The exponential growth of mobile data is a major challenge to the operators of cellular networks. Looking beyond conventional capacity-improving approaches such as adding more cells and acquiring more spectrum, this project seeks to fundamentally improve the spectral efficiency of cellular data networks. The project investigates LAWN (Large number of Antenna based Wireless Networking), a radically new cellular network architecture, in which a large number of antennas simultaneously serve a relatively much smaller number of wireless terminals using multiuser beamforming. The project has two inter-related thrusts. The first investigates a novel LAWN base station design and prototype that can cost-effectively scale to hundreds of antennas and exploit physical-layer tradeoffs between computational complexity and network capacity. The second thrust studies the resulting new network architecture that efficiently schedules terminals, intelligently allocates transmission power, and coordinates pilot signal transmissions to mitigate inter-cell interference.
The project targets improving the spectral and power efficiency of cellular networks by many fold, leading to not only fast wireless data networks but also longer battery lifetime of mobile terminals. Results from the project are likely to provide fresh insights for new theoretical development, bringing large-scale multi-user beamforming one significant leap closer to practical deployment in cellular data networks. In addition to academic publications, the project will produce an open platform, including hardware, software, and documentation available on-line, for teaching and researching base station design. It will actively involve undergraduate students as well as students from under-represented populations.
