Design and Practical Validation of a Novel Modulation Scheme for RIS Detection and Identification

Abstract: The reconfigurable intelligent surfaces detection and identification (RISs-ID) is a critical process that enables a base station (BS) to adaptively assign the appropriate RIS to a given user equipment (UE). This work proposes a novel modulation scheme to enhance the reliability of RIS-ID by reducing the miss detection and false-alarm probabilities. Specifically, we leverage the RIS's passive beamforming gain to enable over-the-air modulation of the RIS ID, combined with passive beam sweeping to extend detection coverage in angular space. The proposed modulation scheme is validated through computer simulations and prototype experiments, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing miss-detection and false-alarm probabilities.