Symbol-Level Multiuser MISO Precoding for Multi-level Adaptive Modulation

Symbol-level precoding is a new paradigm for multiuser downlink systems which aims at creating constructive interference among the transmitted data streams. This can be enabled by designing the precoded signal of the multiantenna transmitter on a symbol level, taking into account both channel state information and data symbols. Previous literature has studied this paradigm for MPSK modulations by addressing various performance metrics, such as power minimization and maximization of the minimum rate. In this paper, we extend this to generic multi-level modulations i.e. MQAM and APSK by establishing connection to PHY layer multicasting with phase constraints. Furthermore, we address adaptive modulation schemes which are crucial in enabling the throughput scaling of symbol-level precoded systems. In this direction, we design signal processing algorithms for minimizing the required power under per-user SINR or goodput constraints. Extensive numerical results show that the proposed algorithm provides considerable power and energy efficiency gains, while adapting the employed modulation scheme to match the requested data rate

Multicast Multigroup Beamforming under Per-antenna Power Constraints

Linear precoding exploits the spatial degrees of freedom offered by multi-antenna transmitters to serve multiple users over the same frequency resources. The present work focuses on simultaneously serving multiple groups of users, each with its own channel, by transmitting a stream of common symbols to each group. This scenario is known as physical layer multicasting to multiple co-channel groups. Extending the current state of the art in multigroup multicasting, the practical constraint of a maximum permitted power level radiated by each antenna is tackled herein. The considered per antenna power constrained system is optimized in a maximum fairness sense. In other words, the optimization aims at favoring the worst user by maximizing the minimum rate. This Max-Min Fair criterion is imperative in multicast systems, where the performance of all the receivers listening to the same multicast is dictated by the worst rate in the group. An analytic framework to tackle the Max-Min Fair multigroup multicasting scenario under per antenna power constraints is therefore derived. Numerical results display the accuracy of the proposed solution and provide insights to the performance of a per antenna power constrained system.Comment: Presented in IEEE ICC 2014, Sydney, AUS. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1406.755

Energy Efficient Symbol-Level Precoding in Multiuser MISO Channels

This paper investigates the idea of exploiting interference among the simultaneous multiuser transmissions in the downlink of multiple antennas systems. Using symbol level precoding, a new approach towards addressing the multiuser interference is discussed through jointly utilizing the channel state information (CSI) and data information (DI). In this direction, the interference among the data streams is transformed under certain conditions to useful signal that can improve the signal to interference noise ratio (SINR) of the downlink transmissions. In this context, new constructive interference precoding techniques that tackle the transmit power minimization (min power) with individual SINR constraints at each user's receivers are proposed. Furthermore, we investigate the CI precoding design under the assumption that the received MPSK symbol can reside in a relaxed region in order to be correctly detected.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in SPAWC 2015. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1504.06749, arXiv:1408.470

Cellular-Broadcast Service Convergence through Caching for CoMP Cloud RANs

Cellular and Broadcast services have been traditionally treated independently due to the different market requirements, thus resulting in different business models and orthogonal frequency allocations. However, with the advent of cheap memory and smart caching, this traditional paradigm can converge into a single system which can provide both services in an efficient manner. This paper focuses on multimedia delivery through an integrated network, including both a cellular (also known as unicast or broadband) and a broadcast last mile operating over shared spectrum. The subscribers of the network are equipped with a cache which can effectively create zero perceived latency for multimedia delivery, assuming that the content has been proactively and intelligently cached. The main objective of this work is to establish analytically the optimal content popularity threshold, based on a intuitive cost function. In other words, the aim is to derive which content should be broadcasted and which content should be unicasted. To facilitate this, Cooperative Multi- Point (CoMP) joint processing algorithms are employed for the uni and broad-cast PHY transmissions. To practically implement this, the integrated network controller is assumed to have access to traffic statistics in terms of content popularity. Simulation results are provided to assess the gain in terms of total spectral efficiency. A conventional system, where the two networks operate independently, is used as benchmark.Comment: Submitted to IEEE PIMRC 201

Joint Channel Estimation and Pilot Allocation in Underlay Cognitive MISO Networks

Cognitive radios have been proposed as agile technologies to boost the spectrum utilization. This paper tackles the problem of channel estimation and its impact on downlink transmissions in an underlay cognitive radio scenario. We consider primary and cognitive base stations, each equipped with multiple antennas and serving multiple users. Primary networks often suffer from the cognitive interference, which can be mitigated by deploying beamforming at the cognitive systems to spatially direct the transmissions away from the primary receivers. The accuracy of the estimated channel state information (CSI) plays an important role in designing accurate beamformers that can regulate the amount of interference. However, channel estimate is affected by interference. Therefore, we propose different channel estimation and pilot allocation techniques to deal with the channel estimation at the cognitive systems, and to reduce the impact of contamination at the primary and cognitive systems. In an effort to tackle the contamination problem in primary and cognitive systems, we exploit the information embedded in the covariance matrices to successfully separate the channel estimate from other users' channels in correlated cognitive single input multiple input (SIMO) channels. A minimum mean square error (MMSE) framework is proposed by utilizing the second order statistics to separate the overlapping spatial paths that create the interference. We validate our algorithms by simulation and compare them to the state of the art techniques.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, invited paper to IWCMC 201

Multicast Multigroup Precoding and User Scheduling for Frame-Based Satellite Communications

