Multiuser Multiuser Multiple-input Multiple-output Research Articles

Sum-Rate Maximization of RIS-Aided Multi-User MIMO Systems With Statistical CSI

This paper investigates a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system by considering only the statistical channel state information (CSI) at the base station (BS). We aim to maximize its sum-rate via the joint optimization of precoding matrix at the BS and phase shifts vector at the RIS. However, the multi-user MIMO transmissions and the spatial correlations make the optimization cumbersome. For tractability, an asymptotic sum-rate is derived under a large number of the reflecting elements. By adopting the asymptotic sum-rate as the objective function, optimal designs of the transmit precoding matrix and the phase shifts vector can be decoupled and solved individually. More specifically, a high-quality suboptimal solution of the transmit precoding matrix and phase shifts vectors can be obtained by utilizing the water-filling algorithm and the projected gradient ascent (PGA) algorithm, respectively. Comparing to the case of the instantaneous CSI assumed at the BS, the proposed algorithm based on the statistical CSI can achieve comparable performance but with much lower channel estimation overhead, information feedback overhead, and computational complexity, which is more affordable and appealing for practical applications. Moreover, the impact of spatial correlation on the asymptotic sum-rate is examined by using majorization theory.

An Enhanced Interference Alignment Strategy With MIL Criterion and RCG Algorithm for IRS-Assisted Multiuser MIMO

An enhanced interference alignment strategy with minimum interference leakage (MIL) criterion and Riemannian conjugate gradient (RCG) algorithm is proposed for intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). In this letter, the maximum sum rate is formulated as the optimization objective, with alternate optimization of phase shift vector at IRS as well as precoding and interference suppression vectors at transceivers respectively. MIL interference alignment criterion is used to iteratively solve the precoding vector and the interference suppression vector via channel reciprocity property. RCG algorithm is further applied to derive the IRS phase shift vector and maximize sum rate with the condition of ensuring a given minimum interference leakage threshold to eliminate system interference. Simulation results reveal that the proposed strategy effectively enhances sum rate performance compared with the scheme using random IRS phase shift vector and random precoding/interference suppression vectors as well as “AP + RCG” scheme in IRS-assisted multiuser single-input single-output (SISO) scenario. In addition, compared with “MMSE + RCG” strategy in the case of same multi-antenna transceiver pairs and antenna numbers, the proposed strategy could make a tradeoff between sum rate performance and computational complexity.

Multiuser-MIMO Systems Using Comparator Network-Aided Receivers With 1-Bit Quantization

Low-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are promising for reducing energy consumption and costs of multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems with many antennas. We propose low-resolution multiuser MIMO receivers where the signals are simultaneously processed by 1-bit ADCs and a comparator network, which can be interpreted as additional virtual channels with binary outputs. We distinguish the proposed comparator networks in fully and partially connected. For such receivers, we develop the low-resolution aware linear minimum mean-squared error (LRA-LMMSE) channel estimator and detector according to the Bussgang theorem. We also develop a robust detector which takes into account the channel state information (CSI) mismatch statistics. By exploiting knowledge of the channel coefficients we devise a mean-square error (MSE) greedy search and a sequential signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) search for optimization of partially connected networks. Numerical results show that a system with extra virtual channels can outperform a system with additional receive antennas, in terms of bit error rate (BER). Furthermore, by employing the proposed channel estimation with its error statistics, we construct a lower bound on the ergodic sum rate for a linear receiver. Simulation results confirm that the proposed approach outperforms the conventional 1-bit MIMO system in terms of BER, MSE and sum rate.

Downlink MIMO-RSMA With Successive Null-Space Precoding

In this paper, we consider the precoder design for an underloaded or critically loaded downlink multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system. We propose novel precoding and decoding schemes which enhance system performance based on rate splitting at the transmitter and single-stage successive interference cancellation at the receivers. The proposed successive null-space (SNS) precoding utilizes linear combinations of the null-space basis vectors of the successively augmented MIMO channel matrices of the users as precoding vectors to adjust the inter-user-interference experienced by the receivers. We formulate a non-convex weighted sum rate optimization problem for the precoding vectors and the associated power allocation for the proposed SNS-based MIMO-rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) scheme. We obtain a suboptimal solution for this problem via successive convex approximation. Moreover, we study the robustness of the proposed precoding scheme to imperfect channel state information (CSI) at the base station via derivative-based sensitivity analysis. Our analysis and simulation results reveal the enhanced performance and robustness of the proposed SNS-based MIMO-RSMA scheme over several baseline multi-user MIMO schemes, especially for imperfect CSI.

