Communication Using a Large-Scale Array of Ubiquitous Antennas: A Geometry Approach

The recent trends of densification and centralized signal processing in radio access networks suggest that future networks may comprise ubiquitous antennas coordinated to form a network-wide gigantic array, referred to as the ubiquitous array (UA). In this paper, the UA communication techniques are designed and analyzed based on a geometric model. Specifically, the UA is modeled as a continuous circular/spherical array enclosing target users and free-space propagation is assumed. First, consider the estimation of multiuser UA channels induced by user locations. Given single pilot symbols, a novel channel estimation scheme is proposed that decomposes training signals into Fourier/Laplace series and thereby translates multiuser channel estimation into peak detection of a derive function of location. The process is shown to suppress noise. Moreover, it is proved that estimation error due to interference diminishes with the increasing minimum user-separation distance following the power law, where the exponent is 1/3 and 1 for the circular and spherical UA, respectively. If orthogonal pilot sequences are used, channel estimation is found to be perfect. Next, consider channel-conjugate data transmission that maximizes received signal power. The power of interference between two users is shown to decay with the increasing user-separation distance sub-linearly and super-linearly for the circular and spherical UA, respectively. Furthermore, a novel multiuser precoding design is proposed by exciting different phase modes of the UA and controlling the mode weight factors to null interference. The number of available degrees of freedom for interference nulling using the UA is proved to be proportional to the minimum user-separation distance.