Wireless Information and Energy Transfer: Enabling Sustainable 6G Networks

Concepts de base

Wireless information and energy transfer (WIET) represents an emerging paradigm that employs controllable transmission of radio-frequency signals for the dual purpose of data communication and wireless charging, enabling energy-sustainable Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks in the 6G era.

Résumé

This article presents the main principles and design aspects of WIET, focusing on its integration in 6G networks. It first discusses how conventional communication notions such as resource allocation and waveform design need to be revisited in the context of WIET. It then considers various candidate 6G technologies that can boost WIET efficiency, namely, holographic multiple-input multiple-output, near-field beamforming, terahertz communication, intelligent reflecting surfaces, and reconfigurable (fluid) antenna arrays. The article introduces respective WIET design methods, analyzes the promising performance gains of these WIET systems, and discusses challenges, open issues, and future research directions. Finally, it provides experimental validation of a near-field energy beamforming scheme and a power-based intelligent reflecting surface beamforming algorithm using a wireless energy transfer testbed.

Stats

The number of IoT connections is expected to exceed 30 billion by 2030 and explode in the 6G era.
6G will target substantial performance improvements over 5G in terms of data rates, latency, connections density, coverage, energy efficiency, and reliability.
The utilization of renewable energy sources and the harvesting of ambient radio frequency energy represent prevailing strategies for extending the lifetime of energy-constrained IoT devices.

Citations

"6G will integrate aerial and satellite networks with terrestrial networks in order to offer seamless, ubiquitous connectivity in a cost-effective manner, thereby mitigating the socio-economic imbalances attributed to the digital divide."
"The development of techniques that prolong the lifetime of energy-constrained IoT devices is of utmost importance."
"Through proper co-design of information and energy signals, together with the utilization of emerging 6G technologies, the stringent QoS demands of WIET for both data transfer and power delivery can be satisfied, therefore paving the way for the energy-sustainable networks of the future."

Idées clés tirées de

Wireless Information and Energy Transfer in the Era of 6G Communications

by Constantinos... à arxiv.org 04-30-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2404.18705.pdf

Questions plus approfondies

How can WIET systems be designed to ensure fairness among IoT devices with different energy requirements and channel conditions?

In order to ensure fairness among IoT devices with varying energy requirements and channel conditions in WIET systems, several design considerations can be implemented:

Resource Allocation: Implementing intelligent resource allocation algorithms that take into account the energy requirements and channel conditions of each IoT device can help in ensuring fairness. By dynamically allocating resources such as power, time, and frequency based on the individual needs of the devices, a more equitable distribution of resources can be achieved.

Multi-Objective Optimization: Utilizing multi-objective optimization techniques can help in balancing the conflicting objectives of different IoT devices. By considering multiple performance metrics such as data rate, energy efficiency, and fairness, the design of WIET systems can be optimized to cater to the diverse requirements of IoT devices.

Adaptive Power Control: Implementing adaptive power control mechanisms can help in adjusting the power levels transmitted to each IoT device based on their energy requirements and channel conditions. By dynamically adapting the power levels, devices with weaker channels or lower energy levels can receive the necessary resources to maintain connectivity and functionality.

Quality of Service (QoS) Guarantees: Establishing QoS guarantees for each IoT device can ensure that all devices receive a minimum level of service based on their requirements. By defining and enforcing QoS metrics such as minimum data rates, latency thresholds, and energy transfer levels, fairness among devices can be maintained.

Fair Scheduling Algorithms: Implementing fair scheduling algorithms that prioritize devices with lower energy levels or poorer channel conditions can help in ensuring that all devices have equal opportunities to access resources. By considering factors such as device priority, energy levels, and channel quality, fair scheduling can be achieved in WIET systems.

How can WIET systems be designed to ensure fairness among IoT devices with different energy requirements and channel conditions?

In order to ensure fairness among IoT devices with varying energy requirements and channel conditions in WIET systems, several design considerations can be implemented:

Resource Allocation: Implementing intelligent resource allocation algorithms that take into account the energy requirements and channel conditions of each IoT device can help in ensuring fairness. By dynamically allocating resources such as power, time, and frequency based on the individual needs of the devices, a more equitable distribution of resources can be achieved.

Multi-Objective Optimization: Utilizing multi-objective optimization techniques can help in balancing the conflicting objectives of different IoT devices. By considering multiple performance metrics such as data rate, energy efficiency, and fairness, the design of WIET systems can be optimized to cater to the diverse requirements of IoT devices.

Adaptive Power Control: Implementing adaptive power control mechanisms can help in adjusting the power levels transmitted to each IoT device based on their energy requirements and channel conditions. By dynamically adapting the power levels, devices with weaker channels or lower energy levels can receive the necessary resources to maintain connectivity and functionality.

Quality of Service (QoS) Guarantees: Establishing QoS guarantees for each IoT device can ensure that all devices receive a minimum level of service based on their requirements. By defining and enforcing QoS metrics such as minimum data rates, latency thresholds, and energy transfer levels, fairness among devices can be maintained.

