Cloud Radio-Access Network Architecture for Wireless Cellular Systems

拟议的研究项目侧重于一种新的无线蜂窝网络架构，称为云无线接入网络（C-RAN），其中传统上在每个基站本地执行的信号处理被上传到使用新兴云计算技术的集中计算环境。C-RAN架构的一个重要优点是它提供了一个使能平台，基站可以在该平台上协作以实现干扰管理和减轻目的。通过利用基站和云服务器之间的高速连接，C-RAN架构开辟了无线研究的新前沿，用于使用强大的集中式云计算能力跨多个基站联合优化空中接口和处理。该研究项目旨在研究C-RAN架构的基本容量限制并设计新的信号处理技术。具体来说，我们将研究C-RAN支持的合作基站处理策略，并根据实际约束条件（如有限的回程容量，有限的合作规模和有限的信道估计能力）优化网络性能。空中接口性能、回程容量、计算要求和高精度定时要求的实际权衡都是优化C-RAN的关键方面。C-RAN架构代表了一种新兴的范式转变，将为未来的无线蜂窝服务带来重大利益。本研究旨在解决C-RAN实现中的重要理论和实践问题。

The proposed research project focuses on a novel wireless cellular network architecture, called Cloud Radio-Access Network (C-RAN), in which signal processing traditionally performed locally at each base-station is uploaded to a centralized computing environment using the emerging cloud computing technology. An important advantage of the C-RAN architecture is that it provides an enabling platform on which the base-stations can cooperate for interference management and mitigation purposes. By taking advantage of the high-speed connections between the base-stations and the cloud servers, the C-RAN architecture opens up a new frontier of wireless research for the joint optimization of the air-interface and processing across the multiple base-stations using powerful centralized cloud computing capabilities. This research project aims to investigate the fundamental capacity limits and to design novel signal processing techniques for the C-RAN architecture. Specifically, we will investigate cooperative base-station processing strategies enabled by C-RAN, and optimize network performance in light of practical constraints such as limited backhaul capacity, limited cooperation size, and limited channel estimation capabilities. Practical tradeoffs in air-interface performance, backhaul capacity, computational requirement, and high precision timing requirement are all key aspects for optimizing C-RAN. The C-RAN architecture represents an emerging paradigm shift that will bring significant benefit to future wireless cellular services. The proposed research will aim to address the important theoretical and practical issues toward the realization of C-RAN.