Throughput Maximization in Linear Multiuser MIMO–OFDM Downlink Systems

In this paper, we study the problem of maximizing the throughput of a multiuser multiple-input-multiple-output orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) system in the downlink with a total power constraint using a beamforming approach. An iterative algorithm that takes turns to optimize, jointly among users, the power allocation in the downlink, the transmit and the receive beamforming antenna vectors, and the power allocation in the virtual uplink is proposed. The algorithm is proved to converge, and the throughput increases from one iteration to the next. In addition to the total power constraint, the proposed algorithm is also capable of handling individual users' rate constraints. To reduce complexity, a geometric-programming-based power control in the high signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) region and an orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access scheme in the low SINR region are proposed. Numerical results illustrate that the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms the generalized zero-forcing (GZF) approach.