Weighted Sum-Rate and Energy Efficiency Maximization for Joint ITS and IRS Assisted Multiuser MIMO Networks

The paper proposed a novel intelligent transmission surface (ITS) aided transmitter in an intelligent reflection surface (IRS) assisted multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) network. The ITS deployed in the transmitter architecture can reduce the power consumption in signal beamforming at the base station (BS), and the IRS can help the information transfer from the ITS-aided transmitter to the users. We first maximize the weighted sum rate (WSR) of the users by jointly designing the beamforming vector at the BS and the phase shifts of ITS and IRS. To solve this non-convex optimization problem, we propose an effective algorithm in which the Lagrangian dual transform, the alternative optimization (AO) algorithm and the quadratic transform (QT) method are adopted to simplify the objective function. Then, the bisection search and the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm are considered to design the optimal beamforming vector and phase shifts of ITS and IRS, respectively. Furthermore, the paper explores the energy efficiency (EE) maximization problem to emphasize the value of the ITS-assisted transmitter in terms of power savings. Finally, we compare the simulation results to various state-of-the-art techniques to see how much better the proposed algorithm is in terms of WSR and EE.

Fair Licensed Spectrum Sharing Between Two MNOs Using Resource Optimization in Multi-Cell Multi-User MIMO Networks

Licensed spectrum sharing has been a promised approach to provide mobile network operators (MNOs) with required spectrum at times of increased traffic, or to improve the mobile user data rate with limited spectral resources. In this paper, we investigate the use of multi-user multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) techniques to enable licensed spectrum sharing. Specifically, we present a fair spectrum sharing system between two MNOs in multi-cell multi-user MIMO networks. We impose fairness by ensuring that each MNO receives spectrum in proportion to the amount it contributes. We formulate a constrained optimization problem to determine resource allocation and user scheduling across two MNOs. Since the problem is non-convex, we develop an algorithm to provide an effective solution through fractional programming and block coordinate descent. Our numerical results illustrate that the proposed spectrum sharing scheme can achieve up to 60 % improvement in terms of the average user rate among the two operators while ensuring that neither MNO is exploited for participating in the sharing mechanism. This improvement is in relation to the baseline of each MNO using multi-user MIMO communications on its own. In addition, most users, especially cell-center users close to the BSs, take advantage of our proposed spectrum sharing framework.

Multiuser MIMO Opportunistic Beamforming Communications: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives

Opportunistic beamforming (OBF) is a promising technique in multiuser multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communications, which attracts many attentions. Because of opportunistic precoding and multiuser selection, OBF can achieve high spectrum efficiency under the limited channel status information (CSI) condition with low complexity. Therefore, in this article, we introduce the state-of-the-art researches of multiuser MIMO OBF, including fundamental architecture, physical layer techniques and multiple access schemes. Due to the complex user scheduling strategy, artificial intelligence OBF systems are proposed, which can simply and adaptively modulate the user scheduling strategy. Moreover, in order to provide the communication and Computing services with low latency and high reliability for users, OBF-based computing systems are presented. Then, some open issues are given for the future researches. Finally, we conclude this article.

Statistically Robust Transceiver Design for Multi-RIS Assisted Multi-User MIMO Systems

In this letter, we investigate the robust transceiver design for a downlink multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system assisted by multiple reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs), where the base station (BS) and multiple users are all equipped with multiple antennas. Different from most previous RIS related works focusing on worst-case performance optimization, which may lead to overly conservative transceiver designs, we assume stochastic channel estimation errors for the considered system, and aim to minimize the average sum mean square error (MSE) of the considered system by jointly optimizing the transmit precoders, the receive equalizers, and the RIS reflecting coefficients. To address the non-convexity of the formulated problem induced by strongly coupled optimization variables, we develop a low-complexity alternating optimization (AO) algorithm to find a locally optimal solution, where the unique optimal solution to each subproblem can be derived in closed-form. Numerical simulations demonstrate the robustness and excellent average sum MSE performance of the proposed AO algorithm compared to the adopted benchmark scheme.

