Triangular MIMO Relay Channels: Simultaneous Signal and Interference Alignment

In this paper, we propose a new three-user network information flow model, referred to as the triangular multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) relay (TMR) channel, which consists of three users and three relays equipped with n_U and n_R antennas, respectively. Each user sends two independent messages to the other two users via the adjacent relays in two time slots, which are referred to as the multiple-access and broadcast stages. We derive a novel simultaneous signal and interference alignment for the proposed TMR channel in a scenario where there are fewer antennas at each relay than at each user (n_R <; n_U). An optimized pseudo-inverse scheme based on an efficient gradient projection algorithm is proposed to solve the simultaneous alignment problem. By deriving a gradient over weighted sum-rate maximization and applying a gradient descent method, the optimal beamforming vectors are obtained to maximize the effective signal-to-noise ratios. Furthermore, to obtain rapid convergence speed and reduce computational complexity, we introduce a quasi-Newton method, which is referred to as the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno algorithm, by approximating the Hessian matrix of a pure Newton method. The convergence of the proposed gradient algorithm is guaranteed by proposing a line search algorithm. Finally, a performance evaluation shows that the proposed scheme offers a higher sum rate, produces a better outage probability, and achieves a higher multiplexing gain than the existing schemes.