VLSI implementation of a WiMAX/LTE compliant low-complexity high-throughput soft-output K-Best MIMO detector

Abstract

This paper presents a VLSI architecture of a novel soft-output K-Best MIMO detector. The proposed detector attains low computational complexity using three improvement ideas: relevant discarded paths selection, last stage on-demand expansion, and relaxed LLR computation. A deeply pipelined architecture for a soft-output MIMO detector is implemented for a 4×4 64-QAM MIMO system realizing a peak throughput of 655Mbps, while consuming 174K gates and 195mW in 0.13um CMOS. Synthesis results in 65nm CMOS show the potential to support a sustained throughput up to 2Gbps achieving the data rates envisioned by emerging IEEE 802.16m and LTE-Advanced wireless standards.