Is conflict always bad? From an interference management perspective

Abstract

In this paper, we first introduce a simple two-cell multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) solution where each base station has only its own data message. The algorithm is based on limited feedback from the mobile station (MS). We assume there is no base station (BS) cooperation through backbone; therefore cooperation among BSs is not a requirement. This renders the concept of the proposed solution easier for product implementation. To extend the algorithm to a multi-cell scenario, we next propose a novel physical beam-switching method based on the proposed two-cell MIMO solution. Conventionally, all BSs align the beam directions to avoid inter-cell interference. In this paper, however, we propose using a different beam-switching method based on beam conflict. Instead of aligning all the beams, we intentionally create a strong interference term. In doing so, all but the strongest interference is significantly reduced; the strongest interference term is further removed/minimized by the proposed two-cell MIMO solution. This results in increasing the received signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratio (SINR). Unlike prior work, our solution creates and utilizes the conflict, that is, the conflict is useful. That the conflict significantly helps multi-cell systems improve throughput is confirmed through numerical results.