Unsupervised learning - based downlink power allocation for CF-mMIMO networks
Unsupervised learning - based downlink power allocation for CF-mMIMO networks
Cell-free massive MIMO (CF-mMIMO) is a transformative wireless network technology that surmounts conventional cellular network limitations concerning coverage, capacity, and interference management. Despite offering numerous benefits, CF-mMIMO also presents significant challenges, particularly in signal processing and power allocation. This paper introduces an unsupervised learning framework for downlink (DL) power allocation in CF-mMIMO networks, utilizing only large scaling fading coefficients instead of the hard-to-obtain exact user equipment (UE) locations or channel state information. We consider the sum spectral efficiency (sum-SE) optimization objective and investigate two distinct precoding schemes-maximum ratio (MR) and regularized zero-forcing (RZF)-for multi-antenna access points (APs). A custom loss function is formulated to maximize the sum-SE at each UE while accounting for pilot contamination and ensuring that power budget constraints are satisfied at each AP. The proposed unsupervised learning approach circumvents the arduous task of training data computations typically required in supervised learning methods, bypassing the use of conventional complex optimization methods and heuristic methodologies. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed unsupervised learning approach outperforms existing methods in terms of SE, showcasing an improvement up to 20%. The proposed unsupervised neural network also approximates the optimal solutions generated by convex solvers while significantly reducing computational complexity.
Cell-free, downlink, massive MIMO, maximum ratio, power-allocation, regularized zero forcing, spectral efficiency, unsupervised learning
6309-6314
Fabiani, Mattia
425cc952-cb48-4ce7-b5fd-67962c0ab2ad
Abdallah, Asmaa
86b80268-48be-4bc8-9577-c989e496e459
Celik, Abdulkadir
f8e72266-763c-4849-b38e-2ea2f50a69d0
Eltawil, Ahmed M.
5eb9e965-5ec8-4da1-baee-c3cab0fb2a72
26 February 2024
Fabiani, Mattia
425cc952-cb48-4ce7-b5fd-67962c0ab2ad
Abdallah, Asmaa
86b80268-48be-4bc8-9577-c989e496e459
Celik, Abdulkadir
f8e72266-763c-4849-b38e-2ea2f50a69d0
Eltawil, Ahmed M.
5eb9e965-5ec8-4da1-baee-c3cab0fb2a72
Fabiani, Mattia, Abdallah, Asmaa, Celik, Abdulkadir and Eltawil, Ahmed M.
(2024)
Unsupervised learning - based downlink power allocation for CF-mMIMO networks.
In GLOBECOM 2023 - 2023 IEEE Global Communications Conference.
IEEE.
.
(doi:10.1109/GLOBECOM54140.2023.10437662).
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
Cell-free massive MIMO (CF-mMIMO) is a transformative wireless network technology that surmounts conventional cellular network limitations concerning coverage, capacity, and interference management. Despite offering numerous benefits, CF-mMIMO also presents significant challenges, particularly in signal processing and power allocation. This paper introduces an unsupervised learning framework for downlink (DL) power allocation in CF-mMIMO networks, utilizing only large scaling fading coefficients instead of the hard-to-obtain exact user equipment (UE) locations or channel state information. We consider the sum spectral efficiency (sum-SE) optimization objective and investigate two distinct precoding schemes-maximum ratio (MR) and regularized zero-forcing (RZF)-for multi-antenna access points (APs). A custom loss function is formulated to maximize the sum-SE at each UE while accounting for pilot contamination and ensuring that power budget constraints are satisfied at each AP. The proposed unsupervised learning approach circumvents the arduous task of training data computations typically required in supervised learning methods, bypassing the use of conventional complex optimization methods and heuristic methodologies. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed unsupervised learning approach outperforms existing methods in terms of SE, showcasing an improvement up to 20%. The proposed unsupervised neural network also approximates the optimal solutions generated by convex solvers while significantly reducing computational complexity.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: 26 February 2024
Venue - Dates:
2023 IEEE Global Communications Conference, GLOBECOM 2023, , Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2023-12-04 - 2023-12-08
Keywords:
Cell-free, downlink, massive MIMO, maximum ratio, power-allocation, regularized zero forcing, spectral efficiency, unsupervised learning
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 505785
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/505785
ISSN: 2334-0983
PURE UUID: 201a61d4-3e1f-4c00-a615-9dfe6822d167
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 20 Oct 2025 16:32
Last modified: 21 Oct 2025 02:15
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Mattia Fabiani
Author:
Asmaa Abdallah
Author:
Abdulkadir Celik
Author:
Ahmed M. Eltawil
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics