Robust MMSE Precoding Strategy for Multiuser MIMO Relay Systems with Switched Relaying and Side Information

In this work, we propose a minimum mean squared error (MMSE) robust base station (BS) precoding strategy based on switched relaying (SR) processing and limited transmission of side information for interference suppression in the downlink of multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) relay systems. The BS and the MIMO relay station (RS) are both equipped with a codebook of interleaving matrices. For a given channel state information (CSI) the selection function at the BS chooses the optimum interleaving matrix from the codebook based on two optimization criteria to design the robust precoder. Prior to the payload transmission the BS sends the index corresponding to the selected interleaving matrix to the RS, where the best interleaving matrix is selected to build the optimum relay processing matrix. The entries of the codebook are randomly generated unitary matrices. Simulation results show that the performance of the proposed techniques is significantly better than prior art in the case of imperfect CSI.

Optimal Training Design for Channel Estimation in Decode-and-Forward Relay Networks With Individual and Total Power Constraints

In this paper, we study the channel estimation and the optimal training design for relay networks that operate under the decode-and-forward (DF) strategy with the knowledge of the interference covariance. In addition to the total power constraint on all the relays, we introduce individual power constraint for each relay, which reflects the practical scenario where all relays are separated from one another. Considering the individual power constraint for the relay networks is the major difference from that in the traditional point-to-point communication systems where only a total power constraint exists for all colocated antennas. Two types of channel estimation are involved: maximum likelihood (ML) and minimum mean square error (MMSE). For ML channel estimation, the channels are assumed as deterministic and the optimal training results from an efficient multilevel waterfilling type solution that is derived from the majorization theory. For MMSE channel estimation, however, the second-order statistics of the channels are assumed known and the general optimization problem turns out to be nonconvex. We instead consider three special yet reasonable scenarios. The problem in the first scenario is convex and could be efficiently solved by state-of-the-art optimization tools. Closed-form waterfilling type solutions are found in the remaining two scenarios, of which the first one has an interesting physical interpretation as pouring water into caves

Linear Precoders for Non-Regenerative Asymmetric Two-way Relaying in Cellular Systems

Two-way relaying (TWR) reduces the spectral-efficiency loss caused in conventional half-duplex relaying. TWR is possible when two nodes exchange data simultaneously through a relay. In cellular systems, data exchange between base station (BS) and users is usually not simultaneous e.g., a user (TUE) has uplink data to transmit during multiple access (MAC) phase, but does not have downlink data to receive during broadcast (BC) phase. This non-simultaneous data exchange will reduce TWR to spectrally-inefficient conventional half-duplex relaying. With infrastructure relays, where multiple users communicate through a relay, a new transmission protocol is proposed to recover the spectral loss. The BC phase following the MAC phase of TUE is now used by the relay to transmit downlink data to another user (RUE). RUE will not be able to cancel the back-propagating interference. A structured precoder is designed at the multi-antenna relay to cancel this interference. With multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) nodes, the proposed precoder also triangulates the compound MAC and BC phase MIMO channels. The channel triangulation reduces the weighted sum-rate optimization to power allocation problem, which is then cast as a geometric program. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed protocol over conventional solutions.Comment: 30 pages, 7 figures, submitted to IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communication

Linear Precoding Designs for Amplify-and-Forward Multiuser Two-Way Relay Systems

Two-way relaying can improve spectral efficiency in two-user cooperative communications. It also has great potential in multiuser systems. A major problem of designing a multiuser two-way relay system (MU-TWRS) is transceiver or precoding design to suppress co-channel interference. This paper aims to study linear precoding designs for a cellular MU-TWRS where a multi-antenna base station (BS) conducts bi-directional communications with multiple mobile stations (MSs) via a multi-antenna relay station (RS) with amplify-and-forward relay strategy. The design goal is to optimize uplink performance, including total mean-square error (Total-MSE) and sum rate, while maintaining individual signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) requirement for downlink signals. We show that the BS precoding design with the RS precoder fixed can be converted to a standard second order cone programming (SOCP) and the optimal solution is obtained efficiently. The RS precoding design with the BS precoder fixed, on the other hand, is non-convex and we present an iterative algorithm to find a local optimal solution. Then, the joint BS-RS precoding is obtained by solving the BS precoding and the RS precoding alternately. Comprehensive simulation is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed precoding designs.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, Accepted by IEEE TW