1e/esystem lnnovotions

1he Seven Modes of MIMC |n L1L

Wh|te aper






1hls whlLepaper descrlbes Lhe seven modes of MlMC deflned
ln Lhe Long 1erm LvoluLlon (L1L) of Lhe unlversal moblle
LelecommunlcaLlon sysLems (uM1S), whlch ls developed by
Lhe 3
rd
CeneraLlon arLnershlp ro[ecL (3C). arLlcular
aLLenLlon ls glven Lo Lhe appllcablllLy of Lhese modes ln
dlfferenL radlo channels.

1he Seven Modes of MlMC ln L1L

age 2

Long 1erm LvoluLlon
1
(L1L) sysLems make Lhe promlse of dellverlng large daLa raLe Lo users, on Lhe order of several
Lens of megablLs per second, whlch ls subsLanLlally larger Lhan whaL Lhe currenL 3C sysLems offer (order of
megablLs per second). 1hls ls a challenglng proposlLlon as wlreless neLworks are sub[ecL Lo lnLerference, mulLlpaLh
and poor propagaLlon channel characLerlsLlcs LhaL llmlLs daLa raLes. MlMC Lechnlques have emerged as a soluLlon
Lo provlde hlgher daLa raLes by explolLlng Lhe mulLlpaLh characLerlsLlcs of Lhe wlreless channel. 1hls ls
accompllshed by uslng several anLennas Lo LransmlL and recelve slgnals Lhereby leveraglng Lhe spaLlal dlmenslon
resulLlng from uslng mulLlple spaLlally dlsLrlbuLed anLennas (hence Lhe Lerm mulLlple lnpuL mulLlple ouLpuL:
MlMC). When Lhe slgnals are comblned properly aL Lhe recelver, Lhe slgnal quallLy or daLa raLe for each MlMC
user wlll be lmproved.
MIMC 8as|cs
A key facLor Lo Lhe performance of MlMC ls Lhe number of spaLlal layers" of Lhe wlreless channel whlch
deLermlnes Lhe ablllLy Lo lmprove specLral efflclency. SpaLlal layers are born ouL of Lhe mulLlpaLh and scaLLerlng
envlronmenL beLween LransmlLLers and recelvers. AnoLher facLor ls Lhe number of LransmlL and recelve anLennas.
1he lncrease ln daLa raLe of a MlMC sysLem ls llnearly proporLlonal wlLh Lhe mlnlmum number of LransmlL and
recelve anLennas sub[ecL Lo Lhe llmlL of Lhe rank" of Lhe propagaLlon channel esLlmaLe. 1he rank" ls a measure of
Lhe number of lndependenL spaLlal layers. Pence, a 4 1x/2 8x anLenna MlMC sysLem provldes double Lhe daLa raLe
(l.e., mln(4,2) = 2) provlded LhaL Lhere are Lwo spaLlal layers (rank = 2) ln Lhe wlreless channel. ln llne-of-slLe
condlLlons, Lhe channel maLrlx rank ls one, hence, even wlLh 4 anLennas we cannoL lncrease Lhe specLral efflclency
of Lhe channel.
MIMC Modes |n L1L
Seven MlMC modes for Lhe downllnk paLh are deflned ln L1L [1]. 1hese are:
Mode 1 - Slngle-anLenna porL, orL 0: 1hls ls analogous Lo mosL currenL wlreless sysLems where a slngle daLa
sLream (code word) ls LransmlLLed on one anLenna and recelved by elLher one (SlSC: Slngle lnpuL Slngle CuLpuL) or
more anLennas (SlMC: Slngle lnpuL MulLlple CuLpuL, recelve dlverslLy). llgure 1 shows Lhe dlfferenL anLenna
access schemes ln modern wlreless communlcaLlon neLworks.
Mode 2 - 1ransmlL dlverslLy: 1hls mode lnvolves Lhe Lransmlsslon of Lhe same lnformaLlon sLream on mulLlple
anLennas (L1L supporLs Lhe opLlon of Lwo or four anLennas). 1he lnformaLlon sLream ls coded dlfferenLly on each
of Lhe anLennas uslng so-called Space-lrequency 8lock Codes." unllke Lhe AlamouLl Space-1lme 8lock Codes"
where daLa symbols are repeaLed ln Llme, Sl8C repeaLs daLa symbols over dlfferenL subcarrlers on each anLenna.
1hls mode ls used ln L1L by defaulL for Lhe Common Channels as well as for conLrol and broadcasL channels. Slnce
lL ls a slngle-layer Lransmlsslon" lL does noL lmprove Lhe peak raLe. 8aLher, Lhe slgnal quallLy becomes more
robusL and lower slgnal Lo lnLerference plus nolse raLlo (Sln8) ls requlred Lo decode Lhe slgnal.
Mode 3 - Cpen loop spaLlal mulLlplexlng (CL-SM): ln Lhls case, Lwo lnformaLlon sLreams (Lwo code words) are
LransmlLLed over Lwo or more anLennas (up Lo 4 ln L1L). 1here ls no expllclL feedback from Lhe user equlpmenL
(uL), alLhough a 1ransmlL 8ank lndlcaLlon" (18l) LransmlLLed by Lhe uL ls used by Lhe base sLaLlon Lo selecL Lhe
number of spaLlal layers.

