Intelligent Reflecting Surface Orientation Optimization to Enhance the Performance of Wireless Communications Systems

In many intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) aided communication systems, the IRS is deployed to provide a line-of-sight (LOS) link between the transmitter and receiver. In order to maximize the efficiency of the system, deploying the IRS at the correct position and orientation is important. We propose a method to find the optimal IRS orientation that maximizes the received power or achievable rate at locations within a desired geographical area. As shown through both analytical and simulation results, the proposed methodology on optimizing IRS orientation based on the receiver or transmitter locations significantly improves the overall system performance. For example, there is an approximately 8.1 bps/Hz achievable rate improvement by installing the IRS at the optimal orientation compared to an arbitrary orientation in a typical deployment scenario.