Multiple beam-steering for 5G multi-user MIMO mobile fronthaul based on IFoF and RoF transmission

This paper describes the potential of analog radio-over-fiber (RoF) and intermediate-frequency-over-fiber (IFoF) transmission technology for the future mobile fronthaul (MFH). The background and approach of the analog RoF-based MFH combined with the beamforming technique are presented. We developed an antenna module by integrating sixteen sets of cascaded photodiode, RF amplifier and a patch antenna as a compact wireless transmitter. Three millimeter-wave (MMW) beams were successfully transmitted from the antenna module with beam separation of 30° by photonic controlled beam steering. The experimental results are presented to show the feasibility of a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scenario.

Multiuser MIMO Uplink Transmission With Electromagnetic Exposure Constraints: Spectral Efficiency and Energy Efficiency Tradeoff

Along with the relentless development of wireless communications, the electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitted by wireless devices has gradually turned into a significant concern of the public. A growing number of government departments and communication regulatory agencies require that EM radiation be limited to a suitable level with the measurement of specific absorption rate (SAR). Meanwhile, both spectral efficiency (SE) and energy efficiency (EE) are key indicators of wireless transmission systems, so that they generally need to be considered at the same time. To this end, we investigate the resource efficiency (RE), which characterizes the weighted sum of SE and EE, in uplink multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission with EM constraints. We first simplify the RE calculation by applying its deterministic equivalents (DEs) and deal with the objective function by the quadratic transform algorithm. Then, a modified RE maximization water-filling algorithm is proposed for the precoder design at the users. Numerical results indicate the superior performance of the EM aware RE oriented transmission scheme.

Deep learning-based transceiver design for multi-user MIMO systems

Multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is a key technique to increase both the channel capacity and the number of users that can be served simultaneously. One of the main challenges related to the deployment of such systems is the complexity of the transceiver processing. Although the conventional optimization algorithms are able to provide excellent performance, they generally require considerable computational complexity, which gets in the way of their practical application in real-time systems. In contrast to existing work, we study a DL-based transceiver design scheme for a downlink MIMO broadcasting channel (MIMO BC) system, which consists of a base station (BS) serving multi-users. The objective of this work is to maximize the sum-rate of all users by jointly optimizing the transmitter and receivers under the total power constraint, while suppressing interference as much as possible. Due to the inter-user interference in such system, the considered problem is nonconvex and NP-hard. Different from traditional optimization algorithms, we rely on the convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to optimize the transceivers in an adaptive way. In the proposed scheme, we develop an unsupervised learning strategy, where a loss function is constructed innovatively for reducing the inter-user interference. Simulation results show that the inter-user interference is reduced effectively by our proposed CNN-based transceiver optimization method.

MmWave V2V Localization in MU-MIMO Hybrid Beamforming

Recent trends for vehicular localization in millimetre-wave (mmWave) channels include employing a combination of parameters such as angle of arrival (AOA), angle of departure (AOD), and time of arrival (TOA) of the transmitted/received signals. These parameters are challenging to estimate, which along with the scattering and random nature of mmWave channels, and vehicle mobility lead to errors in localization. To circumvent these challenges, this paper proposes mmWave vehicular localization employing difference of arrival for time and frequency, with multiuser (MU) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) hybrid beamforming; rather than relying on AOD/AOA/TOA estimates. The vehicular localization can exploit the number of vehicles present, as an increase in the number of vehicles reduces the Cramér-Rao bound (CRB) of error estimation. At 10 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) both spatial multiplexing and beamforming result in comparable localization errors. At lower SNR values, spatial multiplexing leads to larger errors compared to beamforming due to formation of spurious peaks in the cross ambiguity function. Accuracy of the estimated parameters is improved by employing an extended Kalman filter leading to a root mean square (RMS) localization error of approximately 6.3 meters.