1
1he formal name for Lhls 3C pro[ecL ls Lvolved uM1S 1erresLrlal 8adlo Access (Lu18A) and Lvolved uM1S
1erresLrlal 8adlo Access neLwork (L-Lu18An).
1he Seven Modes of MlMC ln L1L

age 3

As mulLlple code words are LransmlLLed, CL-SM provldes much beLLer peak LhroughpuL Lhan LransmlL dlverslLy. lL ls
also slmpler Lo lmplemenL and ls consldered Lo be one of Lhe maln modes of MlMC Lo be lmplemenLed ln L1L
sysLems.

IIGUkL 1 MUL1ILL AN1LNNA ACCLSS SCnLMLS.
Mode 4 - Closed loop spaLlal mulLlplexlng (CL-SM): Slmllar Lo CL-SM, Lwo lnformaLlon sLreams are LransmlLLed
over Lwo code words from n anLennas (up Lo 4). 1he dlfference ls re-codlng MaLrlx lndlcaLor" (Ml) whlch ls fed
back from Lhe handseL Lo Lhe base sLaLlon. 1hls feedback mechanlsm allows Lhe LransmlLLer Lo pre-code Lhe daLa
Lo opLlmlze Lransmlsslon over Lhe wlreless channel so Lhe slgnals aL Lhe recelver can be easlly separaLed lnLo Lhe
orlglnal sLreams. 1hls mode ls expecLed Lo be hlghesL performlng mode of MlMC ln L1L.
Mode 3 - MulLl-user MlMC: 1hls mode ls slmllar Lo CL-SM, buL Lhe lnformaLlon sLreams are LargeLed aL dlfferenL
Lermlnals. Pence, mulLlple users share Lhe same resources. Whlle each user experlences Lhe same daLa raLe, Lhe
overall neLwork daLa raLe ls lmproved. lL ls expecLed LhaL llnear anLenna arrays be used for Lhls mode ln pracLlce as
opposed Lo mulLlple spaLlally dlsLrlbuLed anLennas.
1he number of users ls llmlLed by Lhe number of spaLlal layers: Lhe llmlL ls one user per spaLlal layer. 1he users are
separaLed ln Lhe space domaln and can be uncorrelaLed due Lo lndlvldual beam-formlng paLLerns. ln case Lhe
layers are noL compleLely orLhogonal, each user wlll experlence lnLerference from oLher users. 1hls mode ls
generally lnLeresLlng when L1L neLworks become heavlly loaded and ls noL expecLed Lo be a maln feaLure drlver ln
lnlLlal deploymenLs.
SISC
MISC
SIMC
MIMC
1x kx
1he Seven Modes of MlMC ln L1L

