Intelligent Reflecting Surface-Assisted Secure Multi-Input Single-Output Cognitive Radio Transmission.

We consider an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted communication system as a cost-effective technique to enhance secrecy rate performance in physical-layer security (PLS) systems. In this letter, the randomized radiation (RR)-based PLS algorithm, which uses active antenna arrays to randomize the radiation pattern, is adopted in IRS through passive beamforming. We show that RR cannot be simply applied to IRS because the secrecy rate is subject to the phase-dependent amplitude variations in IRS. Therefore, we provide an exact and closed-form expression for the secrecy rate of RR using IRS. Based on the analysis, we introduce a constant phase shift into the IRS elements and identify it as a key parameter to optimize the secrecy performance through a genetic algorithm.

This article introduces a novel strategy for wireless communication security utilizing intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS). The IRS is strategically deployed to mitigate jamming attacks and eavesdropper threats while improving signal reception for legitimate users (LUs) by redirecting jamming signals toward desired communication signals leveraging physical layer security (PLS). By integrating the IRS into the backscatter communication system, we enhance the overall secrecy rate of LU, by dynamically adjusting IRS reflection coefficients and active beamforming at the base station (BS). A design problem is formulated to jointly optimize IRS reflecting beamforming and BS active beamforming, considering time-varying channel conditions and desired secrecy rate requirements. We propose a novel approach based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) named Deep-PLS. This approach aims to determine an optimal beamforming policy capable of thwarting eavesdroppers in evolving environmental conditions. Extensive simulation studies validate the efficacy of our proposed strategy, demonstrating superior performance compared to traditional IRS approaches, IRS backscattering-based anti-eavesdropping methods, and other benchmark strategies in terms of secrecy performance.

Recently, the demand for spectral and energy efficiency has significantly been increased along with new breakthroughs in programmable meta-material techniques. The integration of an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) into simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) systems has attracted much attention from operators in advanced wireless communication networks (WCNs) such as fifth-generation (5G) and sixth-generation (6G) networks. In addition, an IRS-assisted SWIPT system faces many security risks that can easily be compromised by eavesdroppers. In this paper, we investigate the physical-layer secure and transmission optimization problem in an IRS-assisted SWIPT system where a power-splitting (PS) scheme is installed in the user equipment (UE). In particular, our purpose is to maximize the system secrecy rate by jointly finding optimal solutions for transmitter power, PS factor of UE, and phase shifts matrix of IRS under the required minimum harvested energy and maximum transmitter power. We propose the alternating optimization (AO)-based scheme to obtain optimal solutions. The proposed AO-based scheme can effectively solve both convex and non-convex problems; however, applying them in practice still poses some difficulties due to the complexity and long computation time. This is because many mathematical transformations are used and the optimal solution needs a number of iterations to achieve convergence. Therefore, we also propose 5 types of data and DNN structures to potentially achieve efficiency in computations by using a deep learning (DL)-based approach. The simulation results indicate that the proposed IRS scheme provides an improvement in terms of the average secrecy rate (ASR) by up to 38.91% when the number of reflecting elements is high (30 elements) compared to a scheme without an IRS. We also observe that the DL-based approach not only provides similar performance to the AO-based scheme but it also significantly reduces computation time.

Secure communication of intelligent reflecting surface-aided NOMA in massive MIMO networks

In this article, a dual-function intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) assisted cognitive radio (CR) nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) networks for secure transmission is studied. Considering the scenario of both internal and multiple external Eves in the system, our goal is to maximize the sum achievable secrecy rate through jointly optimizing the transmit beamforming of cognitive base station (CBS), the mode selection of each IRS element and the phase vector of IRS, while both the passive dual-function IRS and active dual-function IRS are investigated. For passive dual-function IRS setup, we decouple the proposed nonconvex optimization problem into two subproblems, the transmit beamforming subproblem and the phase vector subproblem. For transmit beamforming subproblem, we first use arithmetic geometric mean (AGM) inequality and linear matrix inequality (LMI) to deal with the nonconvex fraction form in the objective function and in constraints. Then, successive convex approximation (SCA) is applied to iteratively solve it. For the phase vector subproblem, we utilize the penalty function to handle the rank one constraint and the binary constraint. By alternately optimizing these two subproblems, we obtain a local optimal solution. Then, we extend the proposed algorithm to the secure transmission scheme with active dual-function IRS. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme with the help of a dual-function IRS effectively enhances the security of the CR-NOMA network compared to other benchmark schemes. Moreover, when the maximum transmitting power <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$P_{\max }\ge 15$ </tex-math></inline-formula> dBm, the proposed active IRS scheme is superior to the proposed passive IRS scheme.

Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is a promising solution to build a programmable wireless environment for future communication systems, in which the reflector elements steer the incident signal in fully customizable ways by passive beamforming. In this paper, an IRS-aided secure spatial modulation (SM) is proposed, where the IRS perform passive beamforming and information transfer simultaneously by adjusting the on-off states of the reflecting elements. We formulate an optimization problem to maximize the average secrecy rate (SR) by jointly optimizing the passive beamforming at IRS and the transmit power at transmitter under the consideration that the direct pathes channels from transmitter to receivers are obstructed by obstacles. As the expression of SR is complex, we derive a newly fitting expression (NASR) for the expression of traditional approximate SR (TASR), which has simpler closed-form and more convenient for subsequent optimization. Based on the above two fitting expressions, three beamforming methods, called maximizing NASR via successive convex approximation (Max-NASR-SCA), maximizing NASR via dual ascent (Max-NASR-DA) and maximizing TASR via semi-definite relaxation (Max-TASR-SDR) are proposed to improve the SR performance. Additionally, two transmit power design (TPD) methods are proposed based on the above two approximate SR expressions, called Max-NASR-TPD and Max-TASR-TPD. Simulation results show that the proposed Max-NASR-DA and Max-NASR-SCA IRS beamformers harvest substantial SR performance gains over Max-TASR-SDR. For TPD, the proposed Max-NASR-TPD performs better than Max-TASR-TPD. Particularly, the Max-NASR-TPD has a closed-form solution.

Intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is a promising technology for its capability of enhancing the desired signals and suppressing the interference. In this paper, we introduce IRS into a device-to-device (D2D) underlaying cellular system and investigate its application on physical layer security. The secrecy rate is maximized by jointly designing the received beamforming vector, power allocation and phase shift matrix. We apply the block coordinate descent (BCD) algorithm to decouple the optimization problem, and the semidefinite relaxation (SDR) technique is adopted to optimize the phase shift matrix. Simulation results show that the IRS is able to improve the system secrecy performance of the D2D underlying cellular system.

Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces (IRS) is a groundbreaking innovative technique to boost energy and spectral efficiency in upcoming wireless systems, enabling simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT). This paper optimizes Energy Harvesting Efficiency (EHE) in a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) SWIPT system, where an access point (AP)/base station (BS) uses an IRS to serve multi energy receivers (ERs) and information receivers (IRs). We formulate an EHE optimization problem, designing active and passive beamforming while satisfying the AP/BS power constraints, IRS unit-modulus constraints and IR rate demands in a linear EH model. The Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) are approximated for efficient solutions. And second-order cone programming (SOCP) is solved via convex optimization (CVX), while the penalty convex-concave procedure (CCP) guarantees convexity to non-convex problems. Next, an alternating optimization (AO)-reliant iterative algorithm derived sub-optimal solutions with slack variables. According to simulation results, for all ERs within a linear EH design/model, the proposed algorithm improves total EHE by 40% to 45% compared to randomize, No-IRS, and decode-and-forward (DF) relay strategies. Ultimately, highlighting IRS’s benefit in improving quality of service (QoS) by tweaking its elements and AP/BS antennas.

This article investigates physical-layer security (PLS) of a typical wireless-powered communication (WPC) system with the aid of intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) in the presence of a passive eavesdropper for Internet of Things (IoT), and proposes three IRS-aided secure WPC modes. Specifically, in mode-I, the IRS is deployed between hybrid access point (HAP) and wireless user (U) for co-located power station (PS) and access point (AP). In mode-II, the IRS is deployed between AP and U for separate PS and AP, while in mode-III, the IRS is deployed between PS and U for separate PS and AP. For each mode, the optimal phase shift is designed to maximize the reception of energy and information at the legitimate receiver. We comprehensively analyze the performance of each mode, and derive the closed-form expressions of connection outage probability (COP), secrecy outage probability (SOP), and effective secrecy throughput (EST) for each mode, respectively. The theoretical analysis and simulation results reveal that from the perspective of reliability, mode-I can achieve the best COP with the increased number of IRS elements, while mode-II and mode-III have a similar COP. From the perspective of security, mode-II can achieve the best SOP with the increased number of IRS elements, while mode-I and mode-III have a similar SOP. Moreover, under the condition of small transmission power at HAP/PS or small number of IRS elements, mode-I has the best EST, while as the power or the number increases, the EST of mode-II becomes the best one.

Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS)-assisted beamforming is an emerging paradigm proposed to enhanced signal coverage and multiplexing in terahertz (THz) communications with low hardware cost and reduced power consumption. This paper investigates the beamformer and IRS design to enhance security of downlink THz communication in multi-input single-output (MISO) wiretap channel, where an Alice-Bob pair wishes to communicate secretly with the assist of IRS, in the presence of Eve. Our goal is to maximize the secrecy rate by designing the active beamformer at the base station (BS) and the passive reflecting phase shifters (PSs) at the IRS, which turns out to be an intractable mixed integer non-convex optimization problem. To tackle it, we respectively propose a low-computational- complexity successive design and a high-secure- performance joint design, which both attain high- quality suboptimal solutions. Specifically, in the successive design, we first design the PSs under an introduced principle, followed by that the beamformer is optimally derived, both in closed form. In the joint design, an alternating manner is proposed to optimize the PSs and the beamformer one by one with each other being fixed in each iteration until both reach the convergence. Numerical results show that the proposed designs achieve better secrecy performance than existing IRS-assisted design and traditional non-IRS- assisted secure design.

Intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) are a promising technology for future-generation wireless networks by extending coverage region to blind spots and increasing mmWave propagation paths in non-line of sight environments. User association (UA) in dense millimeter wave (mmWave) networks is vital to characterizing connections among base stations (BSs) and mobile users for load balancing, interference management, and maximizing network utility. However, it has yet to be examined thoroughly in a multi-IRS-aided network. This paper presents a new UA scheme that takes cell interference into account for a multi-cell mmWave cellular network aided with multiple IRSs. We formulate a network spectral efficiency maximization problem by jointly optimizing active beamforming (AB) at the BSs, passive beamforming (PB) at the IRSs, and user-BS association with consideration of the impact of IRSs. We then propose a computationally efficient iterative algorithm based on alternating optimization (AO) to resolve this intractable mixed-integer non-convex problem. A fractional programming technique is used to optimize active beamforming at the BSs and passive beamforming at the IRSs, and a penalization method combined with successive convex programming is applied for UA optimization, which is shown to reach the optimal solution. Simulation results show significant performance improvements obtained by the proposed algorithm, providing higher spectral efficiency compared to several benchmark algorithms, while having a low computational complexity.

This letter studies the joint active and passive beamforming in intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-enhanced wireless powered mobile edge computing (MEC) networks, in which a hybrid access point (HAP) is deployed to charge multiple wireless devices (WDs) and assist in computation of the offloaded tasks from the WDs. An IRS is deployed to enhance the downlink wireless power transfer (WPT) and the uplink tasks offloading (TO). To maximize the systems’ sum computation rate, an optimization problem is formulated by jointly optimizing the time assignment of WPT and TO, the active beamforming at the HAP, the transmit power and computing frequency of the WDs, and the passive beamforming at the IRS. To tackle the non-convex problem, we present an efficient algorithm by utilizing the alternating optimization (AO) and semidefinite relaxation (SDR) techniques. Simulation results show that by deploying IRS in the system, a significant computation rate gain can be achieved. Especially, when the IRS is closer to the WDs or the HAP, the much higher computation rate can be reached.

Spectrum-efficient and energy-efficient communication techniques are of crucial importance in the future generation wireless communication networks. An intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted wideband cognitive radio (CR) network is proposed under the sensing-enhanced spectrum sharing mechanism. In order to maximize the sum throughput of all the secondary users (SUs), the sensing time, transmit power, sub-carrier allocation, and IRS coefficients are jointly optimized. An effective alternating optimization algorithm is proposed to solve the challenging mix-integer non-convex optimization problem. Simulation results demonstrate that the IRS can significantly improve the spectrum efficiency of the CR network. Moreover, the tradeoff between the sensing time and spectrum efficiency is revealed.

Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) is envisioned as a revolutionary solution for providing high data rate communication, better signal coverage and physical layer security through controlling the transmission environment of electromagnetic (EM) wave. In this paper, based on a single IRS and millimeter channel model, the optimal multi-user transmission sum rate is derived with the maximal ratio combining (MRC) beamformer. The conditions to achieve such a maximum sum rate are expressed as a function of placement of transceivers, number of IRS elements and its spacing. We first transformed the single IRS assisted non-scattering mmWave channel into a high-rank multiple-in multiple-out (MIMO) channel. The result shows that even without rich scattering, each single antenna user can enjoy the maximal passive beamforming gain while keeping spatial orthogonality to leverage the maximal spatial diversity when the corresponding conditions are satisfied. Simulation results verify the existence and accuracy of optimal placement of multi-user transmission and present that the transmission sum rate of IRS channel scales by the number of IRS elements with different spacing settings.

Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) based Federated Learning (FL) can achieve the massive connectivity of Internet of Thing (IoT) devices, high transmission rate, and pervasive intelligence in 6G networks. However, the stochastic channels and frequent model parameter updates may incur degraded transmission rate and diminished FL performance, while privacy leakage may happen if Eavesdroppers (Eves) intercept the FL training process. To address the above issues, we exploit Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) to reconfigure wireless signal propagation for secure transmission and fast convergence of NOMA-based FL. In this article, a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) based approach is proposed to jointly optimize the transmission power of edge devices and IRS phase shift to maximize the minimum secrecy rate in the model parameter uploading process. Numerical results validate the efficiency of our proposed algorithm and demonstrate that IRS can improve the secrecy rate.