Maximizing the spectral efficiency of finite dimensional multiuser massive MIMO

In this paper, we derive a closed-form approximation for the achievable uplink ergodic rate of the users in a single-cell multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system, where the angular domain in the physical channel model is divided into a finite number of separate directions and the base station (BS) is equipped with a large number of antenna elements. Then, we develop an approximation for the spectral efficiency of various detectors such as maximum-ratio combining (MRC), zero-forcing (ZF), and linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE). We also propose a resource allocation scheme in which the pilot power, data power, and training duration are optimally chosen in order to maximize the spectral efficiency in a given total power budget. By employing the proposed power allocation scheme, the simulation results illustrate a notable improvement in the achievable spectral efficiency. Moreover, the results show that the performance of the proposed method is much superior when the number of channel directions or the number of antennas at BS increases. Furthermore, while the advantage of the proposed method is more notable in the case of ZF and LMMSE receivers, it still outperforms the equal power allocation method for the MRC receiver in terms of spectral efficiency.

Secrecy Throughput in Full-Duplex Multiuser MIMO Short-Packet Communications

In this letter, we consider the physical-layer security (PLS) in full-duplex (FD) multiuser multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) short-packet communications, where a base station (BS) transmits precoded signals for secure downlink multicast while receiving signals from uplink users. To quantify the PLS performance in the worst-case scenario, we consider the possible maximum wiretapping capability of a multi-antenna eavesdropper. Taking into account the self-interference (SI) in FD mode and the co-channel interference (CCI) from uplink to downlink, we analyst the secrecy throughput in finite blocklength regime and obtain its analytic expression, which perfectly matches asymptotic and simulation results in various scenarios. Moreover, the investigations on secrecy throughput substantiate that the FD multiuser MIMO systems outperform their half-duplex counterparts given the SI being sufficiently suppressed and the CCI being well managed.

Energy Efficiency and Spectral Efficiency Tradeoff in RIS-Aided Multiuser MIMO Uplink Transmission

The emergence of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) enables us to establish programmable radio wave propagation that caters for wireless communications, via employing low-cost passive reflecting units. This work studies the non-trivial tradeoff between energy efficiency (EE) and spectral efficiency (SE) in multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) uplink communications aided by a RIS equipped with discrete phase shifters. For reducing the required signaling overhead and energy consumption, our transmission strategy design is based on the partial channel state information (CSI), including the statistical CSI between the RIS and user terminals (UTs) and the instantaneous CSI between the RIS and the base station. To investigate the EE-SE tradeoff, we develop a framework for the joint optimization of UTs' transmit precoding and RIS reflective beamforming to maximize a performance metric called resource efficiency (RE). For the design of UT's precoding, it is simplified into the design of UTs' transmit powers with the aid of the closed-form solutions of UTs' optimal transmit directions. To avoid the high complexity in computing the nested integrals involved in the expectations, we derive an asymptotic deterministic objective expression. For the design of the RIS phases, an iterative mean-square error minimization approach is proposed via capitalizing on the homotopy, accelerated projected gradient, and majorization-minimization methods. Numerical results illustrate the effectiveness and rapid convergence rate of our proposed optimization framework.

Optimization of Integer-Forcing Precoding for Multi-User MIMO Downlink

Integer-forcing (IF) precoding is an alternative to linear precoding for multi-user (MU) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) channels, with the potential to offer superior performance at a similar complexity. In this letter, a low-complexity suboptimal method is proposed to optimize the parameters of an IF scheme for any number of $K$ users. The proposed method involves solving a relaxation of the problem followed by the application of a lattice reduction algorithm and is shown to have an overall complexity of $\mathcal{O}(K^3)$. Simulation results show that the proposed method achieves a higher sum rate than a heuristic choice of parameters and significantly outperforms conventional linear precoding in all simulated scenarios.

