Combined ZF and ML decoder for uplink scheduling in multi-user MIMO LTE networks

In this paper, we propose a transceiver structure for the multi-user MIMO uplink channel of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks. This transceiver structure is based on the use of an adequate encoder at the transmitter side, to take advantage of the multiple transmit antenna diversity, and a combination of a joint zero forcing (ZF) and a maximum likelihood (ML) decoder at the receiver side. Based on this transceiver design, we show how to extend an opportunistic multiuser spatial multiplexing allocation to the whole LTE bandwidth with respect to Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA) constraints. The evaluated rate performances of the proposed transceiver in a scheduling uplink LTE context outperform the ones of other well known decoders.