NeTS: Small: Toward Optimal, Efficient, and Holistic Networking Design for Massive-MIMO Wireless Networks

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The proliferation of mobile-Internet devices in recent years (e.g., smartphones, tablets, etc.) has continuously pushed the current wireless networks to their capacity limits. A key approach to enlarge network capacity is to increase spectrum efficiency. To allow future wireless networks to support multi-Gigabit per second data rates, there have been significant research efforts in recent years termed 'massive multiple-input multiple-output' systems (M-MIMO), where the numbers of antennas are scaled up to hundreds or even thousands. However, so far, these efforts are mostly limited to problems at the physical layer or signal processing aspects. There is very limited knowledge on how to optimally employ M-MIMO technologies and develop control and optimization algorithms to improve network capacity, delay, and energy expenditure performances from networking perspectives. The proposed research will enable the networking community by facilitating the development of M-MIMO-based wireless networks with substantially increased network performances in terms of throughput, delay, energy expenditure. Through this project, the investigator also aims to advance M-MIMO research in formal classroom instruction and educate students to inculcate a strong comprehension and knowledge of M-MIMO. The investigator will host a workshop to present research findings to companies in the areas of wireless networking. This research will not only advance the knowledge in the design of M-MIMO wireless networks but will also serve a critical need in the general networking research community by exploring a network-level understanding of M-MIMO networks through a unified research program, which consists of the development of tractable cross-layer theoretical models, exploration of theoretical performance bounds and limits, and the development of distributed algorithms.This project strives to answer the following overarching questions: Could the linear capacity scaling law at the M-MIMO physical layer be translated into upper layers' performance gains in throughput, delay, and energy expenditure? Specifically, the project will focus the research efforts along the following three interrelated thrust areas: 1) optimal routing and congestion control for M-MIMO multi-hop backhaul networks; 2) efficient scheduling design for M-MIMO cellular networks; and 3) energy analytics for M-MIMO wireless networks. The project aims to bridge the gaps between physical layer advances in M-MIMO and wireless networking research.