Fair Scheduling Algorithms: Implementing fair scheduling algorithms that prioritize devices with lower energy levels or poorer channel conditions can help in ensuring that all devices have equal opportunities to access resources. By considering factors such as device priority, energy levels, and channel quality, fair scheduling can be achieved in WIET systems.

How can WIET systems be designed to ensure fairness among IoT devices with different energy requirements and channel conditions?

In order to ensure fairness among IoT devices with varying energy requirements and channel conditions in WIET systems, several design considerations can be implemented:

Resource Allocation: Implementing intelligent resource allocation algorithms that take into account the energy requirements and channel conditions of each IoT device can help in ensuring fairness. By dynamically allocating resources such as power, time, and frequency based on the individual needs of the devices, a more equitable distribution of resources can be achieved.

Multi-Objective Optimization: Utilizing multi-objective optimization techniques can help in balancing the conflicting objectives of different IoT devices. By considering multiple performance metrics such as data rate, energy efficiency, and fairness, the design of WIET systems can be optimized to cater to the diverse requirements of IoT devices.

Adaptive Power Control: Implementing adaptive power control mechanisms can help in adjusting the power levels transmitted to each IoT device based on their energy requirements and channel conditions. By dynamically adapting the power levels, devices with weaker channels or lower energy levels can receive the necessary resources to maintain connectivity and functionality.

Quality of Service (QoS) Guarantees: Establishing QoS guarantees for each IoT device can ensure that all devices receive a minimum level of service based on their requirements. By defining and enforcing QoS metrics such as minimum data rates, latency thresholds, and energy transfer levels, fairness among devices can be maintained.

Fair Scheduling Algorithms: Implementing fair scheduling algorithms that prioritize devices with lower energy levels or poorer channel conditions can help in ensuring that all devices have equal opportunities to access resources. By considering factors such as device priority, energy levels, and channel quality, fair scheduling can be achieved in WIET systems.

How can WIET systems be designed to ensure fairness among IoT devices with different energy requirements and channel conditions?

In order to ensure fairness among IoT devices with varying energy requirements and channel conditions in WIET systems, several design considerations can be implemented:

Resource Allocation: Implementing intelligent resource allocation algorithms that take into account the energy requirements and channel conditions of each IoT device can help in ensuring fairness. By dynamically allocating resources such as power, time, and frequency based on the individual needs of the devices, a more equitable distribution of resources can be achieved.

Multi-Objective Optimization: Utilizing multi-objective optimization techniques can help in balancing the conflicting objectives of different IoT devices. By considering multiple performance metrics such as data rate, energy efficiency, and fairness, the design of WIET systems can be optimized to cater to the diverse requirements of IoT devices.

Adaptive Power Control: Implementing adaptive power control mechanisms can help in adjusting the power levels transmitted to each IoT device based on their energy requirements and channel conditions. By dynamically adapting the power levels, devices with weaker channels or lower energy levels can receive the necessary resources to maintain connectivity and functionality.

Quality of Service (QoS) Guarantees: Establishing QoS guarantees for each IoT device can ensure that all devices receive a minimum level of service based on their requirements. By defining and enforcing QoS metrics such as minimum data rates, latency thresholds, and energy transfer levels, fairness among devices can be maintained.

Fair Scheduling Algorithms: Implementing fair scheduling algorithms that prioritize devices with lower energy levels or poorer channel conditions can help in ensuring that all devices have equal opportunities to access resources. By considering factors such as device priority, energy levels, and channel quality, fair scheduling can be achieved in WIET systems.

How can WIET systems be designed to ensure fairness among IoT devices with different energy requirements and channel conditions?

In order to ensure fairness among IoT devices with varying energy requirements and channel conditions in WIET systems, several design considerations can be implemented:

Resource Allocation: Implementing intelligent resource allocation algorithms that take into account the energy requirements and channel conditions of each IoT device can help in ensuring fairness. By dynamically allocating resources such as power, time, and frequency based on the individual needs of the devices, a more equitable distribution of resources can be achieved.

Multi-Objective Optimization: Utilizing multi-objective optimization techniques can help in balancing the conflicting objectives of different IoT devices. By considering multiple performance metrics such as data rate, energy efficiency, and fairness, the design of WIET systems can be optimized to cater to the diverse requirements of IoT devices.

Adaptive Power Control: Implementing adaptive power control mechanisms can help in adjusting the power levels transmitted to each IoT device based on their energy requirements and channel conditions. By dynamically adapting the power levels, devices with weaker channels or lower energy levels can receive the necessary resources to maintain connectivity and functionality.

Quality of Service (QoS) Guarantees: Establishing QoS guarantees for each IoT device can ensure that all devices receive a minimum level of service based on their requirements. By defining and enforcing QoS metrics such as minimum data rates, latency thresholds, and energy transfer levels, fairness among devices can be maintained.

Fair Scheduling Algorithms: Implementing fair scheduling algorithms that prioritize devices with lower energy levels or poorer channel conditions can help in ensuring that all devices have equal opportunities to access resources. By considering factors such as device priority, energy levels, and channel quality, fair scheduling can be achieved in WIET systems.