Downlink transmission rate-control strategies for closed-loop multiple-input multiple-output systems

A novel downlink transmission rate-control and feedback reduction strategy for closed-loop multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) multiple-input multiple-output wireless systems is presented. Unlike conventional systems that use signal to interference plus noise ratio at the receiver as an indicator of channel quality, we propose using instantaneous MIMO capacity as an indicator for the downlink transmission rate-control. A set of instantaneous capacity thresholds is first chosen such that the expected weighted capacity loss because of thresholding effects are minimised. While computing the thresholds, we also consider the quality of service and weight function to meet different traffics and user needs. Then a set of codebooks can be constructed minimising the overall capacity loss with given quality of service constraint. Simulation results show that, with only four data rate-control bits, our algorithm gives only 12% capacity loss in 4 times 4 MIMO systems and almost twice better than the current IS-856 standard in single-input single-output systems. In case of 5-bit feedback scenario, the proposed algorithm outperforms conventional systems by minimising instantaneous capacity loss.