CSI Distribution for Joint Processing in Cooperative Cellular Networks

Interference mitigation by applying Joint Processing (JP) in cooperative cellular networks boasts cell-edge performance compared to non-cooperative systems. However, downlink JP requires knowledge of Channel State Information (CSI) at all collaborating Base Stations (BSs), where interference received at the User Equipments (UEs) is markedly affected by the level of CSI quality influenced amongst others by the method of distributing CSI to the BSs. In this contribution, we compare CSI Distribution over the Air (CD-A) with CSI Distribution over the Backhaul (CD-B) considering a Frequency Devision Duplex (FDD) system. For CD-A, CSI is directly fed back from the UEs to the collaborating BSs via the uplink channel (assuming link adaptation is performed according to one master BS to which a UE has been assigned). Adopting CD-B, CSI is foremost transmitted only to the master BS and then forwarded to the other BSs using backhaul connections. This method typically introduces additional latency due to routing issues. In this contribution, we show that CD-A outperforms CD-B in the largest part of the cooperation area, even when pedestrian user velocities and small backhaul latencies are considered.