An intelligent design of user-centric cell-free massive MIMO: A deep learning approach

Project Information

IUCCF

Grant agreement ID: 844253

DOI

10.3030/844253

Project closed

EC signature date 23 April 2019

Start date 1 February 2020

End date 15 December 2022

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 183 473,28

EU contribution

€ 183 473,28

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CASSINO E DEL LAZIO MERIDIONALE
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IUCCF (An intelligent design of user-centric cell-free massive MIMO: A deep learning approach)

Reporting period: 2020-02-01 to 2022-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The research project IUCCF "An intelligent design of user-centric cell-free massive MIMO: A deep learning approach" aimed to investigating beyond 5G mobile networks, and in particular the cell-free user-centric massive MIMO network concept. The project leverages the concepts of ultra-dense network deployments, cloud-based implementations of radio access networks, and cell-free network architecture. The aim is to be able to cope with the difficult challenges of beyond-5G wireless networks, which will be required to provide ultra-high data rates, to support a very large number of
devices, to provide ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLCs) to specific applications, and to operate with the highest levels of energy efficiency.

The goal is to come up with technological solutions that can enable the realization of a user-centric network serving simultaneously ground users and unmanned UAVs flying in the sky. Special attention is devoted to the low latency of the communication and indeed the performance metric that has been optimizes is the rate in the finite blocklenght regime.

The project has produced novel power control algorithms and its results hve been published in a top IEEE conference and in a top-tier IEEE journal.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Project Publications:

[1] M. Elwekeil, A. Zappone, and S. Buzzi, ”Optimal joint beamforming and power control in cell-free massive MIMO downlink.” in 2021 IEEE 22nd International Workshop on Signal Processing Advances in Wireless Communications (SPAWC), IEEE, 2021.
Document available at https://arxiv.org/abs/2107.10749

[2] M. Elwekeil, A. Zappone, and S. Buzzi, ”Power control in cell-free massive MIMO networks for UAVs URLLC under the finite blocklength regime,” IEEE Transactions on Communications (2022).
Document available at https://arxiv.org/abs/2111.10613

The project publications are both edited by IEEE and are freely available on the public repository ArXiv.
The system setup is that of a cell-free user-centric massive MIMO system where ground users and UAV are served by several access points, connected to a central processing unit (CPU). This type of network deployment is credited to be as one of the most used in future 6G networks since it leads to better coverage, reduced energy consumption, and increased performance against blockage effects due to macro-diversity. The project has derived innovative resource allocation strategies, and in particular power control policies for both uplink and downlink, to maximize the rate of the users under the assumption of short-packet communications. This type of communication is needed to ensure low latency in the communication with the drones. The project results have been validated through a Matlab based system level simulator.

In addition, the project has been complemented by a six-months secondment at Nokia Bell Labs premises in Stuttgart (Germany), where the Experienced Researcher has worked on exploring the use of distributed multiple input multiple output (MIMO) for ultra reliable low latency communications over the 6 GHZ unlicensed spectrum in the sixth generation (6G) in-X sub-networks. Here, the "X" refers to the entity where the sub-network can be deployed, and that could be a machine, a robot, a vehicle, or a limited indoor space.


The project has been showcased at the September 2022 Researcher's Night events hosted at the University of Cassino and during one open day event in April 2022.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Cell-free massive MIMO network deployment is an emerging architecture for 6G wireless network, placed at the intersection of massive MIMO technology, small cells, and coordinated multipoint. The work conducted by the Experienced Researcher, Dr. Mohamed Elwekeil, led to the definition of new uplink and downlink power control algorithms for the maximization of the users' rate in the finite blocklength regime, for the case in which both UAVs and ground users were simultaneously served by the network in the same time-frequency resource slots.

This work finds application in futuristic smart city scenarios, wherein network will be used to communicate with traditional ground users, but also with several flying objects such as UAVs, flying taxi, and delivery drones. The project thus contributed to the advancement of the knowledge needed to build the digitized society of the future.

At the end of the project, the Experienced Researcher, a non-EU citizen, has been permanently hired by a top European Company. This fact is a clearly evidence of the impact of the research project, that made it possible the integration in the European area of a non-EU researcher.

University of Cassino and Southern latium logo

Representation of the considered system: a cell-free system with ground users and UAVs