Spectral Efficiency Analysis of Multi-Cell Massive MIMO Systems with Ricean Fading

This paper investigates the spectral efficiency of multi-cell massive multiple-input multiple-output systems with Ricean fading that utilize the linear maximal-ratio combining detector. We firstly present closed-form expressions for the effective signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) with the least squares and minimum mean squared error (MMSE) estimation methods, respectively, which apply for any number of base-station antennas $M$ and any Ricean $K$-factor. Also, the obtained results can be particularized in Rayleigh fading conditions when the Ricean $K$-factor is equal to zero. In the following, novel exact asymptotic expressions of the effective SINR are derived in the high $M$ and high Ricean $K$-factor regimes. The corresponding analysis shows that pilot contamination is removed by the MMSE estimator when we consider both infinite $M$ and infinite Ricean $K$-factor, while the pilot contamination phenomenon persists for the rest of cases. All the theoretical results are verified via Monte-Carlo simulations.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, the tenth International Conference on Wireless Communications and Signal Processing (WCSP 2018), to appea

Uplink Analysis of Large MU-MIMO Systems With Space-Constrained Arrays in Ricean Fading

Closed-form approximations to the expected per-terminal signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) and ergodic sum spectral efficiency of a large multiuser multiple-input multiple-output system are presented. Our analysis assumes correlated Ricean fading with maximum ratio combining on the uplink, where the base station (BS) is equipped with a uniform linear array (ULA) with physical size restrictions. Unlike previous studies, our model caters for the presence of unequal correlation matrices and unequal Rice factors for each terminal. As the number of BS antennas grows without bound, with a finite number of terminals, we derive the limiting expected per-terminal SINR and ergodic sum spectral efficiency of the system. Our findings suggest that with restrictions on the size of the ULA, the expected SINR saturates with increasing operating signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) and BS antennas. Whilst unequal correlation matrices result in higher performance, the presence of strong line-of-sight (LoS) has an opposite effect. Our analysis accommodates changes in system dimensions, SNR, LoS levels, spatial correlation levels and variations in fixed physical spacings of the BS array.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the proceedings of IEEE ICC, to be held in Paris, France, May 201

Power Scaling of Uplink Massive MIMO Systems with Arbitrary-Rank Channel Means

This paper investigates the uplink achievable rates of massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna systems in Ricean fading channels, using maximal-ratio combining (MRC) and zero-forcing (ZF) receivers, assuming perfect and imperfect channel state information (CSI). In contrast to previous relevant works, the fast fading MIMO channel matrix is assumed to have an arbitrary-rank deterministic component as well as a Rayleigh-distributed random component. We derive tractable expressions for the achievable uplink rate in the large-antenna limit, along with approximating results that hold for any finite number of antennas. Based on these analytical results, we obtain the scaling law that the users' transmit power should satisfy, while maintaining a desirable quality of service. In particular, it is found that regardless of the Ricean $K$-factor, in the case of perfect CSI, the approximations converge to the same constant value as the exact results, as the number of base station antennas, $M$, grows large, while the transmit power of each user can be scaled down proportionally to $1/M$. If CSI is estimated with uncertainty, the same result holds true but only when the Ricean $K$-factor is non-zero. Otherwise, if the channel experiences Rayleigh fading, we can only cut the transmit power of each user proportionally to $1/\sqrt M$. In addition, we show that with an increasing Ricean $K$-factor, the uplink rates will converge to fixed values for both MRC and ZF receivers

Short-Term Power Constrained Cell-Free Massive-MIMO Over Spatially Correlated Ricean Fading

This paper considers short-term power constrained cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scenarios where a large set of multi-antenna access points (APs) provide service to a group of single-antenna mobile stations (MSs) on a spatially correlated multipath environment. Based on a probabilistic approach, the spatially correlated propagation links are modeled using either Ricean or Rayleigh fading channel models that combine a deterministic line-of-sight (LOS) propagation path with a small-scale fading caused by non-line-of-sight (NLOS) multipath propagation. Assuming the use of minimum mean square error (MMSE) channel estimates, closed-form expressions for the downlink (DL) achievable spectral efficiency of a cellfree massive MIMO network with short-term power constraints (i.e., a vector normalized conjugate beamformer (NCB)) are derived and benchmarked against that provided by the conventional cell-free massive MIMO network with long-term power constraints (i.e., the conventional conjugate beamforming (CB)). These expressions, encompassing the effects of spatial antenna correlation, Ricean/Rayleigh fading and pilot contamination, are then used to derive both pragmatic and optimal max-min peruser power allocation strategies and to gain theoretical insight on the performance advantage provided by the use of short-term power constraints instead of the conventional long-term power constrained approach.This work was supported in part by the Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI) of Spain under Grants TEC2017-90093-C3-2-R and TEC2017-90093-C3-3-R, and in part by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funds of the European Union (EU) (AEI/FEDER, UE)

Channel hardening in cell-free and user-centric massive MIMO networks with spatially correlated ricean fading

The irruption of the cell-free (CF) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) network topology has meant taking one step further the concept of massive MIMO as a means to provide uniform service in large coverage areas. A key property of massive MIMO networks is channel hardening, by which the channel becomes deterministic when the number of antennas grows large enough relative to the number of serviced users, easing the signal processing and boosting the performance of simple precoders. However, in CF massive MIMO, the fulfillment of this condition depends on several aspects that are not considered in classical massive MIMO systems. In this work, we address the presence of channel hardening in both CF massive MIMO and the recently appeared user-centric (UC) approach, under a spatially correlated Ricean fading channel using distributed and cooperative precoding and combining schemes and different power control strategies for both the downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) segments. We show that the line-of-sight (LOS) component, spatially correlated antennas and UC schemes have an impact on how the channel hardens. In addition, we examine the existent gap between the estimated achievable rate and the true network performance when channel hardening is compromised. Exact closed-form expressions for both the hardening metric and achievable DL/UL rates are given as well.This work was supported in part by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (AEI/FEDER, UE), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), Spain, through the project TERESA under Grant TEC2017-90093-C3-2-R and Grant TEC2017-90093-C3-3-R, and in part by the Spanish CDTI PID through the project OPALL5G: Optimization of Small Cells Performance in 5G NR