Analysis of Different Approaches to Distributed Multiuser MIMO in the 802.11ac

The 802.11ac is a significant landmark in wireless communications, as it pushes towards new rate limits by utilizing downlink multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) beamforming to transmit data to various locations simultaneously. However, successful beamforming relies on intelligent user selection which requires, in turn, extensive overhead of channel calibration between the AP and each of the candidate users. The large overhead involved in the user selection procedure overwhelms the multiuser gain and hinders the utilization of multiuser MIMO. The phenomenon is even more acute when APs handle large groups of mobile users, which frequently associate and disconnect, making the process of acquiring channel state from all users and selecting the appropriate group even harder. Thus, the subtle relation between the achievable rate of a scheduling algorithm and the overhead it requires is significant for the 802.11ac performance analysis. In this paper, we provide a rigorous analysis of distributed algorithms that schedule a group of users for the downlink. In particular, we accommodate common scheduling methods for the 802.11ac protocol and analyze both their achievable rate and their calibration process overhead. Both analysis and extensive simulations depict the superiority of simple threshold-based methods in terms of the throughput.

DeepSIC: Deep Soft Interference Cancellation for Multiuser MIMO Detection

Digital receivers are required to recover the transmitted symbols from their observed channel output. In multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) setups, where multiple symbols are simultaneously transmitted, accurate symbol detection is challenging. A family of algorithms capable of reliably recovering multiple symbols is based on interference cancellation. However, these methods assume that the channel is linear, a model which does not reflect many relevant channels, as well as require accurate channel state information (CSI), which may not be available. In this work we propose a multiuser MIMO receiver which learns to jointly detect in a data-driven fashion, without assuming a specific channel model or requiring CSI. In particular, we propose a data-driven implementation of the iterative soft interference cancellation (SIC) algorithm which we refer to as DeepSIC. The resulting symbol detector is based on integrating dedicated machine-learning methods into the iterative SIC algorithm. DeepSIC learns to carry out joint detection from a limited set of training samples without requiring the channel to be linear and its parameters to be known. Our numerical evaluations demonstrate that for linear channels with full CSI, DeepSIC approaches the performance of iterative SIC, which is comparable to the optimal performance, and outperforms previously proposed learning-based MIMO receivers. Furthermore, in the presence of CSI uncertainty, DeepSIC significantly outperforms model-based approaches. Finally, we show that DeepSIC accurately detects symbols in non-linear channels, where conventional iterative SIC fails even when accurate CSI is available.

Linear Precoding and Stream Combining for Rate Splitting in Multiuser MIMO Systems

This letter develops practical linear precoding and stream combining techniques for rate-splitting (RS) in multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. We propose linear combining techniques based on the Min-Max, the maximum ratio and the minimum mean-square error criteria along with Regularized Block Diagonalization (RBD) precoders for RS-based multiuser multiple-antenna systems. An analysis of the sum rate performance is carried out, leading to closed-form expressions. Simulations show that the proposed combining schemes offer a significant sum rate performance gain over conventional linear precoding schemes.

Compressive sensing based multiuser detector for massive MBM MIMO uplink

Media based modulation (MBM) is expected to be a prominent modulation scheme, which has access to the high data rate by using radio frequency (RF) mirrors and fewer transmit antennas. Associated with multiuser multiple input multiple output (MIMO), the MBM scheme achieves better performance than other conventional multiuser MIMO schemes. In this paper, the massive MIMO uplink is considered and a conjunctive MBM transmission scheme for each user is employed. This conjunctive MBM transmission scheme gathers aggregate MBM signals in multiple continuous time slots, which exploits the structured sparsity of these aggregate MBM signals. Under this kind of scenario, a multiuser detector with low complexity based on the compressive sensing (CS) theory to gain better detection performance is proposed. This detector is developed from the greedy sparse recovery technique compressive sampling matching pursuit (CoSaMP) and exploits not only the inherently distributed sparsity of MBM signals but also the structured sparsity of multiple aggregate MBM signals. By exploiting these sparsity, the proposed CoSaMP based multiuser detector achieves reliable detection with low complexity. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed CoSaMP based multiuser detector achieves better detection performance compared with the conventional methods.