An Optimal Channel Estimation Scheme for Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces based on a Minimum Variance Unbiased Estimator

Understand

In a wireless system with Intelligent Reflective Surfaces (IRS) containing many passive elements, we consider the problem of channel estimation.

• All the links from the transmitter to the receiver via each IRS elements (or groups) are estimated.
• As the estimation performance are dependent on the setting of the IRS, we design an optimal channel estimation scheme where the IRS elements follow an optimal series of activation patterns.
• The optimal design is guided by results for the minimum variance unbiased estimation.