the closed-form expressions for the upper bounds of the average bit error probability (ABEP) of the proposed scheme from different perspectives, employing both vector-based and element-based approaches. Furthermore, we provide the asymptotic closed-form expressions for the ABEP of the TRIS-SM scheme, as well as the diversity gain. To improve the performance of the proposed TRIS-SM system, we optimize ABEP with a fixed data rate. Additionally, we provide lower bounds to simplify the computational complexity of improved TRIS-SM scheme. The Monte Carlo simulation method is used to validate the theoretical derivations exhaustively. The results demonstrate that the proposed TRIS-SM scheme can achieve better ABEP performance compared to the conventional SM scheme. Furthermore, the improved TRIS-SM scheme outperforms the TRIS-SM scheme in terms of reliability.

Robust Analysis of Full-Duplex Two-Way Space Shift Keying With RIS Systems

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted index modulation system schemes are considered a promising technology for sixth-generation (6G) wireless communication systems, which can enhance various system capabilities such as coverage and reliability. However, obtaining perfect channel state information (CSI) is challenging due to the lack of a radio frequency chain in RIS. In this paper, we investigate the RIS-assisted full-duplex (FD) two-way space shift keying (SSK) system under imperfect CSI, where the signal emissions are augmented by deploying RISs in the vicinity of two FD users. The maximum likelihood detector is utilized to recover the transmit antenna index. With this in mind, we derive closed-form average bit error probability (ABEP) expression based on the Gaussian-Chebyshev quadrature (GCQ) method and provide the upper bound and asymptotic ABEP expressions in the presence of channel estimation errors. To gain more insights, we also derive the outage probability and provide the throughput of the proposed scheme with imperfect CSI. The correctness of the analytical derivation results is confirmed via Monte Carlo simulations. It is demonstrated that increasing the number of elements of RIS can significantly improve the ABEP performance of the FD system over the half-duplex (HD) system. Furthermore, in the high SNR region, the ABEP performance of the FD system is better than that of the HD system.

Movable Antenna Enabled Interference Network: Joint Antenna Position and Beamforming Design

This paper investigates the utility of movable antenna (MA) assistance for the multiple-input single-output (MISO) interference channel. We exploit an additional design degree of freedom provided by MA to enhance the desired signal and suppress interference so as to reduce the total transmit power of interference network. To this end, we jointly optimize the MA positions and transmit beamforming, subject to the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio constraints of users. To address the non-convex optimization problem, we propose an efficient iterative algorithm to alternately optimize the MA positions via successive convex approximation method and the transmit beamforming via second-order cone program approach. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed MA-enabled MISO interference network outperforms its conventional counterpart without MA, which significantly enhances the capability of inter-cell frequency reuse and reduces the complexity of transmitter design.