Subcarrier Wise Scheduling Methods for Multi-antenna and Multi-carrier Systems

Abstract

In this paper, multiuser scheduling algorithms are evaluated for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) networks. These scheduling schemes allocate M [number of transmit antennas at base station (BS)] number of independent data streams from BS to the M most favourable users experiencing the highest signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR). Here, SINR is used to convey the channel state information (CSI) to the BS. We have investigated the system throughput and feedback overhead attained by these scheduling schemes for different scenarios as: (a) the maximum CSI is sent to the BS by every user and (b) the maximum CSI sent to the BS corresponding to every BS antenna. The overall feedback overhead incurred by MIMO-OFDM system increases linearly with number of users, number of subcarriers and number of transmit antennas. Hence, to reduce the feedback overhead, a scheme is proposed where users with SINR values greater than or equal to a predefined threshold value are only allowed to feedback the channel state information to BS. The relation between system throughput and various thresholds is also studied. The achievable system throughput results are validated by comparing the probability density function of achieved SINR values by different scheduling schemes.