age 4

Mode 6 - Closed loop 8ank 1 wlLh pre-codlng: 1hls case represenLs Lhe scenarlo when a slngle code word
LransmlLLed over a slngle spaLlal layer. Many conslder Lhls case Lo be a fall-back scenarlo of CL-SM and lL has been
assoclaLed wlLh beamformlng.
Mode 7 - Slngle-anLenna porL, orL 3: 1hls ls a beamformlng mode where a slngle code word ls LransmlLLed over a
slngle spaLlal layer. A dedlcaLed reference slgnal forms an addlLlonal anLenna porL (l.e. orL 3) and allows
Lransmlsslon from more Lhan 4 anLennas. 1he Lermlnal esLlmaLes Lhe channel quallLy from Lhe common reference
slgnals on anLennas 1-4. Llnear anLenna arrays are expecLed Lo be used for Lhls mode.
MIMC |n ract|ce
A key characLerlsLlc of MlMC ls LhaL lLs performance depends on a number of facLors such as Lhe sLaLe of Lhe
wlreless channel (e.g. low vs. hlgh scaLLerlng), Lhe slgnal quallLy (as measured by Sln8), Lhe speed of Lhe moblle
Lermlnal, and Lhe correlaLlon of Lhe recelved slgnals aL Lhe recelver anLennas. 1herefore, cerLaln MlMC modes wlll
be more effecLlve Lhan oLhers dependlng on Lhese crlLlcal facLors. 1hls opens Lhe door wldely for dlfferenL Lypes of
pracLlcal lmplemenLaLlon of MlMC whlch could dlfferenLlaLe vendors' producLs.
1he beneflLs of open and closed loop spaLlal mulLlplexlng schemes are achleved when Lhe recelved slgnal quallLy
(as measured by Sln8) ls aL lLs hlghesL (as a rule of Lhumb, Lhe beneflLs of SM schemes klck ln aL abouL Sln8 = 13
d8 and hlgher when Lhe correlaLlon ls low). AL Lhe cell edge, a weak slgnal sLrengLh and hlgh slgnal-Lo-nolse raLlo
reduce Lhe beneflLs of spaLlal mulLlplexlng modes. Closed-loop rank 1 or LransmlL dlverslLy become more
aLLracLlve. 1ransmlL dlverslLy ls also more aLLracLlve Lhan CL-SM and CL-SM ln envlronmenL where slgnal scaLLerlng
ls low (e.g. rural areas). SwlLchlng beLween Lhese modes as Lhe moblle Lermlnal moves away from Lhe cell cenLer
or as Lhe scaLLerlng envlronmenL changes ls a way Lo opLlmlze Lhe sysLem performance.
1he speed of Lhe moblle Lermlnal lmpacLs Lhe performance of closed loop MlMC sysLems. ln general, CL-SM mode
provldes beLLer specLral efflclency Lhan CL-SM mode as Lhe channel parameLers are fed back Lo Lhe LransmlLLer
from Lhe recelver and used Lo code Lhe daLa sLream. Powever, as Lhe speed of Lhe moblle Lermlnal lncreases and
channel condlLlons change more rapldly, CL-SM looses much of lLs advanLage over CL-SM whlch ls slmpler Lo
lmplemenL. 1ransmlL dlverslLy ls also robusL Lo speed whlle lLs performance ln low scaLLerlng envlronmenL and
hlgh Sln8 does noL degrade as LhaL of CL-SM. 1herefore, for a vehlcle movlng aL hlgh speed along a hlghway wlLh a
clear llne of slghL Lo Lhe base sLaLlon, LransmlL dlverslLy would provlde Lhe beLLer specLral efflclency whlle CL-SM
would be preferred when Lhe Lermlnal ls movlng aL hlgh speed ln a rlch mulLlpaLh envlronmenL and hlgh Sln8.
SpaLlal mulLlplexlng schemes perform besL when Lhe slgnals have low correlaLlon coefflclenL. As Lhe slgnal
correlaLlon lncreases Lhe performance of SM schemes decrease. Slgnal correlaLlon ls relaLed Lo Lhe scaLLerlng
envlronmenL of Lhe base sLaLlon and Lermlnal devlce. 1he hlgher Lhe slgnal scaLLerlng, Lhe more effecLlve spaLlal
mulLlplexlng Lechnlques become. ln hlgh-scaLLerlng envlronmenLs where Lhe recelved slgnal has a relaLlvely large
angular spread such as ln dense urban areas ls where spaLlal mulLlplexlng schemes are expecLed Lo perform aL
Lhelr besL.
Low slgnal correlaLlon ls also dependenL wlLh Lhe placemenL of Lhe anLennas. 1he larger Lhe dlsLance beLween
mulLlple anLennas aL each of Lhe LransmlLLer and recelver, Lhe lower Lhe correlaLlon. 1hls place cerLaln resLrlcLlons
on moblle handseL deslgn slnce space ls llmlLed. 8eamformlng Lechnlques are alLernaLlvely effecLlve ln hlgh
correlaLlon envlronmenLs where Lhe slgnal comes wlLh a low angular spread such as ln rural envlronmenLs.
1he Seven Modes of MlMC ln L1L