The present work focuses on the forward link of a broadband multibeam satellite system that aggressively reuses the user link frequency resources. Two fundamental practical challenges, namely the need to frame multiple users per transmission and the per-antenna transmit power limitations, are addressed. To this end, the so-called frame-based precoding problem is optimally solved using the principles of physical layer multicasting to multiple co-channel groups under per-antenna constraints. In this context, a novel optimization problem that aims at maximizing the system sum rate under individual power constraints is proposed. Added to that, the formulation is further extended to include availability constraints. As a result, the high gains of the sum rate optimal design are traded off to satisfy the stringent availability requirements of satellite systems. Moreover, the throughput maximization with a granular spectral efficiency versus SINR function, is formulated and solved. Finally, a multicast-aware user scheduling policy, based on the channel state information, is developed. Thus, substantial multiuser diversity gains are gleaned. Numerical results over a realistic simulation environment exhibit as much as 30% gains over conventional systems, even for 7 users per frame, without modifying the framing structure of legacy communication standards.Comment: Accepted for publication to the IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 201

Energy-Efficient Symbol-Level Precoding in Multiuser MISO Based on Relaxed Detection Region

This paper addresses the problem of exploiting interference among simultaneous multiuser transmissions in the downlink of multiple-antenna systems. Using symbol-level precoding, a new approach towards addressing the multiuser interference is discussed through jointly utilizing the channel state information (CSI) and data information (DI). The interference among the data streams is transformed under certain conditions to a useful signal that can improve the signal-to-interference noise ratio (SINR) of the downlink transmissions and as a result the system's energy efficiency. In this context, new constructive interference precoding techniques that tackle the transmit power minimization (min power) with individual SINR constraints at each user's receiver have been proposed. In this paper, we generalize the CI precoding design under the assumption that the received MPSK symbol can reside in a relaxed region in order to be correctly detected. Moreover, a weighted maximization of the minimum SNR among all users is studied taking into account the relaxed detection region. Symbol error rate analysis (SER) for the proposed precoding is discussed to characterize the tradeoff between transmit power reduction and SER increase due to the relaxation. Based on this tradeoff, the energy efficiency performance of the proposed technique is analyzed. Finally, extensive numerical results show that the proposed schemes outperform other state-of-the-art techniques.Comment: Submitted to IEEE transactions on Wireless Communications. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1408.470

Multicast Multigroup Beamforming for Per-antenna Power Constrained Large-scale Arrays

Large in the number of transmit elements, multi-antenna arrays with per-element limitations are in the focus of the present work. In this context, physical layer multigroup multicasting under per-antenna power constrains, is investigated herein. To address this complex optimization problem low-complexity alternatives to semi-definite relaxation are proposed. The goal is to optimize the per-antenna power constrained transmitter in a maximum fairness sense, which is formulated as a non-convex quadratically constrained quadratic problem. Therefore, the recently developed tool of feasible point pursuit and successive convex approximation is extended to account for practical per-antenna power constraints. Interestingly, the novel iterative method exhibits not only superior performance in terms of approaching the relaxed upper bound but also a significant complexity reduction, as the dimensions of the optimization variables increase. Consequently, multicast multigroup beamforming for large-scale array transmitters with per-antenna dedicated amplifiers is rendered computationally efficient and accurate. A preliminary performance evaluation in large-scale systems for which the semi-definite relaxation constantly yields non rank-1 solutions is presented.Comment: submitted to IEEE SPAWC 2015. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1406.755

Frame Based Precoding in Satellite Communications: A Multicast Approach

In the present work, a multibeam satellite that employs aggressive frequency reuse towards increasing the offered throughput is considered. Focusing on the forward link, the goal is to employ multi-antenna signal processing techniques, namely linear precoding, to manage the inter-beam interferences. In this context, fundamental practical limitations, namely the rigid framing structure of satellite communication standards and the on-board per-antenna power constraints, are herein considered. Therefore, the concept of optimal frame based precoding under per-antenna constraints, is discussed. This consists in precoding the transmit signals without changing the underlying framing structure of the communication standard. In the present work, the connection of the frame based precoding problem with the generic signal processing problem of conveying independent sets of common data to distinct groups of users is established. This model is known as physical layer multicasting to multiple co-channel groups. Building on recent results, the weighted fair per-antenna power constrained multigroup multicast precoders are employed for frame based precoding. The throughput performance of these solutions is compared to multicast aware heuristic precoding methods over a realistic multibeam satellite scenario. Consequently, the gains of the proposed approach are quantified via extensive numerical results.Comment: Accepted for presentation at the IEEE ASMS 201

Weighted Fair Multicast Multigroup Beamforming under Per-antenna Power Constraints

A multi-antenna transmitter that conveys independent sets of common data to distinct groups of users is considered. This model is known as physical layer multicasting to multiple co-channel groups. In this context, the practical constraint of a maximum permitted power level radiated by each antenna is addressed. The per-antenna power constrained system is optimized in a maximum fairness sense with respect to predetermined quality of service weights. In other words, the worst scaled user is boosted by maximizing its weighted signal-to-interference plus noise ratio. A detailed solution to tackle the weighted max-min fair multigroup multicast problem under per-antenna power constraints is therefore derived. The implications of the novel constraints are investigated via prominent applications and paradigms. What is more, robust per-antenna constrained multigroup multicast beamforming solutions are proposed. Finally, an extensive performance evaluation quantifies the gains of the proposed algorithm over existing solutions and exhibits its accuracy over per-antenna power constrained systems.Comment: Under review in IEEE Transactions in Signal Processin