Channel estimation and localization for cylindrical RIS-assisted multi-user ISAC systems

In this paper, we investigate the channel estimation and localization problems for integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems empowered by the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) technology. We propose a cylindrical RIS architecture that arranges reflecting elements on a curved substrate, where the three-dimensional array manifold can not only offer a 360° coverage but also perceive the environmental information more deeply. The conformal RIS topology can fit the deployment scenarios more flexibly, which, however, incurs a potential issue of shadowing effect, i.e., signal waves from/to certain directions can only be observed by a part of reflectors due to the shielding of the substrate curvature, yielding different visibility regions (VRs) for multiple users on the RIS array manifold. In order to address this problem, we propose a tensorial channel estimation approach, where the cascaded channel is transformed into the beamspace domain and modeled as a canonical polyadic tensor. By leveraging the principle of tensor completion, we can eliminate the RIS training profiles to deconstruct the channel in the element domain. Then, we develop a VR detection strategy based on the sliding windows, retrieving equivalent channel parameters from the effective signal responses. Finally, by exploring the characteristics of the cylindrical RIS architecture, we develop a decoupling framework to uniquely recover the exact channel parameters, based on which each user can locate itself and other interacting ones. Simulation results indicate that the proposed cylindrical RIS can enable the channel estimation, user localization and data transmission simultaneously, exhibiting remarkable performance under the shadowing effect interference.