age 3

1able 1 summarlzes Lhe declslon maLrlx Lo selecL Lhe MlMC mode mosL sulLable for Lhe usage scenarlo. As Lhe
scenarlo changes along wlLh Lhe wlreless channel characLerlsLlcs, lL ls posslble Lo dynamlcally adapL" beLween
cerLaln modes.
1A8LL 1 DLCISICN MA1kIk ICk 1nL MAIN L1L MIMC MCDLS.
MIMC Mode
S|gna| ua||ty
(SINk)
Scatter|ng Speed Dynam|c Adaptat|on
1ransmlL ulverslLy Low Low Plgh none
Cpen-Loop SpaLlal
MulLlplexlng
Plgh Plgh Plgh 1ransmlL ulverslLy
Closed-Loop SpaLlal
MulLlplexlng
Plgh Plgh Low
1ransmlL ulverslLy, or
CL 8ank=1
Closed-Loop 8ank=1
recodlng
Low Low Low 1ransmlL ulverslLy

App||cat|on of Modes |n ract|ce
WlLh Lhe advenL of MlMC Lechnlques, adapLlve modulaLlon and many oLher lnnovaLlons lnLroduced lnLo wlreless
neLworks, lL ls cerLaln LhaL Lhe deslgn of 4C broadband wlreless neLworks wlll be more challenglng Lhan LhaL of Lhe
currenL 2C and 3C neLworks. 1here are many facLors LhaL lmpacL Lhe neLwork deslgn and lL becomes lmporLanL Lo
deflne Lhe appllcaLlons, servlces and oLher offerlngs LhaL Lhe carrler plans Lo provlde so a proper neLwork deslgn ls
planned and lmplemenLed. 1hls complexlLy allows for producL dlfferenLlaLlon on boLh Lhe equlpmenL vendors and
servlce provlders.
ln Lhe case of MlMC Lechnlques, Lhe performance wlll depend on many facLors and lL ls clear LhaL Lhere ls no slngle
mode LhaL unlversally provldes superlor performance ln all usage scenarlos. Powever, lL ls posslble for a subseL of
modes Lo be lmplemenLed and Lhe sysLem conflgured Lo lnLelllgenLly swlLch among Lhem Lo opLlmlze performance.
1he leadlng modes are LransmlL dlverslLy, whlch ls a very robusL lmplemenLaLlon, and CL-SM and CL-SM because of
Lhe lmprovemenL ln specLral efflclency requlred Lo dellver on Lhe promlse of L1L daLa raLes. 1he manner ln whlch
Lhese modes are lmplemenLed and Lhe hlgher level algorlLhms Lo opLlmlze performance are one area for producL
dlfferenLlaLlon LhaL equlpmenL vendors have been lnvesLlng ln. CLher areas of dlfferenLlaLlon ln relaLed Lo Lhe
deslgn of Lermlnal devlces where space ls aL a premlum and lL becomes more challenglng Lo achleve low
correlaLlon beLween slgnals recelved by Lhe dlverslLy anLennas.
neLwork operaLors, on Lhe oLher hand, need Lo be cognlzanL of how effecLlve MlMC Lechnlques wlll be ln
