Distributed MIMO in multi-cell wireless systems via finite-capacity links

Infrastructure networks, such as cellular systems, are expected to benefit from both multicell processing (cooperation at the base station level) and relaying (cooperation at the user level). This paper provides a brief review of recent results concerning the analysis of such technologies, under the practical assumption that both multicell processing and user cooperation are enabled by error-free but limited-capacity inter-base station and inter-user links, respectively. The focus is on non-fading uplink and downlink channels based on Wyner-type cellular models. The analytical treatment enhances the insight into the potential and the limitations imposed by capacity constraints on the performance gains provided by cooperative (distributed MIMO) techniques.