achlevlng Lhelr servlce ob[ecLlves. ln Lhls case, Lhe use case and deploymenL scenarlos have Lo be clearly deflned
slnce Lhe performance ls lmpacLed by Lhe surroundlng envlronmenL (e.g. urban vs. rural) and use case (e.g. flxed
vs. moblle). SpecLrum requlremenLs are also lmporLanL slnce frequency reuse facLor deLermlnes Lhe lnLerference
level and slgnal quallLy LhaL affecL Lhe performance of MlMC sysLems.
Conc|us|ons
8roadband wlreless sysLems lmplemenL MlMC Lechnologles Lo lncrease specLral efflclency and daLa raLes. 1here
are dlfferenL lmplemenLaLlons of MlMC Lechnlques whose performance depend on Lhe characLerlsLlcs of Lhe
wlreless propagaLlon channel. AlLhough Lhere are seven modes of MlMC deflned ln L1L, a subseL wlll be used ln
acLual sysLems. LqulpmenL vendors can dlfferenLlaLe Lhelr producL offerlng by developlng hlgher level algorlLhms
Lo Lake advanLage of Lhe changlng wlreless channel Lo adapL beLween MlMC modes and wlreless operaLors need
Lo carefully conslder Lhe deploymenL scenarlos and appllcaLlons when selecLlng MlMC-capable equlpmenL.
1he Seven Modes of MlMC ln L1L

age 6

keferences
[1] 3C 1S36.213: Lvolved unlversal 1erresLrlal 8adlo Access (L-u18A), hyslcal layer procedures"
verslon 8.3.0
Abbrev|at|ons and Acronyms
3C: Lhlrd generaLlon parLnershlp pro[ecL
CL: closed loop
L-Lu18An: evolved uM1S LerresLrlal radlo access neLwork
Lu18A: evolved uM1S LerresLrlal radlo access
L1L: long Lerm evoluLlon
MlMC: mulLlple lnpuL mulLlple ouLpuL
MlSC: mulLlple lnpuL slngle ouLpuL
CL: open loop
Ml: pre-codlng maLrlx lndlcaLor
8x: 8ecelver
Sl8C: space-frequency block codes
SlMC: slngle lnpuL mulLlple ouLpuL
Sln8: slgnal Lo lnLerference plus nolse raLlo
SlSC: slngle lnpuL slngle ouLpuL
SM: spaLlal mulLlplexlng
S18C: space-Llme block codes
18l: LransmlL rank lndlcaLlon
1x: 1ransmlLLer
uL: user equlpmenL
uM1S: unlversal moblle LelecommunlcaLlon sysLems
u18A: uM1S LerresLrlal radlo access
More Informat|on
lor more lnformaLlon abouL Lhe 3C and L1L speclflcaLlons vlslL 3C home page
hLLp://www.3gpp.org/

3C SpeclflcaLlon home page
hLLp://www.3gpp.org/specs/specs.hLm

3C Serles 36 (L1L) speclflcaLlons
hLLp://www.3gpp.org/fLp/Specs/archlve/36_serles


1he Seven Modes of MlMC ln L1L

age 7









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